It's beginning to look like Christmas
Poinsettias celebrated at open house in Brenham

By MONETTE TAYLOR | South Central Texas Edition

Poinsettias of all colors and sizes, including these six-footers, greet visitors to Ellison's Greenhouses. -Staff photo by Taylor

December 4, 2003 -- When you step into the Poinsettia Celebration at Ellison's Greenhouses in Brenham, it doesn't take but a moment to understand why owner PJ Ellison-Kalil was named 2002 Grower of the Year by the Greenhouse Grower magazine, the first woman ever to receive that honor.

For the 13th year, Ellison's Greenhouses (also owned by Jim and Ellen Ellison) have opened their doors to the general public the weekend before Thanksgiving.

Everywhere you look are poinsettias of various sizes and colors, along with rows of vendors, freshly-baked pastries and special seminars offered by professional growers, as part of the open house.

There are three, major reasons the Ellisons decided to have this open house, according to PJ.

"Number one, it helps put people in a Christmas spirit, and we are a Christian business; number two, it allows the people to view the beautiful Christmas poinsettias; and number three, it's a great way to make special memories," she explained.

Depending on the weather, PJ said they have anywhere from 2,500 to 4,000 people over the two-day open house, complete with Christmas music and Santa for the kids.

Offering growers and retailers a different way to approach marketing the quality of the plants has been, and remains, very important to PJ. This is one of the major reasons she received the award as Grower of the Year, along with her passion for the horticulture industry.

After being away from home and the floriculture industry for 15 years, she decided her calling was back in Brenham with her parents, who started out as tomato producers.

As supporters of Texas A&M University, the Ellisons are proud of PJ and the business, and are known for the quality of their plants and the way they work with their employees, not only at Christmas, but throughout the year.

Before PJ took over the leadership at Ellison's, her mom, Ellen, held the position and the employees all call her "Ms. E." It is said that you always see PJ wearing a red bandana, which symbolizes the "red badge of courage" that represents the "team" spirit of all employees. The Ellisons have always looked to hire people who have the same values and work ethics as they always have had, and it's worked throughout the years, yeilding good, faithful, knowledgeable employees.

For a number of years, they (Ellison's) have been asked to decorate the State Capitol as well as the Texas Governor's Mansion in Austin, and have even sent the "Texas-size" poinsettias to President and Mrs. Bush at the White House.

According to Ellen, the only Texas ag industry ahead of the "green" (horticulture) industry is beef cattle, and after a visit to the yearly celebration, it's not hard to see why.