You’re at work or doing chores around the house, and suddenly you realize it’s your sister’s birthday or, worse, your anniversary! You need to send a gift right away or risk making a family member, friend, or your significant other upset. But what can you do when you need to send a gift today? If you live close enough to the person, you may be able to pick up something from a nearby store and deliver it. However, if you don’t live nearby, that’s not an option.
Instead, you can send flowers! Many florists will deliver on the same day if you get your order in early enough. Flowers and the small gifts that florists have (balloons, stuffed animals, and candy) can usually work for just about any occasion from birthdays to sympathy to congratulations. With today’s online capabilities, many florists have even networked with others around the country or even around the world so it’s possible to send flowers anywhere. All it takes is a few minutes online and your gift of flowers will be off to convey your message to the recipient.
It’s a foregone conclusion that sending your mom flowers on Mother’s Day is a great idea. What isn’t such an easy decision is picking the flowers to send. Sure, there are a number of different arrangements specifically designed for Mother’s Day, but many of these bouquets use different flowers. Which ones are right for your mom? Here are a few tips for selecting the perfect flowers for your mother.
Is she a girly girl? Some women are more into pink, bows, and hearts than others. If your mom is what many would call a girly girl, she would enjoy any arrangement that features a cute animal, bright pink and purple flowers, or other traditional “girl” type things.
If, on the other hand, your mom loves gardening or working outdoors, you might want to look for a live plant or an arrangement that she can later plant outdoors. This has the extra advantage of giving her a gift that will last for years instead of only a few weeks or so. Every time she sees the lovely plant you got her, she will think of you. If you want to get her a traditional bouquet, however, you might want to go with one that comes in a rustic basket and features bright blooms like sunflowers.
Anyone creative or artistic will like arrangements made up of very colorful flowers or exotic flowers. You can also pick one of the wilder or expressive vases instead of a traditional glass vase. Ask your florist to really get creative here or look at mixing and matching some flowers that you don’t traditionally see together.
If you know your mother’s favorite color (and every child should!), you can always base your flower selection around it. Selecting flowers in that color and surrounding them with complimentary colored blooms can make the decision process easier, especially if you have a trained florist helping you.
These tips should get you started on the right path to selecting an arrangement that fits your mom’s personality. If you need more help, consult with your florist. He or she an help you create a custom-made arrangement that is perfect for your mother.
Bear-y Happy Birthday
While sending a beautiful flower arrangement is sometimes the perfect way of conveying your feelings, sometimes a gift basket is more appropriate or fits the recipient better than flowers. Selecting a gift basket can be just as hard as selecting flowers, though. Here are ten tips for choosing the perfect gift basket.
1. Think about the occasion. Some gift baskets are designed for specific events such as birthdays, a new baby, or for a specific holiday.
2. Think about the person’s gender and age. For a man, a gift basket of food is probably going to go over better than a gift basket featuring a stuffed animal as its centerpiece.
3. What does the person like? If he or she has a major sweet tooth, a basket full of chocolates or candy is a great choice. However, if he or she is more of a health nut, you may want to go with a fruit basket.
4. Does the person have a sense of humor? There are some humorous gift baskets such as “over the hill” birthday baskets, but not everyone will appreciate these. Be sure the person will see the humor in the basket before you send it.
5. Does the person have any sort of dietary restrictions? Similar to thinking about what kinds of food they like, be sure to think about health issues. A gift basket of chocolates would not be such a good idea for a diabetic; however, a basket of sugar-free treats would be excellent.
6. How religious is the person? Some gift baskets, such as those designed for Easter, may have more of a spiritual flair than others. Again, be sure what you’re sending fits in with the person’s beliefs.
7. What colors does the person like? A bright pink spa basket full of fancy soaps, pink candles, and pink slippers may not be the ideal gift for a woman who hates the color pink.
8. Think about the season. During the cold winter months, a gift basket that includes gardening tools and seeds probably isn’t the best choice.
9. What’s your relationship to the person? If you’re purchasing a gift basket as a way of saying thank you to a business partner, you will probably want to stick to gourmet foods or snacks.
10. Finally, trust your instincts. If you see a gift basket that you immediately think is perfect for someone, go with it. Chances are, you’ll have hit on the right gift.
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