It’s the season of giving, and by now, we’re all searching for the perfect gifts to fill our shopping lists. Yet, there’s something a little impersonal about scraping elbows with the holiday crowds in the malls and big-box stores. Furthermore, it can be challenging to come up with gift ideas that won’t simply add more junk to our recipients’ homes! By choosing to give plants, you can avoid the masses of Christmas shoppers while giving a gift that will genuinely add to your loved one’s life.
Giving the Gift of Plants for Christmas
There’s a bit of an art form to gifting, and it’s no different with plants. A Christmas gift should reflect what that special person means to you. This holiday plant guide is meant to help you match the right person on your list with their perfect seasonal plant.
Poinsettias: The Perfect Hostess Gift
Poinsettias must be the most recognizable Christmas plant, but that doesn’t make them boring! While most folks opt for the classic red-and-green varieties, there are some gorgeous two-toned poinsettias with intriguing marbled flower bracts. Surprise and delight holiday party hosts with an unexpected take on this traditional gift plant!
Amaryllis: For Colorful Personalities
If there’s someone on your list who prefers handmade gifts to items bought at the store, amaryllis are the perfect gift plant for them! If you’re already familiar with how to grow amaryllis, you can force a bulb to bloom so it’s in full flower by Christmas morning. Or, if your giftee is a big of a green thumb themselves, offer an amaryllis bulb for them to grow at home. Either way, they’ll love the brilliant colors and bold blooms of this incredible bulb!
Paperwhites: For the Interior Decor Maven
Paperwhites are a variety of Narcissus, or daffodils. Rather than the kinds that brighten up your spring landscape, most folks force paperwhites to bloom in the winter. True to their name, these plants bloom with stunning that perfectly complement any Christmas decorating theme. The choice is yours whether you present your loved one with a paperwhite in full bloom or a “growing kit” of their own bulb with a matching pot.
Christmas Cactus: For the Love of Your Life
Christmas cactuses are another popular gift plant during the holidays, but unlike poinsettias, this flowering plant has a reputation for longevity. You may have a friend or relative who has kept the same Christmas cactus alive for decades! With that in mind, the Christmas cactus is a thoughtful way to express the everlasting nature of your relationship. Give it to your spouse, and watch it grow together for years to come.
Succulents: For Your Child’s Teacher
This person spends a great deal of their life helping your child learn and grow, and they deserve a Christmas gift that symbolizes that commitment. A pretty succulent, like echeveria, panda plant, or zebra plant, will happily decorate their desk next to a sunny window. Better yet, these plants don’t need much maintenance—so while that special teacher may wear many hats in the classroom, “gardener” won’t have to be one of them!
ZZ Plant: For College Kids
With all the exciting things going on in a college student’s life, their dorm room is likely not one of them. Most dorms are small, plain, and don’t let in a whole lot of light. More young adults than ever love the look of a good houseplant, and the Zanzibar, or ZZ plant, is the perfect Christmas present for beginners with less-than-ideal living quarters. ZZ plants thrive with very little light and don’t need to be doted on with much water or fertilizer. The plant will add life and character to your student’s space while giving them plenty of time to cram for their exams. Maybe in 2020, taking on a more high-maintenance plant will make it into your college kid’s New Year’s resolutions!
Christmas Plant Combinations: For Someone Special
We all have someone in our life who goes the extra mile for us. Perhaps it’s your mother who selflessly provides a perfect Christmas feast year after year. Or, perhaps it’s your aunt or grandmother who always knows exactly what you need in times of stress. Those special people have earned more than their share of special recognition.
With a holiday, living flower arrangement, like our Indoor Holiday Cheer, you can truly thrill that most deserving person. A combination of Amaryllis. Paperwhites, and Oxalis, the heights, colors, and fragrance, are a holiday trifecta! Get this one early, though, as they need time to do their things by holiday gatherings!
Plants make excellent gifts for the holidays, but they are still a responsibility. We suggest tucking a gift certificate into your Christmas card envelope, so your loved one can choose the fertilizers, pots, and other accessories their new plant will need. Add a little ribbon, and your Christmas gift plant will be ready to add life to your loved one’s home for months, or years, to come.
