Gift Idea: Send Christmas Flowers

Posted on December 3 2009
Filed under The Gift Shop

When I got home from work last night and checked the mail box, I discovered that I had received the Holiday 2009 catalog from Proflowers.com. I had been anticipating the arrival of this catalog; it usually comes in conjunction with several emails, reminding me that I need to place the order to send Christmas flowers for the special people in my life. (This year that consists of my mom, my sister and of course my daughters.)

I’ve always been the flower giving type. I can remember the first time I gave a girl flowers in High School, I was sooooooo very nervous. I’d had a crush on that particular girl for a very long time (and discovered after giving her the flowers that the feeling was mutual) and wanted to do something nice for her. Perhaps it was her reaction (jubilant, would be an understatement) but ever since, I’ve been a flower giver. I’ve given flowers for holidays like: Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Birthday’s, Anniversaries and for the normal reasons that a guy gives flowers: to say, “I love you!” or to say, “I’m sorry, I’m an idiot!” and just because. I don’t know why women like flowers, I’m sure that there is someone who can tell me, but I know that they do. So, I give them.

When you send flowers you send two gifts: the flowers themselves, and the moment they arrive. There’s the knock at the door or the call from the front desk, “Flower delivery for you.” And the next thing that happens is your special someone’s heart races with delight as they receive their flowers. –Proflowers.com

I don’t know remember why I started to send Christmas flowers. I’m guessing that at some point, Proflowers.com sent me an email about their Christmas offerings. I thought that it sounded like a good idea at the time and it has been a tradition ever since. I even still sent flowers to my (now) ex-wife last year for Christmas in the middle of the divorce—I hoped it might change things.

I do, however, remember when and why I started using Proflowers.com. From 2000-2002, I was away at school in New York and my first wife and kids had stayed behind in Utah. I came home as often as I could, but there were times that I just missed my wife and family and wanted her to know. I learned early in life that flowers are a great way to say, “I miss you and am thinking of you!” I knew that I could call a local florist and get flowers delivered, but I’m kind of a visual person (go figure, I’m a guy!) and like to have some idea of what it is that I’m sending. So, I got online and remembering a radio ad for Proflowers.com, I sought out their website. I ordered an arrangement that I thought would be awesome; the flowers were a huge hit and I’ve been hooked on Proflowers.com ever since.

There are several reasons that I like to use Proflowers.com. First and foremost is their 7 day freshness guarantee. They can do this because they have their own farms, you order, they pick, they send. No middle men, no brokers, simply from farm to you (or the person you send flowers to). The flowers arrive fresh, beautiful long lasting; they guarantee it. I love that. Personally, having been there when the flowers were delivered or seeing them after their delivery, I can attest to the quality. But, you don’t have to take my word for it, if you check out the Proflowers.com website you can see what publications like the Wall Street Journal say about them.

I also really like the reminder service that Proflowers.com has available. I’m pretty good a remembering when special occasions are, it’s making the time to get out a get a gift, etc…that I’m not so good with. Proflowers.com will send me an email reminding me about an upcoming event and I can quickly find the appropriate arrangement and I’m done. (Plus I love the free vases that using the reminder service gives me.) The reminder service has saved my bacon more than once. One time, I remembered to order the flowers, thanks to the reminder service, but forgot. The day arrived and suddenly I thought I’d forgotten to get flowers. Not, so; I logged in, checked my account and saw that I had indeed ordered flowers. I waited and a few hours later, the flowers arrived. But even if you do forget and suddenly realize that it’s the last minute. Proflowers.com has options to help you. They have ways of getting flowers to your special someone today or tomorrow through their network of locally approved florists. If you are in a bind, check out the Proflowers.com homepage and click on “Need it Today or Tomorrow?”

You can send Christmas flowers from a wide variety of bouquets and arrangements. The picture at the top of the post is an arrangement called “Holiday Tradition.” It is 3 long stemmed red roses, 3 long stemmed white roses, 3 stems of red carnations and red mini carnations, and 5 stems of white mums. This arrangement (and all of them) is available without the vase or you can choose to include one from a selection they provide that matches the arrangement. To the right is the arrangement my tulip loving second wife received: “Ultimate Christmas Tulips.” This arrangement consists of 15 Red tulips, 15 White tulips, and Douglas fir. There are many, many other selections to choose from, check them out at the Proflowers.com homepage.

Another nice thing as you can see from the screenshot (click to enlarge) is that the product offerings from Proflowers.com don’t end with just being able to send Christmas flowers; you can get things for your own decorating as well. Proflowers.com has a huge selection of wreaths, miniature trees, centerpieces, and table runners as well. It doesn’t end there either. Proflowers.com has a large selection of “gourmet gifts” like chocolates and truffles, chocolate dipped strawberries, Mrs. Fields Cookie Baskets and other such items. (There’s too many to list and this is after all about sending Christmas flowers!)

Now, if you really want to make an impression with that special someone; Proflowers.com offers 3, 6, or 12 months of flowers. For an all inclusive price, you can have a roses or a seasonally selected bouquet arrive each month (usually delivered on the 2nd Wednesday) to your special someone. (A Christmas gift that keeps on giving after the season is over!) Here’s the current list of flowers that are delivered if you elect to send 12 months of flowers:
• JANUARY: a mix of Asiatic lilies and blue iris
• FEBRUARY: fragrant Oriental lilies in assorted colors
• MARCH: 20 stems of fresh, vibrant tulips in various colors
• APRIL: 20 stems of bold, blue iris
• MAY: lilies, delphinium, asters, snapdragons, and mums
• JUNE: three dozen purple carnations
• JULY: 25 multiple-bloom stems of bright, cheery Peruvian Lilies
• AUGUST: 18 roses in various colors
• SEPTEMBER: mix of yellow roses, Peruvian lilies and more
• OCTOBER: one dozen red, orange and yellow roses
• NOVEMBER: mix of orange roses, Peruvian lilies and yellow asters
• DECEMBER: 8 roses, 6 carnations, 4 mini carnations, 3 white chrysanthemums, filler and greens

When you elect to send flowers for Christmas from Proflowers.com you can choose to include a teddy bear, chocolates and real Christmas card, instead of the little paper one. The payment options for Proflowers.com include all major credit cards, PayPal (need I say more?), and a “bill me later” option that I haven’t played with.

If you decide to send flowers for Christmas, you can choose to send flowers directly to your special someone or you have them delivered to you so that you can hand deliver them yourself. Either way, I recommend that you try Proflowers.com to send Christmas flowers. Let me know how it goes in the comments below.

Remember: We’re LDS! Single! And, we’re in this together!