Christmas Gift Baskets in Canada: Fruit, Flowers or Plants?

A gift basket solves a particular Christmas problem: you want to send something to a whole household, a team or a client, and you have no idea what any one person would like. It arrives ready to put out, needs no vase, and everyone gets a share.

The real choice is what goes in the basket. Fruit, flowers and plants each suit different people and last different lengths of time, so it's worth thirty seconds of thought before you order.

Fruit baskets: for sharing, and for offices

A fruit basket is the most social of the three. It gets put on a counter or a break-room table and picked at for days, which makes it ideal for an office, a family with kids, or a client whose whole team you want to thank.

Fresh fruit is best eaten within a few days to a week, so it's a gift for the moment rather than a keepsake. Send it when people will be around: before the office closes for the holidays, not the day after.

Flower baskets: for hosts and for family

A Christmas flower basket is arranged right in the basket, with the stems set in soaked floral foam, so there's no vase to find and nothing to arrange. That makes it a better gift for a busy host than a loose bouquet. Our Christmas collection includes several, from red-and-white arrangements to white poinsettia baskets.

Keep the foam moist by adding a little water to the centre every day or two, and keep the basket away from fireplaces and heat vents. Looked after like that, most flower baskets look good for about a week.

Plant baskets: for the gift that outlasts the holidays

A potted plant or poinsettia basket is the long-lasting option. It's a good choice for grandparents, for someone recovering from an illness, or for anyone who would rather look after something than watch it fade. Browse plants for options that last well into the new year.

Most potted plants want bright, indirect light and water only when the top of the soil is dry. Poinsettias in particular don't like cold drafts, so a spot away from the front door is best.

Corporate and client Christmas baskets

For business gifts, a few practical points save headaches. Send to a named person at the office rather than the company alone, so the basket doesn't sit at reception. Check the office's holiday closure dates, since a basket that arrives the day after everyone leaves is a basket nobody sees. And keep the card simple and warm: thanks for the year, best wishes for the next.

Because we deliver anywhere in Canada for a flat $19.99, sending a basket to each of several regional offices costs the same per office whether they're across the street or across the country. Each one is made by a local florist near that office.

Allergies, pets and other things to check

A gift basket goes to a whole household, so it's worth a quick thought about who lives there. If someone has a food allergy, flowers or a plant avoid the question entirely. If the household has cats, skip lilies, which are dangerous to cats even in small amounts, and keep poinsettias out of reach since they can upset a pet's stomach. For a client or office you don't know well, a fruit basket or a mixed flower basket without lilies is the safe default.

Strongly scented flowers can also be a lot in a small apartment or a shared office. When in doubt, choose roses, carnations and greenery, which look festive without filling the room.

When to order

Order by December 22 for delivery before Christmas. Delivery runs Monday to Saturday, with no Sunday delivery, and same-day delivery is available outside the holiday rush when you order by 1:00 PM in the recipient's local time. For offices, aim for the last full working week before the break.

Our Christmas baskets currently start at about $95, plus delivery. As with every order, a local florist may swap a stem or fruit for one of similar value and style if they run short in the busiest week of the year, keeping the look the same.

What to write on the card

Keep a gift basket card short and specific. For family: a line about the year and who it's from ("Thinking of you all this Christmas. Wish we could be at the table. Love, the Ottawa crew"). For a client: thanks and good wishes ("Thank you for a great year working together. Wishing your team a restful holiday"). For an office: name the team, not just the company, so the people who did the work know it's for them.