As the holidays quickly approach, there seems to be little time left to gather all those perfect gifts for everyone on your list. From family and friends to coworkers, deciding on the right gift for everyone can be a daunting task. While flowers and plants aren't the first gift idea that pops into one's head when contemplating gift ideas, there are many reasons why you should consider pulling from nature for your gifts.
1. Flowers and plants are an eco-friendly gift option
2. Allows you to support a small local business rather than a large corporation
3. Flowers are a hassle-free gift that won't take up more space in their home
4. Flowers and plant gifts are budget friendly
5. A gifted plant is a gift that can be enjoyed all year
6. Flowers and plants have been proven to reduce stress and anxiety
The Eco-Friendly Option
It's no secret that all that wrapping paper, bows, and tape will eventually find its way into a landfill. What's more, these items are said to add 1 million tons of trash a week not just during the holidays according to an article by The Washington Post. And this is just wrapping supplies, there's still the packaging on items to consider and the lifecycle of certain gifts.
We've all been there perhaps one too many times to count when we've received something for the holidays that we used maybe a handful of times before it was donated or thrown away if unusable. While it's great to donate the things you no longer want or need, wouldn't it be better to not have to to begin with?
Plants and flowers will decompose while something manufactured may take years to break down if it in fact ever does. The pot or vase left behind can then be reused for another plant or flowers, thus eliminating waste. No plastic packaging here, just perhaps some soil or water. Can't get any more earth-friendly than that.
Support A Small Local Business
When you break away from gift shopping at major stores and shop small you not only help that small business but you better your community. Large corporations already make millions every year, especially around the holidays, so why not instead support a small business?
When it comes to expanding the line of products we offer, we've always reached out to other small businesses that we've been lucky enough to work with. Businesses like Follow the Sun soaps which makes the most amazing-smelling products from handmade soap bars, lotion bars, candles, and so much more are one of our favorites. Their soap bars are always a popular add-on with our flowers and plants. Then there's Moonwake Meadow and The Art Apothecary which has supplied us with candles that are always bestsellers.
Supporting a small local business during the holidays ensures that the money you spent on your gifts goes back into your community which will spend that money in their community, rather than a large corporation that is based somewhere else entirely.
Plants And Flowers Are Hassle Free
While you're of course grateful for every gift received, do you find yourself after the holidays wondering where you're going to keep everything you just got? Especially if you're someone who prefers a minimalist home without clutter, finding yourself with a bunch of gifts with some you probably didn't need or want, you're now saddled with finding a place for them.
There's a popular thought among minimalists that the true price of something goes beyond the sticker price and includes the time spent on maintaining that item. This is something to consider when choosing the right gift.
We won't pretend that flowers and especially plants are always maintenance-free, but gifting a low-maintenance plant such as our popular Cool Cactus and Succulents which requires watering once a week at most, is very easy. You can make it even easier for them by gifting a dried flower arrangement that requires absolutely no care. Any of these great gift options take up little space and will at least be a visual treat rather than another item to add to the clutter.
The Budget-Friendly Option
While some gift ideas such as designer bags and electronics are set at a certain higher price range, you can find plants and flowers at a wide price range. Even if you go the DIY route and decide to purchase a plant at your local farmer's market or nursery and then pot it yourself, you will still be spending less than the average holiday shopper.
According to Investopedia, the average holiday shopper is looking to spend about $832 this year on gifts. With the current inflation rates on just about everything from food to personal care, perhaps it's time to reconsider more budget-friendly alternatives like plants and flowers.
A Gift That Can Be Enjoyed All Year
Some holiday gifts such as season-specific clothes like jackets and sweaters can only be enjoyed for a fraction of the year, while gifts like plants and flowers can be around all year.
While fresh flowers such as our Rudolph holiday arrangement will inevitably die, we also offer subscriptions where your recipient can receive flowers every week or month. Then there are our preserved flowers that can last for many years. Popular choices among plants are the Serene Succulents, Desert Dreamers, and the Chinese Money Plant. These are all gift ideas that your recipient won't have to store away somewhere until needed or feel guilty over not using.
Plants Especially May Reduce Stress And Anxiety
According to Affinity Health, the soil in potted plants can encourage the rise of serotonin which we know can do wonders for stress, anxiety, and even depression. It's even believed that caring for a plant allows us to feel good because we are nurturing something outside ourselves. There's also the rewarding part of watching your plants grow and maybe even bloom depending on the type of plant. At the height of my own depression, there was comfort in watching my cacti sprout gorgeous blooms.
When it comes to finding the right gift for everyone on your list, there is certainly no shortage of ideas. This time of year especially there seems to be more ads and emails than before, but that's exactly why it's so great to break away from the norm and gift differently this year. By gifting plants and flowers you not only break away from mass consumerism, but you may even start a trend.
We offer same-day delivery to cities such as Thousand Oaks, Westlake Village, Calabasas, Moorpark, Malibu, Simi Valley, Oxnard, Ventura, Camarillo, and more.
