Suggestions for Rosy Gift Giving

It doesn't matter if there are 364 or 364,000 days to prepare for Christmas. Most people still tend to be caught in the hustle and bustle of last minute holiday shopping. Christmas shopping can be a headache.

What size, what style, what color? How much is enough, yet not too much? What about Uncle Joe or Aunt Lillian who has everything? How will your holiday budget s-t-r-e-t-c-h?

Relax and allow thoughts of sugar plums and fairies to dance through your head. Your problems are over. Fresh cut roses are an ideal gift for everyone on your shopping list. The Rose Information Bureau offers the following glorious Christmas gift ideas for every pocketbook:

A single bloom in a vase will make the babysitter next door feel grown up, the elderly couple down the block feel young again, and will show your child's teachers how much they're appreciated. A corsage will dazzle a dieting aunt who is in between sizes for the 20th time.

If the gift you have selected is too big to fit under the tree or is unsuitable for wrapping (how do you tie a bow on a winter vacation, a night on the town or a car?), here are two rosy alternatives. Give the lucky recipient a dozen, half dozen or even a single red rose along with a card describing your "unwrappable" gift.

A perfect rose floating in a shallow bowl can impress even the most sophisticated friend. Treat your mail carrier, newspaper boy or girl, or delivery person to a fresh cut rose in a bud vase.

Make your first holiday gift to a shut-in who can't get out for the holidays. A personal visit counts the most, but a basket of fruit, wrapped with a big green ribbon and a red rose, provides nourishment for the body as well as the soul.

Roses bring benefits at the office, too. A small bouquet in a simple container can impress the boss without giving the idea that you are overpaid. (It may even sweeten the atmosphere at bonus time.)

For the office grab bag, give a rose or two in a water-filled container which can be used later for paper clips, rubber bands, kitchen spices or condiments. Roses are available in many colors and are suited to any pocketbook - a real Christmas blessing for this year's shoppers trying to make due on last year's budget. Simply adjust the size of your rose gift to the amount you want to spend.

Visit your professional retail florist early to discuss your Christmas shopping list with a rose expert. You'll find creative ideas and charming containers suitable for everyone... and don't be afraid to order a few for yourself!

Information Provided Courtesy of Roses Inc., P.O. Box 99, Haslett, MI 48840.