The 12 Days of Bloomex Christmas (Day 3) - Sweet Memories Gift Basket

We're gearing up for the holiday season here at Bloomex, so we're taking a look at 12 of our favourite Christmas presents that are sure to get you -- or a loved one -- into the spirit of the season.

On the third day of Christmas, my true love gave to me... a basket full of Sweet Memories.

Our gift baskets are always a hot item around Christmas-time at Bloomex. It's easy to understand why.They make for a worry-free gift that you know will 'travel well,' and more than likely, will be greatly appreciated when it gets there. The other thing is that the products, particularly the food products, in our gift baskets offer practical value to the recipient in that they're virtually guaranteed to be eaten. 

Our Sweet Memories Gift Basket is always a hit, as it features an assortment of 6 delicious treats for one great price. Included are: Boxes/packs of dark chocolate, assorted cookies, delicious premium truffles and truffle cookies, tangy lemon cookies and some crunchy candies.

Check it out here on Bloomex.ca and send a little love for less this holiday season.

THE 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS

• Day 1: Classic Christmas Centrepiece
• Day 2: Festive Fragrance 

From Australia: 9 Secret Tips to Make Your Flowers Last Longer

We thought we'd share this post from our friends at Bloomex Australia. It's packed with some great tips.

We’ve combed the web, talked to our experts, and come up with this list of the best 9 tips to ensure that your fresh-cut flowers last for as long as possible:
1. Keep them out the heat! You might want to display them in the window, but if it’s sunny at all, the light and heat will negatively affect their longevity.
2. Did you know that keeping your flowers near fruit isn’t advised? Fruit produces Ethylene gas as it ripens, which essentially contributes to your flowers aging quicker and then dying. So keep your flowers and your apples separate. 

Read the rest of the list at the Bloomex Australia blog, here. 

The 12 Days of Bloomex Christmas (Day 2) - Festive Fragrance

As we get closer to the holiday season, the Bloomex blog is going through 12 great arrangements in an effort to make your Christmas season just a little more festive in 2013.

On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me... a Festive Fragrance beauty.

Ahh, the smell of a crackling fireplace and the earthy tones of evergreens -- that's the smell of Christmas-time. Capture that essence with this festive, gorgeous arrangement. The Festive Fragrance display is always one of our top-selling items during the holiday season and it's easy to see why. 

The arrangement consists of a seasonal combination of Roses, Carnations, Christmas greens, Alstroemeria and Stock. That's all topped off by a big red bow to drive the jolly feeling home. This display is guaranteed to bring the spirit of the season from the outdoors to the inside of any house or room. 

At just $34.95, it also makes for a value-conscious replacement or a great space-saving alternative to a full-sized tree for your bachelor pad or studio apartment.

You can have a look at this Festive Fragrance arrangement right here on Bloomex.ca. And be sure to check back tomorrow for the third installment of our 12 Days of Christmas series, where we'll take a look at one of our most popular gift baskets!

THE 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS

• Day 1: Classic Christmas Centrepiece

10 Great Things to Include in Christmas Gift Baskets

You already know that we offer a variety of gift baskets to fit your budget, but today we thought we'd take a

look at some great items to include in them.

There are truly a wide range of items that can be included in gift baskets and we're pleased to offer some of the lowest prices online, and in Canada, on baskets that include these items.

From corporate gifts to something for you're sweetheart, and whether you're interested in some of our value-conscious assortments or an exquisite gourmet collection, you can't go wrong with the following options.

1. Chocolate is always a great option -- it's addictive and delicious. 
2. Staying with sweets, many baskets include some types of cookies. 
3. Switching over to salty rather than sweet, nuts are an excellent item, sure to be munched on throughout the holiday season. 
4. And for refined tastes, cheese (particularly paired with a bottle of wine or something similar) is an elegant way to surprise your loved ones at Christmas.
5. This may seem a little bit left-field, but we also offer baskets featuring things like seafood to make for a truly unique gift giving experience.
6. Escargot: Speaking of refined tastes! Yep, we've got baskets that have Escargot in them. Mmm.
7. Coffee: For the java-lover in your life that needs their cup of morning joe, Bloomex offers plenty of different assortments that include different types of coffee 
8. Tea: It's the most popular drink in the world and makes for an excellent inclusion in any sort of Christmas present.
9. Wine: Classy and elegant, wine is a traditional gift -- great for housewarming parties, but just as good for a Christmas gathering or a holiday present. 
10. Beer: For the fun-loving man (or woman) in your life, Bloomex's Beer and Nuts basket is a very popular choice among our customers.

As a footnote, if you really want to do some good this holiday season, have a look at our Charity Give Baskets, where 20% of your purchase goes to a charity or non-profit organization of your choice. 

MORE GIFT BASKET IDEAS:

• 5 Coffee Gift Baskets to Send in Canada
• 4 Fantastic Fruit Baskets

The Bloomex Advantage: How We Offer Fresher Products in Australia and Canada

Whether you're in Australia or Canada, you often ask us how we can offer flowers for less than our competitors. The answer is pretty simple.

We have a streamlined business model that allows us to get our flowers to our customers the freshest flowers at the best prices. The key thing to note is that we bypass the convoluted supply chain used by local florists and some of the floral wire services out there. Add those costs to things like brick-and-mortar locations, staffing costs (as explained here) and other factors, and you, the consumer, ends up paying for a whole lot more than just the bouquet you ordered.

Here's an infographic that should explain things pretty clearly as to one of the main reasons why we're able to position ourselves as Canada's best online florist:

The 12 Days of Bloomex Christmas (Day 1) - A Classic Christmas Centrepiece

Bloomex's
Classic Christmas Centrepiece

In the days leading up to Christmas, we will be running a series of posts featuring 12 great arrangements from Bloomex to make your Christmas season a little more festive in 2013.

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me... a Class-ic Christmas Centrepiece

Happy Holidays everyone! For the first installment of our 12 Days of Bloomex Christmas  we'll have a look at our Classic Christmas Centrepiece. 

This arrangement consists of a large red candle, adorned by Roses, Carnations, cones, various greens, Gerberas, ribbons and floral foam in the container to keep the arrangement fresh for as long as possible. It makes for a lovely addition to  your dinner table during the holiday season and brings a little Christmas cheer to any room. Please note that the candle colour may vary.

Check out the product page for this centrepiece here. 

Join us tomorrow on the Bloomex blog for the second installment of this series!

PRODUCT OF THE WEEK (Dec. 2 - Dec. 8): Elegant Poinsettia Basket

Poinsettias are the flower that's probably most associated with Christmas. Their beautiful red colour matches the spirit of the season perfectly, and they are a hardy, durable plant that requires relatively little work to keep looking fresh.

Though there are many types of flowers appropriate for December, as the big day approaches, interest in Poinsettias in particular spikes sharply. They make a great gift, or just as a purchase to bring a little Christmas joy into your home in time for the holiday season. 

Bloomex has a selection of baskets and arrangements specially available, and our product of the week is the Elegant Poinsettia Basket. At under $30, it's an amazing way to add some cheer and festiveness. And if you're looking to make an even bigger splash, check out some of the larger baskets we have at great prices for the 2013 holiday season.

Price: $29.99
Ideal for: Christmas!

VIEW OUR PAST PRODUCTS OF THE WEEK:

• Nov. 25 - Dec. 1: Christmas Designer Collection
• Nov. 18 - Nov. 25: Fruit & Chocolate Basket
• Nov. 11 - Nov. 17: Here's to You Bouquet
• Nov. 4 - Nov. 10: Breathless Beauty Bouquet 
• Oct. 28 - Nov. 3: Classic White & Yellow Daisies 
• Oct. 21 - 27: Beer & Nuts Basket
• Oct. 14 - 20:  Pink Beauty Basket
• Oct. 7 - Oct. 13: "Friday Only" Rose Special
• Sept. 30 - Oct. 4: Signature Arrangement