What, then, is the alternative for those of us ill-disposed to the self-made gift? Despite the seemingly hypnotic power of the pound, and the eerie shadow of control which commerce exercises over our ability to be individual, you can still make choices even when it comes to buying an item off a shelf. If you still want that edge of originality, the sense of a one-off with a bit of creativity put in, why not turn to nature? Whilst the practice of arrangement and flower delivery is standard, no two blooms are the same: just as no two fruits or cakes are ever quite identical.
How about creating a bounty of nature’s gifts, and combining them all in one basket? Hampers are a delightful way to combine a variety of your loved one’s favourite things. If you choose to go online for such a present, you can even save on the hassle of wandering for weeks and weeks up and down high streets, boutiques and markets. Websites such as Interflora will not only deliver your chosen bouquets of flowers and potted plants; it will also create and deliver hampers to the door.
If you can’t decide between the edible and the floral, you can always combine the two. This is not a suggestion to begin eating flowers: rather to add a bouquet to your hamper, or to create a gift with a combination of these elements. Perhaps a bottle of champagne, a set of preserves, a few truffles, an orchid? Whilst the food will probably disappear quickly, the addition of a flower will allow your gesture to last.
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