Plant them now! they need plenty of time to grow roots before trying to bloom.

Kevin : )

Thank you tugbrethil for your advice. I planted them this afternoon. Upon reading the instructions once again, it stated that they could be planted as late as December, so I'm not as late as I thought.

As long as you planted them as deep as recommended (6-8 inches) they should be fine. Hope the compost was well-rotted, tulips don't get along well with anything actively rotting because they are vulnerable to fungus and bacteria. Usually bonemeal is the fertilizer of choice. You should water them if the ground is dry and it's well above freezing - they need water to make roots.

Tulips appreciate cool weather and the bloom will last much longer on the plant. They do best when planted in the full sun, and should complete their bloom cycle before the weather warms up. Your raised bed sounds like an ideal location. Al

I agree with the other posts to plant them now. I've also read different things about bulbs being stored in refrigerators; because if they're too close to some types of produce, that could be damaging to the bulb. However, I hope that wasn't the case with yours.