I have been very excited about Christmas coming up. I'm trying to get all of my shopping done before November 30th this year.

I'm also excited about these traditional plants! I've never had a Christmasy houseplant, so now seems like the perfect time to start. I haven't bought any yet, but I'm thinking....

Amaryllises have been in the stores for a few weeks now. Today, Lowe's brought in Norfolk Island Pines in a variety of sizes.

Where are the Christmas Cacti? Is it still too early? This is the plant I'm really excited about.

Anyway, I'd appreciate any hints/tips. What Christmas plants do you pick up this time of year?

But I do LOVE LOVE LOVE pink poinsettias and may actually buy one this year. This forum has helped me realize it's possible to keep them alive, I want to see how that goes.

Call me crazy but my little jade plant looks Christmas-y to me, all of the tips are bright red.

More likely than buying plants for me is decorating my existing ones. Like sticking red fake flowers in the pots, maybe some bows, those shiny "icicle" strings, tinsel, ornaments. OK, I admit, there have been figurines spotted in pots here, caroling under the "giant palm tree." Once considered putting lights on a Drac tree but decided not to since I thought the heated spots might make it ill.

Good luck finding a beautiful CC!

I like pink poinsettias too--would be nice to hear about your experience keeping it alive. I am not brave enough to try one yet! Maybe next year.

Went to the grocery store to pick up some fish for dinner...

And look what I found! Only $3! Many of the others had deflated already-bloomed flowers, but this pink one looked pretty good (though a little lopsided!) I might need to go back and pick up a red one too.

Poins don't live for me, and they attract mites, so the few times I bought a Poinsetta, after the holidays they went in the trash.

Amaryllis are more likely to rebloom...so I bought an Am last year..the bulb is in the basement, tucked inside a paper bag..Hopefully, a bud will grow.

Christmas and Thanksgiving Cactus are great, easy to care for, and force flowers..

The last couple years, few stores had TC available. Don't think they sell well here, so most stores, including HD, didn't have many..

Holly is usually available, but they die indoors.

Christmas Tree shaped/topiary Rosemary is usually around.

Various sized Norfolk Pines..They can be decorated with tiny lights and ornaments.

Toni

As far as my cactus goes, I'll be posting another picture soon when my first bloom opens more--it is doing so well, and even my DH (who is generally uninterested in my plants) is excited about the growing buds.

Anyway, the lopsided-ness is becoming a problem. This plant is knocking itself over! I feel bad picking it up and always finding a few aborted/dropped buds. I've got to find some way to prop it up for the next few months.

I'm obsessed! I've been keeping my eyes out for red or white TCs with no luck--maybe it's still a little early?

Haven't picked up any other Christmas plants yet---but it's still early! Looks like Big Lots has an amaryllis/nice pot deal this weekend (Holiday Amaryllis/Paperwhite Pot Gift Kits for $8).

Christmas shopping is going well! I'm very proud of what shopping I've been able to complete. 15 days to go before my personal deadline of Nov. 30th.

How is your amaryllis doing, Toni?

You buy that pink poinsettia yet, Purple?

I still am keeping an eye out for a decently-prized and sized Norfolk Island Pine--- I think the best ones I saw were on the first day I started this convo! I regret not picking one up then.... I'll keep my eyes peeled.

I finally found a white Thanksgiving cactus at Walmart. I'd been looking and looking for one and all of the ones we found during Black Friday weekend shopping had funky soil or confusing flower coloring (where we couldn't tell if buds would open pink or peach or white). But this one is a nice white with a hint of pink.

No pink Poinsettia yet, only seeing red ones. If they get to clearance, I'll prob bring one of these home, I know how I am.

I haven't begun Christmas shopping yet. You're setting the bar too high!

My holiday cacti are just about done blooming. I think the last bloom with be done by the 6th of January. They started their thing before Thanksgiving and bloomed though Christmas. I guess they know the holidays are over.

Larry

Someone put a pic of a red Aglaonema around here somewhere and it's still on my mind, pretty than Poinsettias, IMO, and no worry about if it's blooming or not. I'd like to see these sold more as "Christmas plants" in the future.

I didn't decoarate very much either. I was too tired After all my end of semester grading. Still need to put away the few items that I did pull out, maybe I can get that done this week.