Will it be shipped bare root or in a container? Will someone be there to accept the package?......

If the tree is OK when you plant it, late November / early December will be an ideal time to plant it. In your zone, the best time to plant trees and shrubs is anytime between mid fall to early spring. As long as the ground isn't frozen (and it's not likely to be in zone 7) you can plant. Definitely don't try to grow the tree inside during the winter!

If you need more information about how to plant, ask or do a search in this forum.

Thanks, Brandon,

That's just what I needed to know.

Luckily there will be someone here to accept the package while I'm away.

Thanks, again.

Can the "somebody" also open the package, check the moisture around the roots, and, if needed, also pot the tree up, or, at the least, cover the roots in damp mulch/sawdust/damp shredded newspaper, etc., storing it in a cold but not freezing-hard place? My experience is that while most mail-order places do a decent job of packing, the length of time that packing is supposed to sustain the plant is measured in days rather than weeks. I grant, at that time of the year, the tree SHOULD be dormant, but the unprotected roots - if bare-root - should not be allowed to either get too warm nor to dry out.

I am assuming that you can perfectly well deal with it on your return, it's just for the period between plant arrival and your return... And I may be over-worrying, if so, my apologies.

Great advice from dibbit. If you arn't going to plant it soon after arrival... a day or two, heeling it in is the next best option. Put it on the ground in a protected area and but some dirt on the roots and moisten the dirt.

My favorite local nursery keeps a pile of sand for heeling in their bare roots trees until they have time to pot them up.

It seems that the sand is clean and stays fairly moist several inches below the pile's surface, but does not stay too wet. The sand drains well enough to keep mold from forming around the heeled in bare root trees.

This way they do not have to worry about their heeled in trees, even if they end up having to periodically sprinkle the sand with more water.