Eight nights.
Many relatives.
Several dinner invitations.
At some point, another bottle of wine begins to lose its magic.
If you are looking for a Hanukkah gift in Montreal that feels festive without becoming another object someone has to find room for, here are five ideas.
1. Blue, Purple and White Flowers
You do not need to create a bouquet that looks like a flag.
A beautiful arrangement using whites, creams, lavender, purple or touches of blue gives a subtle nod to the holiday without becoming themed décor.
2. White Roses
White flowers beside candlelight are hard to beat.
A white rose bouquet is elegant enough for a formal dinner but simple enough that it will not fight with the table setting, candles, dishes and everything else happening visually.
3. Flowers for the Person Hosting Everyone
The person hosting Hanukkah has probably cooked, cleaned, organized seating, found enough chairs and wondered why there are seventeen people in the kitchen.
They deserve flowers.
A ready-to-place arrangement makes a beautiful host gift.
One recommendation:
If you are arriving just as candles are being lit and dinner is being served, choose an arrangement already in a container.
Do not arrive with twenty untrimmed stems and a request for a vase.
We say this with love.
4. A Rose That Lasts
For parents, grandparents or someone who has everything, preserved roses give the gift a longer life.
They also work especially well for someone who loves flowers but does not want to care for fresh stems.
5. Send Flowers Instead of Bringing Them
Hanukkah schedules become complicated.
You may not be at every dinner.
Your parents may be across the city.
Your daughter may be away.
Your friends may be celebrating without you.
Sending flowers is a beautiful way of entering the room even when you cannot.
Add a small card:
“Wish we were lighting with you tonight.”
That is enough.
A Gift Does Not Need to Be Useful
We spend a great deal of time trying to buy people things they need.
Hanukkah gives us permission to buy something simply because it brings pleasure.
Flowers disappear eventually.
That is not a defect.
Sometimes their temporary nature is precisely what makes them luxurious.
For a few days, the table is more beautiful than it needed to be.
There are worse gifts.