Thanksgiving falls on Nov. 26, 2026, which leaves about eight weeks to finalize a Thanksgiving floral program and the Christmas plant business that follows. This checklist covers what grocery buyers, growers and bouquet makers should settle now, using the most recent holiday sales data from the International Fresh Produce Association.
What last December’s data says
IFPA’s four weeks ended Dec. 28, 2025 showed U.S. floral dollar sales of $646.8 million, up 5.6%, on flat units of 52.5 million, with price per unit up 5.6% to $12.32. For 2025, IFPA reported $10.3 billion in sales, up 5.8%, on units down 1.4%.
Potted plants, led by poinsettias, were the top December category at $152.3 million, but dollars fell 2% and units 6.4%. Roses reached $125.7 million, up 13%, bouquets $119.6 million, up 8.2%, and arrangements $100.6 million, up 9% with units up 5.2%. IFPA’s director of floral said holidays remain times when consumers are “willing to spend a little more on doing something special.”
Lock in these five items now
The following is our planning guidance, not data from a single source. Start with orders: confirm volumes and specs for fall bouquets, centerpieces and holiday plants with suppliers while production slots remain. Next, freight: book space and delivery windows for the week before Thanksgiving, when store deliveries will be tight, and again for early December.
Then settle pricing. Tariff and freight costs are pushing landed costs up, as our tariff coverage notes, so set price points before ads are built. For the plant side, see how fall container programs are expanding beyond mums. Confirm programs such as promotions, pre-pack mixes and substitution rules, and finish with merchandising: plan the shift from fall color to Christmas after Black Friday and set display space for poinsettias.
Order visibility matters too. Our note on Floriday trading changes shows how order review timing can affect holiday supply. For method and category definitions, see the full IFPA December point-of-sale report.
Holiday bouquets and plants also depend on cooler discipline in the store. Our guide to flower care and handling at scale covers coolers, hydration and ethylene.
Takeaways for a Thanksgiving floral program
A strong Thanksgiving floral program starts with realistic volume and clear price points. Consider these steps:
- Plan poinsettia and plant buys on units, since last December’s plant units fell even where dollars held.
- Give roses, bouquets and arrangements room in holiday ads, where IFPA data showed gains.
- Lock freight windows and delivery days before the Thanksgiving week crunch.
- Set one price ladder for the whole season so tariff costs do not force mid-promotion changes.
The SuperFloral Team brings you news, trends and practical ideas for supermarket and mass-market floral professionals. Our editors gather and curate the stories that matter most to floral teams in grocery and retail, from industry news and events to merchandising inspiration and business advice. Have a story idea or news tip? Write to us at editorial@superfloral.com.
