The holidays can be a great time to give a plant as a gift. Whether you are giving or receiving keep these tips in mind: Poinsettias-like most plants require adequate drainage. To ensure proper drainage, remove any foil or plastic, which may be wrapped around the plant. Poinsettias require a moderate amount of sunlight and prefer to be kept away from drafts. Your poinsettia should be kept inside during cold weather. If you are cold, your poinsettia probably is too! Water your poinsettia only when the top of the soil feels dry. Make sure to fertilize your plant only after it has finished blooming. After blooming, cut the shoots back some, to ensure blooms for next year. Oh, and one more thing, they are not poisonous. Azaleas-Water your azalea carefully. Azaleas do not like being over watered or sitting in standing water (who can blame them?). Azaleas also love humidity, to add humidity and to encourage proper drainage you could possible sit your azalea on a tray filled with small pebbles. They prefer cool rooms with indirect light. Probably around 50 to 60 degrees is the ideal but Azaleas have been known to tolerate as low as 39 degrees. Fertilize monthly and snip off spent blooms. Christmas Cactus- This cactus is known best for blooming at Christmas time. Keep in bright but indirect light. This is a tropical cactus and shouldn't be treated as you would a normal cactus. A Christmas cactus still needs to be watered if the soil feels dry to the touch. Keep indoors under normal home temperatures. However do not water too much or you will start to see signs of rot by the appearance of spots on the leaves. To promote blooming do not water too often during the fall and winter months. Amaryllis- After the beautiful flowers of this plant begin to fade, cut this plant back to about 2 inches above the bulb. Place in a well-lighted area and fertilize. It can be placed outdoors during the summer. Trees-Winter can be a great time to plant a tree as long as the ground is not too soggy or frozen. Winter is a great time for root growth to become established. Here in the South where we are more likely to experience milder winters, December can be a great month to plant a tree. Make sure you dig a hole twice the width of the potted tree and leave the top part of the potted tree exposed.