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Chuseok Client Gifts: How to Send Flowers with the Right Formality
Why the ribbon name and the arrival date come before the item
Why the ribbon name and the arrival date come before the item
There is a point where you have the client list open and your hand stops: how far down should you go? Sending feels like it might put the recipient on the spot, and leaving someone off puts the relationship on the spot.
What actually causes trouble with a Chuseok (추석, the Korean autumn harvest holiday) gift is not the choice of item. It is whose name goes on it, when it arrives, and whether the receiving company is allowed to accept it.
The higher the price, the more the person receiving it has to think about how to handle it. Once reporting procedures and returns come to mind before thanks, the gift has lost its purpose.
An orchid plant carries the least of that burden. It is not something an individual consumes but something that sits in an office, so it is treated like company equipment and the handling is clear.
Oriental orchids (동양란, the cymbidium-type orchids used for formal business gifts) are simple to care for and last a long time. Phalaenopsis orchids (호접란) have color, which suits occasions where a congratulatory note is also involved, such as an opening or a promotion. If you are only sending a holiday greeting, the Oriental orchid is the quieter option.
When you are sending to several clients, it is better to keep the item and the price band the same across all of them. If word gets around later and the differences show, the relationships become more awkward, not less.
Rather than the company name alone, the ribbon is more correct in the name of the CEO. The greeting goes on the left, the sender on the right.
For the sender, write the company name, the title and the person's name together. The contact receiving it should be able to tell which company it came from by reading the ribbon alone.
The ribbon text is written out by hand on your behalf. A single short line of holiday greeting is the safe choice for the wording.
For arrival, aim about two days ahead of the last business day before the holiday rather than the last day itself. On that final day, many offices work only the morning or are away. At Arrive in Bloom, the cutoff for same-day delivery is 5 p.m., and orders after that move to the following day, after 10 a.m. Deliveries are made between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.
| Situation | Recommended form | Name on the ribbon | Arrival timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| A long-standing main client | Oriental orchid | CEO's name, with the company name alongside | 3 business days before the holiday begins |
| A client signed this year | Phalaenopsis orchid | CEO's name, with the responsible department alongside | 2 business days before the holiday begins |
| When a contact's promotion falls at the same time | Phalaenopsis orchid or a flower basket | CEO's name or the department head's name | Morning of the effective date of the appointment |
| An organization whose gift-acceptance rules are unconfirmed | Hold the shipment | Replace with a written greeting | Decide after confirming |
What to confirm before ordering is not the address but the point of receipt. Write down whether it is the lobby reception desk or the executive office, along with the floor and room number, so the driver is not left searching.
The recipient's phone number has to be a Korean number. The driver calls on arrival, so leaving only an overseas branch number or an automated line stops the delivery.
For places with rules on accepting gifts, such as public institutions, financial firms and news organizations, asking the contact once before sending is a courtesy. A greeting not sent is better than an orchid sent back. Letting them know in a single line that something is on its way also reduces the chance of the orchid sitting unattended in a busy lobby right before the holiday.
If this is a corporate expense, note the business registration number and whether you need a 세금계산서 (Korean VAT tax invoice) at the time of ordering. Keeping the delivery-completion photo alongside it puts your expense records in order. Arrive in Bloom sends an unstaged, unretouched photo of the actual delivery afterward.
Check with Arrive in Bloom for the orchids you plan to send during Chuseok week and the delivery dates available.
Rather than the company name alone, use the CEO's name together with the company name and the title. The ribbon text is written out by hand on your behalf.
About two days ahead of the last business day before the holiday is the safe choice. Many offices work only the morning on that final day.
Orders placed before 5 p.m. can be delivered the same day; orders after that are delivered the following day after 10 a.m. Delivery hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Just leave your business registration number and whether you need an invoice issued when you order. After delivery is complete, an unretouched photo of the actual arrangement is sent, which you can keep as part of your expense records.
Settling the arrival date and the ribbon wording for each client in advance means no rush right before the holiday. You can check the available delivery dates at Arrive in Bloom, and inquiries are taken at the main line, 1666-6584.
Published September 12, 2026 · by Arrive in Bloom · Flower Editor
