JEDDAH: For many women, summer vacation is the time for gift shopping, with bouquets leading the list this time around, followed by other items such as perfumes and bakery products. Retailers are generally reaping profits, but the flower market is particularly booming because some women prefer to wrap their gifts with flowers around them in boxes.

“I bought my friend a set of luxury perfumes, and I wanted to present it in a unique way. So I decided to place it in a box covered with roses, costing me about SR200,” Wafa Al-Mowalid has been quoted by local media as saying.

Samir Ahmad, who packages gifts and flowers, described gift wrapping as an art that must remain modern and unique in order to attract clients and earn their trust. He said the prices vary based on the types of raw material used and the type of wrapping, and can range anywhere from SR50 to SR2,000.

As for the reasons for the high cost of bouquets, especially roses, he said: “They are beautiful, but also expensive, with prices starting at SR100 and often reaching thousands of riyals.” The best types of flowers are imported from abroad, such as tulips, which retail for about SR15 per stem, he added.

Safia Nahdi said gifts have become quite expensive and tend to cost between SR200 and SR500, but can often be more expensive depending on the occasion. “Cakes and other baked goods are a good option and don’t require expensive packaging.”

Umm Khaled said the prices of gifts and wrapping, as well as bouquets, have become insanely high, noting that the occasion tends to dictate the type of appropriate packaging. Given the increase in prices, she says, she often packages gifts herself at home to reduce the overall cost.

Ahmed Emad, director of a branch of pastry shops, agrees that sweets and chocolates remain special and top quality gifts, especially when visiting patients or celebrating students’ success. He said the summer season tends to see cake sales increase by 75 percent as compared to other seasons, while prices range from SR130 to SR180.