Edgy flower delivery alternatives

September 19, 2011 3:05 PM

Edgy flower delivery alternatives: anyone know where I could order something cool for a punk-rock loving 16-year-old who's in the hospital this week?

My cousin is going to be in the hospital for the next 5 days or so and I'd like to have something delivered to his room to cheer him up. He's got a ruptured appendix, so I'm guessing food-treats wouldn't be allowed. He loves punk music, gory movies, and pretty much most stuff on the edgier side of pop culture. I was thinking flowers in a skull vase would be perfect and hilarious, but my search has been fruitless (even though we're getting close-ish to Halloween!)

This would need to get there tomorrow (in case he's discharged early), and I'd prefer a service that is accustomed to delivering to hospitals (not sure if something from, say, Amazon would actually make it to him in a timely manner). I'd like to keep it under $50, but can go higher if the coolness warrants it.

Any ideas, hivemind?

posted by plantbot to shopping (13 answers total)

What city is he in? Maybe we can get some local options going. I know that big cities will have singing telegram-type delivery options (maybe someone could dress up like a zombie to deliver flowers? that could be fun), but your options are going to be severely limited if he's in a small town.
posted by phunniemee at 3:11 PM on September 19, 2011

Singing telegram?
posted by ian1977 at 3:11 PM on September 19, 2011

A gift basket with a tshirt of his fave band, a cd or itunes card, etc.
posted by arcticwoman at 3:20 PM on September 19, 2011

Call the local florist. You can talk them into finding you something awesome. Many of them will have pumpkin vases and may have some leftover bat piks or something from last Halloween. I work for a florist and I know we'd be able to help you with some idea...
posted by St. Alia of the Bunnies at 3:22 PM on September 19, 2011

Where is he?
posted by contraption at 3:28 PM on September 19, 2011

16 year old punk rock loving male doesn't equate with flower delivery, no matter how cool the vase, in my book. You know him better than I do, of course.

Does he have an iPod Touch? The kids I know would love $50 at the iTunes store to buy games and music to pass the time. Less personal, but he needs something to take up lots of boring time at the hospital.
posted by jeffch at 3:37 PM on September 19, 2011

Thanks for the answers so far everyone! I've thought about a singing telegram (gorilla-gram!), but suspect that's not in the budget. And I like the idea of calling a local florist -- that hadn't occurred to me, but it's definitely worth a shot.

He's at Bradley hospital in Rhode Island, if that helps with specific suggestions.
posted by plantbot at 3:41 PM on September 19, 2011

What about going the Addams' Family route and have roses delivered with the flower heads cut off, leaving just the stems/thorns?
posted by Morrigan at 3:49 PM on September 19, 2011 [2 favorites]

Just FYI: Not all hospital wards allow flowers; you should check the floor's policy before sending them. Food's almost definitely out; he may be vomiting on and off and if he is, it's gross bile vomit. (I had a teenaged boy with a ruptured appy when I did my pediatric clinical.)

If you could find a service that would deliver 'whatever,' punk/skull boxers would be my choice. There were never enough shorts in that size for teens to wear under their gowns.
posted by cobaltnine at 3:56 PM on September 19, 2011

Boxers (and socks and t shirts) are a great idea.
posted by lemniskate at 4:13 PM on September 19, 2011

Thanks again for the continued good answers. Right now I'm leaning towards a Pajamagram, given the good suggestions that comfy under-gown clothes might be welcome (pinstripe PJs, with a "Frylock" monogram). And he's actually in Hasbro Hospital, not Bradley as stated above (important distinction, it turns out).
posted by plantbot at 5:18 PM on September 19, 2011

Carnivorous pot plant?
posted by mooza at 6:00 PM on September 19, 2011

A (medicinal) pot plant might be hilarious. "Heard you were sick!" I'm not sure the hospital or his parents would agree.
posted by salvia at 9:47 PM on September 19, 2011