Holiday cacti are succulents which give gorgeous show flowers and require very little care to bloom year on year. These are natives of the rain forest under story and require steady moisture, filtered light, and long nights to set their blooming cycles. Unlike their desert cousins they do not like arid environments and require steady moisture. There are three varieties of holiday cacti, although they are usually sold as Christmas cacti. Thanksgiving (Schlumbergera Truncata) and Christmas cacti (Schlumbergera Buckleyi) and closely related and need the same care but Easter cacti (Rhipsalidopsis gaertneri) are a whole different species. The main difference is in the bloom times and the shape of the leaves as this image shows:
Image credit: Sean Collins
However, the times may vary for us in the Gulf because our weather is a little different. Mostly we get Christmas and thanksgiving cactus here and I have not seen Easter cactus yet. In any case they need rich well-draining soil. I use a soil mix rich in animal manure and add some vermiculite as well as gravel in my mix. My Christmas cacti are taken in April, and brought out again in late October. They bloom in the gulf around January-February. The trick is they need long periods of darkness, so the blooms set.
I keep them in a scarcely used bathroom to preserve the humidity and away from the AC during the summer. When I bring them out in October, the nights are already longer, and the plants have enough time to recover and set their buds. By the time January rolls around they are happy campers and display the most gorgeous blooms.
They are easily grown from cuttings and need to be mildly root bound to flower. I just change the soil and re pot them in the same pot. Remember to fertilize regularly using foliar sprays or npk granules. If using chemical fertilizers, please use one with high phosphorus and high potassium. Remember to place them in your garden where they get filtered sunlight. This reduces direct sun damage as the sun in the Gulf is quite strong even in the winter.
Pro tip: Use hanging baskets to really get a good display.
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