I'm not sure where you are but I think I remember you're in Massachusetts. The latest UMass Extension Landscape Message is due this Friday, December 6, and it will give information on whether soils are frozen in the different regions of MA.

It's not frozen here in southeastern MA - I'd say plant your trees or bulbs now if you can dig a hole. If you haven't gotten them yet and you can still dig a hole - dig the holes now and keep the excavated soil in a warmer place (garage? shed?), and backfill when you get the plants.

This is the procedure they recommend for living Christmas trees that you put out after the holidays - get the hole ready in advance.

Be sure to stake the trees to keep them upright when the winter winds hit.

Claire

You typically need about 3 consecutive days and nights below freezing for the ground to freeze. Around here in Boston MetroWest, the ground usually freezes mid 2 late December. I just spent the morning putting out my holiday lights, had no problem pushing the stakes in the ground.

Where I am right outside of Providence, RI, certain portions of the North side of my yard were starting to free in the top inch or two (most likely due to the recent rain from this weekend) but there's a good horizon of soil underneath this crust that isn't frozen just yet. But it's damn cold! I second the idea of keeping some soil in a warmer location to back fill and sort of "extend" the possibility of growth in those locations before the soil totally freezes.