It depends somewhat on what they are, but mostly I'd say they're better off in the ground...You'd have to be careful with leaving them bareroot in a storage situation, they could dry out and die or get warm enough to try and bud, etc. Unless the ground is frozen, I suggest you at least "heel them in," dig a little trench and set them in it, cover the roots with soil and mulch well. When you're ready to plant, they'll be fine. Just one caveat, though, I live in zone 7, you might get slightly different advice from someone in your zone, but I think you can take my advice.

Thanks for the advice. I also emailed gardening friends and received the same advice so I went with the advice. This afternoon, I planted the shrubs. The ground was moist and the dirt was crumbly making it easy to dig. I planted them in a big hole, adding new soil and thoroughly watered them. Later, when the ground freezes I will add mulch. If they survive, I've received a nice Christmas present from the nursery. Thanks again!