Holiday Gifts & Gift Baskets Blog

Archive for June, 2007

Kids love dressing up for Halloween so why not give them another opportunity to show off this year’s costume by hosting a Halloween party for their friends or neighborhood kids. All those little ghosts and goblins will have a blast getting together to play games such as bobbing for apples, eat some festive Halloween party food and receive a fun little Halloween party favor gift to take home with them. Here are some ideas for party food that will tie in perfectly with the Halloween theme.

- Cut-out cookies. Kids love cookies so what better way to make the party festive than with various Halloween shaped cookies. From witches to pumpkins to black cats, cookie cutters are available at local craft and party shops. To make it easy, just buy a few rolls of refrigerated sugar cookie dough and use the Halloween shaped cutters to bake up some festive cookies. Decorate them with colored icing if you are creative or just use simple orange and black sugar sprinkles to make an easy dessert the kids will love. Another great alternative is to buy a Halloween cookie bouquet to use as a party centerpiece and as the dessert. The one from Holiday Gifts & Gift Baskets features ghosts, pumpkins and black cats surrounding a center cookie that says Happy Halloween.

- Monster mouths. Here is a quick and easy snack that the kids will love to eat at the party. Buy some red apples, peanut butter and miniature marshmallows to create these appetizer treats. Core and slice each red apple into 6 to 8 long segments to create the monster mouth. Toss the segments in a plastic storage bag with some lemon juice or Sprite to keep the apples from turning brown. Then ‘frost’ each segment with peanut butter and place 3 or 4 mini marshmallows in the peanut butter to create the gums and teeth of these monster mouths. These little treats are super cute and healthy too.

- Pumpkin cheese ball. The kids will devour this festive cheese ball and parents will be in awe of your ingenuity. Buy a couple packs of shredded cheddar cheese and a block of cream cheese. Mix just enough cream cheese in with the cheddar cheese to make it stick together and allow you to shape it into a ball that is 4 to 5″ in diameter. After it is a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for a few hours so it sets up. Then use the back of a regular kitchen knife to create the pumpkin ribs (vertical lines around the pumpkin). Top it off with a 1″ tall piece of broccoli stalk to create the pumpkin stalk at the top. Keep it refrigerated until party time when you set it out on a plate surrounded by crackers.

- Broom cookies. Bake up a batch of peanut butter cookies either from scratch or from refrigerated cookie dough. Prior to baking, use a fork to press down on each cookie to create the vertical lines of the broom bristles. Stick a pretzel rod into the cookies to make the broom handle. Then just bake the cookies for the recommended amount of time.

- Graveyard cake. This fun and festive dessert is easy to make and looks great in the center of the food table at Halloween parties. Just buy and bake your favorite flavor of cake in a 9″ x 13″ cake pan. You can either leave the cake in the pan or dump it out onto a rectangular tray if you are going to use it as a centerpiece. Frost the cake with a thin layer of chocolate frosting. Take a 15 oz bag of crushed chocolate Oreo cookies and sprinkle it atop the cake so it looks like dirt. To make the gravestones, dip some peanut butter Nutter Butter cookies in white or gray colored chocolate and write on the top half of the cookie with black gel frosting (things like R.I.P.). After the chocolate has hardened, stick them in the ‘dirt’ to make a graveyard. Then add some gummy worms, plastic skeletons and spiders to make it even scarier.

- Halloween candy bouquet favors. Give each child a little something to take home and enjoy after the party. Just buy some simple Halloween mugs or cups somewhere like Wal-mart or Oriental Trading Company. To create the bouquet, fill each mug with small pieces of Halloween candy such as lollipops, candy corn, etc. Wrap the mug in cellophane and add black and orange curling ribbon for a darling favor that both the kids and parents will love.

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching and the day of love will be celebrated by many couples, families and children around the world. Candy, flowers, gifts, holiday gift baskets and cards are exchanged between loved ones. This is all in the name of St. Valentine.

Why do we celebrate Valentine’s Day? The beginnings and history of Valentine’s Day and its patron saint is shrouded in myth and mystery. However, for ages February has been a month of romance. St. Valentine’s Day contains trace history of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition.

Saint Valentine

Who was Saint Valentine? One legend claims that Valentine was a priest during the third century in Rome. Emperor Claudius II outlawed marriage for young men because he decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families. Valentine defied Claudius and performed marriages for young lovers in secret. Claudius, when Valentine’s secret actions were discovered, ordered that he be put to death.

Other myths suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape Roman prisons where they were often beaten and tortured.

According to another legend, Valentine sent the first valentine greeting himself. While Valentine was in prison it is said that Valentine fell in love with a young girl who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter which he signed “From your Valentine.”

The legends and history of St. Valentine are murky and mysterious. However, the stories portray Saint Valentine as a heroic, caring and romantic figure. By the Middle Ages, Valentine was one of the most popular saints in England and France. There are many stories, all varying, about what actually became of Valentine. Some say that he was beheaded while others say that he became sick in prison and died.

In 1835, the remains, or at least what are to believed the remains, of St. Valentine were given to an Irish priest, Father John Spratt by Pope Gregory XVI, after Spratt impressed the Pope with his preaching during a visit to Rome. A black and gold casket can still be viewed every Valentine’s Day at the Whitefriar Street Church in Dublin, Ireland.

Some individuals believe that Valentine’s Day is celebrated in February to commemorate the anniversary of the death or burial of St. Valentine, which probably happened around 270 AD.

Cupid – The God of Love

Another famous and important symbol to the much celebrated Valentine’s Day is the cupid, a mischievous winged boy armed with bows and arrows. Signifying emotions of love and desires, Cupid aims those arrows at Gods and humans causing them to fall deeply in love.

Cupid has always played a role in the celebrations of love and lovers. In ancient Greece he was known as Eros, the young son of Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty. To the Romans, he was known as Cupid.

In Roman mythology, Venus, Cupid’s mother and goddess of love ordered her son Cupid to make Psyche fall in love with the ugliest man in the world. Venus was overcome with jealousy of Psyche’s beauty. Instead, Cupid fell in love with Psyche and brought her to a secluded palace where he visited her only at night.

However, Cupid, unseen by Psyche, forbade her to ever look upon his face. One night Psyche lit a lamp and looked at him while he slept and because she disobeyed him, Cupid punished her by abandoning her and she was left to wander throughout the world in search of her love, Cupid. After many tests and trials she was finally reunited with Cupid and the gods made her goddess.

Cupid and his arrows have become the most popular of love signs. Love is most often depicted by two hearts pierced by an arrow, Cupid’s arrow.

Have you been struck by Cupid’s arrow? This Valentine’s Day, celebrate love and romance with your special someone and visit us for many wonderful gift ideas including delectable chocolate gift baskets, heart shaped gift towers, bath and beauty gift baskets and more.

And, remember, when Valentine’s Day has come and gone, the holiday may be over but the Valentine’s Day mood should be celebrated every day.

We all know how Valentine’s Day is celebrated in the United States. On February 14^th, adult, children and lovers alike exchange Valentine Day gifts and cards with one another. Many Western countries such as Italy, France, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia celebrate this romantic day in much the same way as in the United States. But what do other countries around the world do to celebrate love as we do during our Valentine’s Day celebrations?

In Wales, many people forego the traditional Valentine’s Day celebration in February to celebrate St Dwynwen’s Day on January 25^th instead. St. Dwynwen is the patron saint of Welsh lovers.  

The Nordic countries Denmark and Norway know February 14^th as Valentinsdag, but most people don’t celebrate the day unless they take the time to send a romantic card to their lover. However, their neighbor country of Finland has Ystävänpäivä which is known as friendship day when people take the time to remember and celebrate with friends. 

In Israel, people pronounce their love, give marriage proposals and send romantic gifts or cards in late August on Tu B’Av which is the festival of love. 

Brazilians celebrate the Day of the Enamored on June 12^th. This date is just before St. Anthony’s Day who was the marriage saint. It is on this day that couples exchange gifts or give flowers and cards to one another. 

Columbians and Mexicans celebrate Love & Friendship Day similarly. The difference is that in Mexico they celebrate on February 14^th while in Columbia they celebrate in September. The most prevalent tradition is to exchange gifts in a secret way – much like the way Americans do with secret Santa exchanges during the Christmas holiday season. 

In Korea & Japan, our version of Valentine’s Day has evolved into two separate holidays. On February 14^th, women present gifts to their male lovers and friends. The traditional gift given is chocolate. However, there are two different kinds of chocolate that have very different meanings to the recipient – one version for loved ones and one for friends. In fact, over half of the Japanese chocolate gift sales occur at Valentine’s Day. Then, on March 14^th which is known as White Day, the men return the favor by giving gifts to the women. Gift ideas include white chocolate or marshmallows to carry-on the white theme and flowers or jewelry. 

In China, on the 7^th day of the 7^th lunar month, the Chinese celebrate the “Night of Sevens”.  During this festival devoted to love, colorful rituals are performed in addition to exchanging gifts and cards.

Make the Christmas holiday extra special for your family by creating unique and fun annual traditions. As your children mature, they will have cherished memories from their childhood that someday they can pass on and share with their own family and children. If you don’t have an annual tradition in your family, there is no time like the present holiday season to get started. Try one of these festive and fun ideas –

1) Attend Candlelight Christmas Eve Service – Many churches now offer several candlelight services including midnight mass for celebrating the birth of Jesus.

2) Go Christmas Caroling – Whether you gather your family, a group of friends or a group of folks from church, going caroling door to door will get you in the holiday spirit and spread Christmas cheer to one and all.

3) Open Gifts Christmas Eve – Let’s face it, we all like opening Christmas presents so why not spread the fun over two days. One idea is to let the children open a single gift on Christmas Eve. Another idea is to let the kids (and adults too) open gifts that they receive in the mail from out-of-town family and friends.

4) Have Christmas Movie Night – Choose a holiday film classic like ‘Charlie Brown Christmas’ or ‘Christmas Vacation’, make some popcorn and hot chocolate, and then sit down as a family to enjoy the movie.

5) Give a Christmas Tree Ornament – If you have children, nieces or nephews, or grandchildren, this is a great gift-giving idea. Each year give the child a Christmas ornament that you choose just for them, starting with a Baby’s First Christmas ornament. When they are old enough, they’ll love hanging their collection on the tree. And when they move out on their own and have their own family, they’ll have treasured ornaments to decorate their family’s tree.

6) Volunteer at a Charitable Holiday Event – What a great way to teach your children about giving back to the community! Spread some holiday cheer and get in the spirit by volunteering with your entire family to help with a worthy cause such as serving Christmas Even dinner at a homeless shelter.

7) Go on a Christmas Light Tour – So many people spend time making dazzling light displays in their yards during the holiday season. So get out and join in the festivities by driving around town or your neighborhood to see all the beautiful Christmas decorations and lights.

8] Feed Santa & His Reindeer – This is a fun idea to get your little kids involved in the Christmas Eve festivities. They’ll be so excited. Before the kids go to bed on Christmas Eve, help them put out a plate of cookies and glass of milk for Santa. Remind them not to forget about the reindeer and have them put reindeer food (nuts, cereal, pretzels, etc) on the lawn or snow.

9) Have Birthday Party For Jesus – What a great way for the children to remember what Christmas is all about! Have the kids help you bake a cake that is decorated and says ‘Happy Birthday Jesus’. You can even sing a birthday song.

10) Visit Santa Claus – Mom, Dad and the kids should all go to see good ‘ole St. Nick to get their family photo taken with Santa Claus. Do it a few weeks before Christmas and you can use the photo for the Christmas cards that you send to family and friends.

For even more great Holiday Tips & Gift Ideas, visit Holiday Gifts & Gift Baskets. Your one stop year-round holiday shop!

Traditionally, red roses are the best selling Valentine’s Day flowers. They extend a message of romantic love & passion and are a great way to say ‘I Love You’ to your significant other making them the perfect choice for this romantic holiday. Other rose colors each have their own symbolic meaning so if you want to send flowers to someone that you aren’t romantically involved with, we’d recommend that you choose a rose color based on this list of interpretations. Of course, you can always mix rose colors to send a bouquet meaning multiple things such as a mixture of red and white roses which can mean unity.

• White means purity, innocence and heavenly. It can be associated with new beginnings such as marriages or with remembrances such as memorial services.

• Deep burgundy translates to beauty.

• Dark pink says ‘Thank You’ or expresses gratitude and appreciation.

• Light pink corresponds to sympathy, grace and joy.

• Yellow means friendship, joy, happiness and warmth. A great gift for a true friend.

• Orange and coral translate into desire and romantic passion.

• Peach means appreciation and gratitude and can sometimes signify sympathy.

• Lavender corresponds to enchantment or ‘Love at First Sight’.

• Blue corresponds to the unattainable. A great color to send to someone who is an enigma.

• Black signifies farewell and can be used to symbolize vengeance against an adversary.

Lovers Lifesavers – Prior to the party, buy a roll of lifesaver candies. Split into groups of 3 or more players per team (teams should have the same number of players). Have each team stand in a straight line and give each of the players a toothpick which they hold in their mouth. Give the first person in each group’s line a lifesaver candy that hangs on the toothpick in their mouth. When you say go, they must transfer the lifesaver to the toothpick of the player in line after them, without using their hands. The next player to the next player and so forth down the line. If the lifesaver falls to the ground or someone uses their hands, the team must start all over at the beginning. The team members that finish the lifesaver toothpick relay first win little Valentine’s Day Gifts.  

Suck & Blow Valentine Card Game – Be sure to have a standard deck of cards on hand. This game will require 8 or more people who should sit in a circle so they are close to the people next to them. It is best if you have an even number of people with an equal number of boys and girls so that you can sit boy-girl-boy-girl-etc. No hands can be used in this game while passing the card. Start the game by having one person hold a card to their mouth by sucking on it like a vacuum. They then turn to the right and pass it to the next person by placing the card on their mouth so the neighbor will need to suck on the card while the previous person blows to release the suction pressure and let go. Don’t drop the card or you’ll be kissing the person sitting next to you! 

Romantic Love Scrabble – This is a great game for 2 players or 2 teams of players. Set a standard Scrabble game up as you usually would and follow the same rules, except in this version, all of the words formed must be romantic words or words used in a romantic sentence or with sexual innuendo. For example, you could use the word hood if you justified it with the sentence ‘I’d like to get a look under your hood’. 

 Mending A Broken Heart Game – Cut hearts out of red construction paper and then cut each heart in half in an unusual zigzag or other pattern. When guests arrive at the Valentine Party, hand them half a heart. Throughout the party, they should try to find the guest with the other half of their heart. It is a great game to get your guests to mingle. 

Valentine Cupid Bingo – Make up bingo cards either on your computer or by hand on construction paper. Each card should have a 5 square by 5 square grid with C-U-P-I-D written across the top of the columns instead of BINGO. Draw a heart on the center space and call it the Free Space. Assign the other squares numbers. Buy a large bag of Valentine conversation hearts for people to cover the spaces when a particular number is called.  Make up little squares of paper that have all the letter/number combinations (e.g. C1, U6, P9, etc) and put them in a bowl. The moderator selects a paper from the bowl and calls out the numbers until someone gets bingo and yells out CUPID! Be sure to have lots of Valentine prize gifts on hand to give to the winners.

Originally known as National Secretaries Day, this holiday is now known as Administrative Professionals Day. Celebrated the last full week of April, Administrative Professionals Week also includes Administrative Professionals Day which is Wednesday of the same week. As the duties of administrative professionals evolved over the years, the name of the week was changed to more accurately describe the varying titles and range of duties performed by these critical individuals that keep businesses running efficiently. Show your appreciation using one of these fantastic gift ideas.

Flowers – No matter what the season or reason, flowers are always appreciated. Since this holiday is celebrated in April, the flower selections are plentiful as bulbs such as tulips and flowers such as roses are in full bloom throughout the U.S. and the world. Contact a local florist or buy flowers online for delivery to your favorite assistant.

Flower Shaped Cookies – If your secretary or assistant has a sweet tooth, think of these floral shaped delights as an edible alternative to a traditional floral arrangement. These gourmet flower cookies are available in floral boxes with long-stemmed chocolate chip cookies. Or consider an iced bouquet of sugar cookies that are shaped like roses, tulips, sunflowers or other flower. Personalized with your custom thank you message, your assistant will be showing it this impressive gift to all her compatriots.

Thank You Gift Basket – Say ‘Thanks for All You Do’ or ‘Happy Administrative Professionals Day’ with a unique gift basket, cookie or candy bouquet. Whether they are a gourmet connoisseur or a sweet tooth, you can easily find a great gourmet gift that is designed especially for them.

Out for Lunch – This is a great and very popular way to recognize and thank your assistant. Best of all, it doesn’t require any pre-planning for on-time gift delivery or shopping for the perfect gift. Just let your assistant choose his or her favorite restaurant and either take them out alone or invite along the entire group that they support.

A Free Vacation Day – An unexpected day off is a great way to say thanks for your support and help over the past year. You have several options here – give them Administrative Professionals Day off which would require you to tell them about their gift ahead of time or give them the great news that day in the form a thank you card along with a note telling them about their extra day off anytime that they choose to use it.

Favorite Store Gift Card – If you have a local mall nearby or your assistant loves to shop at a particular store, a gift card is a great option, especially for groups. Just have the group of people throw in a few dollars each and before you know it, you’ll have enough money to get him or her a gift card with enough money to buy themselves a great gift.

Spa Gift Certificate – What assistant or secretary couldn’t use a relaxing massage or a pampering pedicure? A gift certificate to the spa is an indulgent gift that will help distress and rejuvenate them.

Special Interest or Hobby Gift – Does your assistant have a hobby like golf or tennis or book reading? If so, show that you’ve really put some thought into the gift and give them something associated with that special interest. For instance, give a sleeve of golf balls or a golfing gift certificate to the golf enthusiast and you’ll score a birdie!

Holiday Gifts & Gift Baskets offers a wide range of Administrative Professionals Day gifts. From gourmet gift baskets to cookie gift bouquets to flowers, we have a great gift for your secretary or assistant so shop today!

Having a little Valentine get-together with your relatives or entertaining the neighborhood kids this Valentine’s Day?  Here are some great games for children aged 5 to 10. Just buy some little Valentine themed gifts to give to the game winners.

1. Steal My Heart – Buy a few large bags of conversation heart candies and put them in a large bowl in the center of the kitchen table. Have all the kids take a spot around the table and give each one of them a set of chopsticks. In a timed 3 minute period, the children should try to ‘steal’ hearts from the big bowl and set them in front of themselves on the table. They can use ONLY their chopsticks – no hands. The child with the most hearts in front of them when time runs out wins.
2. Matchmaker Valentine Memory Game – Buy a bag of the conversation candy hearts with little Valentine sayings like ‘Be Mine’. Go through the bag and find pairs of hearts that are identical (same color and same text saying). When you want to start the game, lay all of the hearts face (text) down on the table. Then have the children take turns flipping over two hearts. The goal for the child is to match up the pairs during their turn. If they get a pair, they get to take another turn until they miss. The kid with the most pairs at the end wins.
3. Hugs & Kisses Candy Guessing Game – Fill a jar or glass bowl with a mixture of Hershey kisses and Hershey hug candies. Then have each child guess how many pieces of candy are in the container. The one closest to the actual number wins the jar of Valentine candy.
4. Valentine-Themed Pictionary – come up with a list of valentine related words like heart, candy, cupid, flowers, rose, diamond necklace, etc. Break the kids into two groups. Have one person in one of the groups draw out the clue (no talking or hand gestures) while their teammates try to guess the word. They have 1 minute to guess it. If they don’t guess the word in the allotted time,  the other team can steal the point if they can guess the word. Play several rounds and the team with the most points wins. Note – you can adjust the allotted time depending on the age of the kids and their ability to draw.
5. Valentine’s Day Make A Word Game – Write out the word Valentine’s Day on the board or have each child write the word out at the top of a sheet of paper. Then, call out go and have each child write down as many 3 or more letter words that they can make out of the letters in Valentine’s Day in 5 minutes. The child with the most words wins a fun Valentine Day Gift.

The history of Valentine’s Day and where Valentine Day traditions stem from is an enigma that has required some conjecture and speculation on the part of historians. So where did this romantic holiday where people declare their love for one another likely originate? The Catholic Church acknowledges the existence of up to 11 Saints named Valentine (such as Valentine of Rome and Valentine of Terni). And there are numerous Christian martyrs who were also named Valentine. The evolving legend stipulates that one of these Saint Valentines from the medieval ages was persecuted and jailed for his Christian beliefs or was a priest that was jailed for performing marriages that did not please the Roman Emperor.  Before being executed, one of these St. Valentines wrote a note to the jailer’s daughter whom he supposedly loved, healed or befriended and signed it ‘From your Valentine’.  Others have postulated, that Valentine traditions may be related to the Greco-Roman fertility and love festivals that they held in February. Of course, how these legends tie into the modern Valentine’s Day holiday is not clear.

Undisputed is the fact that during the 1840’s, the modern era of Valentine’s Day traditions began. It was during that decade that the first mass produced Valentine Day cards were first produced and distributed. The practice of giving gifts to your significant other on this holiday started in the late twentieth century when people starting exchanging Valentine chocolates and flowers in addition to the standard greeting card. Finally when the jewelry industry started promoting for Valentine’s Day in the 1980’s, diamonds took off to become one of the best-sellers during the Valentine holiday.

When Americans think about Easter, they think of decorated eggs and Easter baskets full of candy. The importance of the Easter egg is evidenced by the fact that the White House hosts an Easter egg roll for children on the lawn every year (on the Monday after Easter). Started by First Lady Dolly Madison in the early 1800s, the White House Easter Egg Roll is overseen by the First Lady. The traditional decorating of Easter eggs in the US has now evolved from the simple dipping of the eggs in colored vinegar dyes to stickers and complex coloring kits. The symbolic Easter egg we think of in the U.S. takes on different forms and décor across the world. Here are just a few of the decorating styles and Easter egg gift-giving traditions of other countries.

Russia – Likely the most famous eggs in the world, Faberge eggs were originally created for the Russian Imperial Court. These exquisite eggs are gold and precious stone jewelry that are designed in the shape of an egg. Named after the company that created them, the Faberge eggs can be worth big money. In fact, an American business man paid a reported $5.5 million dollars for the Faberge Winter Egg in 1994.

Poland – The fragile Polish egg called the pisanka is created by dipping an eggshell in wax and then meticulously carving it to form a delicate pattern. After carving is complete, the egg is dyed. These gorgeous pisanka eggs are then exchanged on Easter Saturday as gifts between family members.

Ukraine – Like the Polish pisanka, Ukrainian Easter eggs are also dipped in wax and carved to form what they call a pysanky. Traditionally, these eggs have geometric designs such as diamonds or squares and are custom-colored especially for the intended gift recipient. The Ukrainian culture looks upon the receipt of a pysanky as a great honor and recipients often display their egg as a showpiece in their home.