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.

Find out even more about Valentine Traditions around the world....

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.