Gifts: Christmas - Baskets - Corporate - Any Occasion

"Thank You" Means A Lot

2007-11-29T12:08:00.000-08:00

This time of year many of you will receive Christmas Baskets for the holidays.

I am amazed how often people, who have ordered a gift basket from my store, call to confirm if it was received because they never got a "thank you." Even corporations that send lots of gifts each year, expect a little appreciation for the gesture. Someone took the time to think of you, spend their hard earned money, and pick out something they thought was appropriate for you. Sometimes, we'll make something up special, a custom or personalized basket, and the customer is anxiously awaiting to hear the reaction when it's received.

A quick phone call is fine. However, a hand written thank you note is a nice touch too. You should mention a detail or two about the specific gift or how it will be used. Here are a couple of quick sample letters if you're at a loss for words:

(1) Dear Aunt Emma,

Thank you so much for the new sweater. The color is so pretty and it looks nice and warm for winter. It was very thoughtful of you to think of me. I really appreciate it.

(2) To All The Staff At ABC Marketing:

Thank you for the lovely Christmas basket. We all enjoyed the chocolates and other goodies. In fact, there's not much left! We hope you had a wonderful holiday and look forward to a new year of doing business with you.

So, take out a few minutes to acknowledge the gifts you receive. It will make someone's day and it's just plain rude not to!

Create a Christmas Gift Basket for Teens

2007-11-19T21:01:00.000-08:00

If you have teenagers on your holiday gift list, you already know how difficult they can be to buy for. This is especially true if the teens are members of your extended family or if you don't know what they really want. A Christmas gift basket is the perfect way to give a thoughtful gift that teens are sure to enjoy!

The Basket

The first thing you need to choose is the basket itself. A wicker basket from the dollar store or craft shop will do the trick, but why not make the basket part of the gift itself? Consider using a large popcorn bowl, or a big container with a lid that can be used for storage.

For girls, a cosmetics tote or wire basket is a good base for your gift basket, or, if you know their tastes, a decorated hat box would do the job. For boys, try a plastic desk organizer or a storage box designed to hold CD's or video games.

The Filler

Once you have your basket, you'll need something to put inside the bottom of it to hold your gift items in place. Colored plastic "grass" (like you'd find in an Easter basket) works well, as does shredded paper or balled up tissue paper. To make things more fun, you can use plain, air-popped popcorn, peanuts or other nuts in the shell, or wrapped hard candies as your filler.

A winter scarf, t-shirt, socks, or other soft fabric item would also make a good base to line the gift basket with. For the sports enthusiast you could use tennis or golf balls. Try to keep the filler scaled to the size of your container; if you're using a large item for a basket, then you can use larger-sized filler items.

The Gifts

Now it's time to figure out what to put in the basket! Your choices will ultimately depend on how well you know the recipient and how much money you want to spend. Gift certificates are always a welcome gift for teens, and they don't need to come in large amounts to be useful. Pick up some small denominations of gift certificates from a movie rental outlet, coffee shop, or health food store. There's something for everyone at book and record stores, so consider those places for gift certificates as well.

Teen girls are usually very concerned with their appearance, so health and beauty items are great basket fillers. Generic items that every girl can use include lip balm, clear lip gloss, scented bars of soap, emery boards, cleansing cloths, nail polish remover, toothbrushes, makeup brushes and applicators, compact mirrors, and purse-sized bottles of hand lotion. For long haired girls, scrunchies and barrettes are also good choices.

Teen boys can be a little more difficult to buy for, but with a bit of inspiration you're sure to find the right items. Munchies such as nuts, pretzels, and trail mix are a good start. Protein bars are another option. Sports socks work well, or try hand-held electronic games based on sports or casino games.

Other generic gifts for both boys and girls can include gloves or mittens, ear buds for walkmans or MP3 players, bottles of flavored water, gourmet hot chocolate mixes, seasonal treats and candies, pre-paid phone cards, and magazines.

Putting it All Together

Putting the gift basket together is easy. You'll need your basket, filler, gifts, clear cellophane wrap, tape, ribbon, and a gift tag. Start off by making sure that the price tags are all removed from the gifts and the basket itself.

Fill the basket or container about half way with the filler material, and then just place the items into the basket. Start with the larger items, which you may want to gift wrap first to heighten the enjoyment of the gift itself. Fill in the empty spaces with the smaller items.

Cut a length of the cellophane that is long enough to pull up over the sides of the basket, leaving several inches of overhang on either side. Place the basket in the center of the cellophane, and lift both sides to meet in the middle. Holding the ends together, tape the sides in several places to secure. Gather the cellophane together at the top, and tie it all up with a festive ribbon. If there are bits of cellophane peeking out at the sides, push them in towards the basket to hide them.

That's all there is to it! Your gift basket will look terrific, and any teenager will be delighted to open it up and discover all of the fun and useful presents inside.

Christmas Baskets - It's Time Already!

2007-11-09T16:55:00.000-08:00

Yes, it's already time for holiday shopping. Christmas Baskets or Hanukkah Gift Baskets can help take the stress out of the season.

Got an Aunt on the west coast? Clients you want to keep your name in front of or get new business from? Employees or partners you want to thank with appreciation gifts? Skip the post office and the malls. Save time, gas, and shop from the comfort of your own home at your convenience. Our secure online store, Basket Star, has plenty of Christmas baskets, a snowflake themed bath and body gift, kosher Hanukkah baskets, sleds, towers, kid christmas baskets, kid Hanukkah baskets, a keepsake Hanukkah Platter, and much more to choose from. We can also create a custom or personalized gift to meet your needs and have products for every budget.

Local hand delivery is available in Bergen County NJ and ship anywhere in the continental United States.

We're hard at work now getting ready for the holidays - creating stunning designs, taste-testing lots of yummy, gourmet foods to make sure the very best ones go into our baskets, and putting them all together so they're ready to be shipped or delivered. Order early and specify your desired arrival date - we'll make sure it gets there on time. That's it, you're done! Now go bake cookies or something.

Tips For A Greener Christmas

2007-11-01T14:46:00.000-07:00

Christmas has long faced skepticism for having veered away from its spiritual roots and, instead, become a token of commercialism grandeur. This season, why not step away from the rat race and show your love, not only for family and friends, but also for this great planet that we live on? In keeping with environmental awareness that has recently swept over our land, here are 10 ways that you can help protect our planet, show your love, and ensure that everyone enjoy a great “green” holiday season.

1. Get yourself a “greener” evergreen.

Living Christmas trees are gaining popularity, once again, and why not? Instead of having to go cut down a tree, or marching down to the Christmas tree stand and paying those outrageous prices for pre-cut trees, living Christmas trees allow us to bring our tree inside our home for the season and, when it’s over, we can then replant it outside. That’s a much happier thought than driving along and noting all the discarded trees in the trash after New Year’s. If that isn’t incentive enough, living trees smell better, last a long time without dropping half the needles all over your floor, and pose less of a fire risk than their dead and drying counterparts (care should still be taken, even with living trees, to prevent fire hazards though).

Another option is getting an artificial tree this year. Artificial trees are a good way to show that you disapprove of cutting down living trees, as well as the fact that they come in all different shapes, sizes, and colors. Even more useful, artificial trees can be boxed up, put in the basement, and used again and again, for years to come.

Still not convinced? If you simply must have a cut tree, be sure to minimize waste when the season is done. Instead of throwing your tree alongside the road for the trash man to pick up, ensure that it gets somewhere that it can be mulched and recycled to improve the environment.

2. Made in Yourtown, USA.

Not only does it help to improve the economy where you live, but it also saves on the expenditure of fossil fuels, not having to ship goods or drive all over, looking for items. Local stores can often provide some really unique and unforgettable gifts. Even better, why not visit a local craft store and make some of your own presents? Another wonderful idea (and inexpensive too!) is to check out local thrift shops - treasures can often be found there, for low prices, and only require a little TLC to make one-of-a-kind gifts that everyone will love.

3. Theme It.

Instead of wasting petrol this year, cut back and try shopping for everyone in themes. This will allow you to do all your Christmas shopping in just a couple of stores, saving you time, money and energy. Some great ideas for themes are books, music, sweaters or, if your family is proud of their heritage, shopping in stores that specialize in Scottish, Irish or German-inspired goods can also be a fun way to brighten up the holidays. Stores that cater to all different ethnicities can be found, usually just with a quick trip through your local yellow pages.

4. Save Our Endangered Critters.

A unique “green” gift, this season, is to “adopt” an endangered animal in the name of your friend or loved one. This is an ideal present for children, as most organizations will send a stuffed animal toy, photographs, or even a birth or adoption certificate on the animal. While whales and wolves tend to be the most commonly adopted pets, there are a large number of endangered species that can be adopted. For more information, contact The World Wildlife Fund, Defenders of Wildlife, or even your local zoo.

On a side note - Never give live animals to people for holiday presents (especially to children). It’s a known fact that most animals bought during the holidays are usually purchased spur-of-the-moment and a large number of them end up abandoned, unwanted and neglected, or in the local animal shelter. If you’re considering buying your loved one a puppy or kitten, wait until after the holiday hype is over, ensure that your loved one truly wants and is able to care for said pet, and then make an educated decision, based on the facts. The animals will thank you for it.

5. Gift Bagging It.

Gift bags are not only gaining popularity, they are also easier to use than trying to fight with rolls of paper, tape, glitter and bows. Additionally, gift bags can be reused, again and again. For the ultimate in environmentally friendly packaging, find reusable bags made of recycled paper or plastic.

6. Wrap It Again, Sam.

Undamaged paper, gift bags, bows and tissue papers can be salvaged, stored and used again, the following year. Even if the edges are crumpled or torn, the bad parts can be trimmed away and the paper then used to wrap smaller parcels. It’s a great way of cutting down on waste.

7. Go Recycled.

If you’ve run out, and you need new wrapping paper, avoid that thick and glittery expensive stuff and look for paper and greeting cards that have been made from recycled materials. Ideally, you want to look for items that contain high PCW (Post Consumer Waste) content, which means that the materials are recycled from consumer waste, not excess waste from the paper mills.

8. Turn Your Package Into Your Gift.

This is a unique and thoughtful way to decorate your Christmas packages. Instead of spending a fortune on wrapping papers, ribbon and bows, try wrapping presents in useful items, such as a tee-shirt or a pretty scarf. Jewelry can be used in place of ribbons and bows and, rather than using cellophane that will only be crumpled up and thrown away, why not wrap up baked goods into a set of organic cotton dinner napkins? This way, not only can they used to hold in the crumbs for the holidays, but they can be used again and again, for days to come.

9. Natural Trims.

Natural fibers like raffia and hemp are plentiful, don’t come from trees, and make wonderful accents for our Christmas wrappings. Abundant without damaging our environment, they can be twisted, curled and tied in bows. Tie jingle bells to the ends for a festive sound and, if you’re looking for another nice gift or accent, try finding some bamboo articles - made from sustainable wood, bamboo is beautiful, useful, and all the rage.

10. Grow It.

Perhaps the most creative “green” idea for this holiday season would have to be new plantable paper products. “What’s that,” you ask? Plantable paper products are natural gift tags and Christmas cards that are embedded with tree or flower seeds. After the holidays and when the season is right, you just plant them, water, and voila! Now they have the “greenest” gift that they can ask for. Perfect for children and adults, alike, everyone can get into the spirit and enjoy this kind of present.

Recycling and protecting our environment doesn’t have to be a chore. Take advantage of the holidays and show family and friends, alike, just how economical and fun it can be to “think green.” Your planet will definitely appreciate it.

~Written by Shawna L. Krautheim
2006

Ten Ways to Keep Your Christmas Spending Under Control

2007-10-23T05:42:00.000-07:00

Ten Ways to Keep Your Christmas Spending Under Control
By Julie Londrigan

Christmas is a time when we simply can't resist lavishing our loved ones with presents and treats. These generous tendencies can quickly lead to spending that goes beyond the Christmas budget. Here are ten ways to keep Christmas merry while keeping your spending under control.

1. Be an Early Bird
Start your shopping early. How early? Many people use the day after Christmas sales to start their Christmas shopping for the next year. Hitting these sales is a great way to score all kinds of Christmas supplies for at least half price and often more. Load up on wrapping paper, greeting cards, stocking stuffers, decorations and ornaments, lights, packaged gift sets (avoid food items or fragrance sets that have a short shelf life), and even Christmas themed clothing.

2. Spread it Out
Don't make all of your gift purchases in the same month. Spreading out your purchases will make the credit card bills much easier to swallow. It will also give you time to watch for sales if there is something in particular you plan to buy.

3. Get into the Game
Consider the possibility of a gift game at your family's Christmas party this year as an alternative to buying gifts for your extended family members. Gift swapping games and white elephant games are popular traditions in many families and games such as these make for lots of laughs and happy memories.

4. Try One Size Fits All
Adopt the one size fits all approach. Basically, everyone on your list gets the same thing. You'll save money because your purchasing is consistent for each person. Another bonus: think of all the money you'll save on gas by getting all of your gifts in one stop!

5. Make It
Make a gift. Maybe you have hidden talents that you could be sharing with your friends and family this Christmas. Homemade gifts are especially heartfelt. Search your talents or go to the craft store for some inspiration.

6. Bake It
Bake a gift. Sometimes the best gifts are those that are consumable. Everyone enjoys a sweet treat.

7. Be Strategic with the Stockings
Keep the cost of stocking stuffers down by filling them with items from the dollar store. Consider adding an apple and an orange too. These healthy treats are inexpensive and take up extra space in the stocking.

8. Start a Swap
Participate in a cookie swap. You'll not only save time but money too. By buying for and baking just one recipe, you'll avoid buying pricey ingredients that end up going to waste after using only a few teaspoons in a recipe.

9. Save on Postage
Send post cards instead of greeting cards. The savings on postage and even the cards themselves can really add up.

10. Agree to Spend Less
Check with family members to see who might be interested in setting a spending limit for gift purchases. You will feel more comfortable spending less on gifts when you know that you will be receiving gifts within the same price range.

Consider a few of these tips to keep your spending under control this Christmas season. You will save money and worry less and thus enjoy the season even more.

Using the Internet to Get Your Christmas Shopping Done

2007-10-16T19:05:00.000-07:00

By Julie Londrigan

No matter what category of Christmas shopper you fall into, the early bird, the last minute shopper, or the indecisive shopper, you can make Christmas shopping a lot easier on yourself by accomplishing as much of your shopping as possible online. The benefits are numerous and you can't beat the convenience.

Save Time
The time you can save by shopping online is a huge benefit of using the internet to do your shopping. There is no driving time required. You can shop in the morning, on your lunch hour, even in the middle of the night if you are so inclined, because the stores are always open online. Better yet, you can shop at the height of the season and you won't have to stand in line. Just be sure to factor shipping times into your purchases and don't panic if you have waited too long. You can always pay extra to hasten the shipping time.

Comparison Shop
If you have a hard time deciding what to buy, shopping online can make the decision process a lot easier. You can browse the opinions of people who have already made the purchase you are considering to see if the product will hold up to your expectations. If you are buying a product offered by several manufacturers, you can read about the benefits of each make and model to determine which would work best for you. You can even compare prices. There are many websites designed just for this purpose. A quick search for "comparison shopping" will bring up numerous sites to help you. Choose one and then simply type in the product you are after and the site will bring up available outlets and their respective prices making it easy for you to determine where to get the best deal.

Unique Gifts
Conducting your shopping online allows you to easily locate unique and hard to find gifts with little effort. There is seemingly no end to the number of niche and specialized sites that cater to almost any whim. If you have a gift idea for someone, you will likely be able to find it somewhere on the web. And don't overlook online auction sites when you are trying to locate the perfect gift. Unique, collectable and hard to find items are easy to find at sites like these.

Get Inspired
If you are having a hard time finding inspiration for gifts to give someone on your list, the internet can even help you generate ideas. Many sites exist that are designed to help you decide what to buy for everyone on your list. Just do a search of "gift ideas" and you will soon be in business.

Use the internet to make your Christmas season a little less stressful this year. Try doing some or even all of your shopping online and use the time you save to enjoy some holiday cheer.

Client Appreciation Gifts & Promoting Your Business

2007-10-01T21:53:00.000-07:00

Leaves are turning colors and the air is getting crisp. Autumn has arrived and Fall holidays are a great time for thanking your customers for their business.

Halloween and Thanksgiving gift baskets are an unexpected and memorable way to keep your name in front of your client and stand out from all the Christmas gift baskets they will inevitably receive.

Use Halloween gifts to promote your business with a clever message on the gift card like "Scare Up Sales With Direct Mail From ABC Company" or "Don't be afraid of the competition, XYZ Company Will Keep You On Top." This also opens up an opportunity to stay in touch with your clients when they call to thank you or when you call them to follow up.

Gourmet food gifts are always appropriate and Thanksgiving is an ideal time to show client appreciation. What better time to say "Thank You For Your Business," or "Thank You For Choosing ABC Marketing" or "We Appreciate Your Business."

So, have fun and show your creativity with gifts that are sure to be remembered. Call Basket Star at 201-791-0692 or email us at customerservice@basketstar.com for suggestions or custom gifts to fit your budget and specific needs.

Best Gourmet Gift Food List

2007-07-10T05:01:00.000-07:00

Being in the gift basket business, we get to sample all kinds of delicious, and sometimes not so delicious, gourmet food. Below is a list of the best of the best -you'll see some in our gift baskets for sure:

Gloria's Cookies to die for raspberry filled cookie sandwiches that you would swear are homemade
Boca Bons - sinfully good brownie, truffle, and fudge confections in beautiful packaging
J. Marie Fine Cakes from Daprano - we sampled these at the Fancy Food Show this week and were impressed with these moist, scrumptious cakes. Our favorite flavors: Limoncello and Vanilla Butter Rum
Eagles Peak - Their vanilla fudge-covered grahams, almonds, and pretzel bits snack mix is addictive
Northwoods Cheese Co - simply the best shelf-stable cheeses out there
Mascot Pecans - chocolate covered, praline, cinnamon - they're all great
Robert Rothchild Farms - their raspberry honey mustard pretzel dip is tasty on everything from chicken to baked potatoes
Peanut Butter & Co - we tasted these uniquely flavored, all-natural peanut butters at the Food Show and were wowed. Our favorites: White Chocolate Wonderful, Dark Chocolate Dreams, and Cinnamon Raisin Swirl. If you're in Greenwich Village, check out their sandwich shop

Christmas Gift Baskets In July?

2007-07-02T09:12:00.000-07:00

Yes, we're already thinking about Christmas. In fact, we'll be at the Fany Food Show in New York next week taste testing gourmet food, chocolate, candy, cake, cookies, snacks, - you name it - and looking for new suppliers. Definitely one of the perks of being in the gift basket business.

In fact, it's almost never too early to start planning our holiday gifts. Some corporate clients start ordering in the summer. We ecourage this whenever possible because it ensures the customer gets exactly what they want, on time, and it gives us an idea of what to order and when to have it ready. This is critical for large volume orders. In fact, corporate holiday gift buyers can get a discount for early orders, so it makes good business sense all around.

We'll report back on the latest trends in colors, flavors, and any interesting new vendors we discover.

2007-07-02T09:04:00.000-07:00

St. Patrick's Day Facts & Resources

2007-02-14T22:30:00.000-08:00

We all like to celebrate St. Patrick's Day with green beer and corned beef, but how much do you really know about?

Who was Saint Patrick? What is the history of Saint Patrick's Day? What is the Shamrock a symbol?

Here are some interesting resources to answer the questions above and more. Learn about St. Patrick's Day at:

http://www.history.com/minisites/stpatricksday/
http://www.st-patricks-day.com/index.asp
http://www.ireland.com/events/st.patricks/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Patrick

For St Patrick's Day gifts, see: http://www.basketstar.com

Valentine Gift Survey - Share Your Best & Worst Gifts

2007-02-06T11:07:00.000-08:00

Please share what Valentine's Day gifts you've purchased or received. This year or any year.

Roses, chocolates, teddy bears, balloons, baskets, romantic gifts? Something totally different?

When and where did you buy them?

What gifts did you love? What was the worst Valentine gift you've receivedt?

Any comments are appreciated.

Above is our "A Formal Affair" Valentine gift basket for men.

Since we are a gift basket store selling Valentine baskets for men, women, and kids, we are interested in knowing what the trends are and our customers likes and dislikes.

Basket Star Gift Baskets NJ Receives Industry Recognition

2006-11-14T04:32:00.000-08:00

Basket Star's "Holiday Grand Gourmet" (shown) was recently featured in GiftBasketMasterminds.com as an "inspiration" that "brings class to gift giving" for other gift basket designers. In 2005, we were featured in the online publication,Gift Basket Authorities Magazine, as a design contest winnder for "Creative Use of Product."

All of our new selection of Christmas gift baskets, corporate holiday gifts, and Hanukkah gift baskets are now online. Nationwide shipping and local Bergen County, NJ delivery is available.

With Thanksgiving only a week away, the holiday shopping season is ready to kick into high speed. We strongly suggest ordering early to ensure on-time delivery and product availability.

Hanukkah Search Engine

2006-11-08T19:54:00.000-08:00

Looking for Hanukkah gift ideas, Hanukkah recipes, traditions, e-cards, history, clip art, or anything related to Hanukkah? Click here to use our exclusive Hanukkah Search Engine.

Getting Ready For The Holidays

2006-09-03T06:40:00.000-07:00

We've been busy bees adding lot of new products to the website. Adorable baby gift baskets and rocking horses, Fall, Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashana), Christmas, and Hanukkah gifts. Yes, it's that time already!

It's never to early to start planning for the holidays. Gift basket companies are so busy in December, the whole month becomes a blur. People tend to spend around $100 for a holiday basket. Many of these are office share or group gifts for clients. While we do our best to entice early orders, we always get the bulk of them at the last minute. Most corporate holiday gifts are simple gourmet baskets with a classic, non-religious look. We also see quite a few bulk orders for inexpensive gifts in the $15-$25 range. The fun stuff, the really seasonal looking Santa and frosty type gifts tend to be for personal shoppers sending to family and friends. We've seen quite a boost in kosher Hanukkah sales too.

Thanksgiving and New Year's Day are also great and often overlooked corporate gift giving occasions. What better time to thank a client or look forward to another year of doing business together. The advantage here, is that your gift really stands out and will not get lost in the barrage of holiday gifts your customers receive.

To help companies get the most bang for their buck, we also imprint ribbons or food products with their corporate name or logo. There's even custom chocolate that can be made in a variety of shapes and sizes with their holiday message on it. We've also added a personalized Hanukkah Platter, bridal shower or wedding anniversary signature platter that family and friends can sign, and a new home ceramic platter that can be personalized with the family name - perfect for a realtor closing gift. Personalization really makes your gift memorable and thoughtful.

In addition to designing gifts, ordering inventory, making bows, and creating the baskets, the holiday marketing starts now too. Email, postcards, newsletter ads, and more from now until year end. Search engine traffic is harder and harder to depend on, so we reach out to our regular customers and make sure they remember us and see the new products.

So, I'm off now to get working!

Why You Should Order Your Corporate Holiday Gifts in July or August

2006-06-24T20:05:00.000-07:00

Why am I posting about corporate holiday gifts in July?

Because this is the best time to get a good price, ensure availability, and get exactly what you want from your local gift basket company.

Gift basket companies are up to their eyeballs in orders from November through December. To prepare for this onslaught, they order inventory and supplies months in advance. Many gift companies make more than half of their yearly sales in December. They survive on little food or sleep until the holidays are over. In the slower summer months, they begin planning and creating their marketing, hiring help, taking inventory, making bows, imprinting ribbon, and assembling baskets. However, no matter how prepared they are, last minute orders always come.

As a result, many companies offer deep discounts for early orders, especially large corporate orders. Since corporate employees are always looking to save money, they can be heroes and the gift basket provider can better serve them. In addition, by ordering Christmas gift baskets or Kosher gift baskets for Hanukkah early, the customer is able to specify exactly what they want and be assured it will arrive on time. Optional services like gift ribbon imprinted with your company name or logo can also be arranged at this time. This is a great way to ensure that the recipient remembers who sent the gift and keep your name in front of clients.

Clearly, early orders are a win-win for everyone.

Visit our site at: http://basketstar.com/christmas.html to see our corporate holiday gifts.

How to Choose A Corporate Gift Basket Provider

2006-05-26T18:23:00.000-07:00

All kinds of companies use gift baskets. They are an always appropriate gift for any occasion and available in all price points. Human Resource Managers often contact gift providers to assist with employee appreciation programs or Administrative Assistant's Week. Marketing Managers use them to thank clients for their business or to drum up more business. Gifts can be used to get your foot in the door, promote your company brand, and keep you in front of the client. All this being said, you can see the importance of choosing a gift company that will represent you well.

So how do you choose from the multitude of corporate gift basket companies out there? Start by looking locally. You'll save on shipping costs and it will be easier to get last minute deliveries or pick up gifts when you need to. Pick several gift companies, tell them the type of gifts your interested in, the occasion, the recipient, budget, and time table. Find out how long they've been in business, other clients they've worked with, and get a reference if possible. Ask each vendor to ship or deliver a proto-type basket. This way, you can see a sample of their work and the condition it arrives in. Don't expect the gift company to eat the cost of this process. Their labor, materials, and shipping costs are not free.

Once you've decided which company will best suit your needs, your gift provider will most likely ask you to sign a contract outlining the terms of your agreement, including cost, delivery dates, and product specifications. This protects the buyer and seller and is an absolute necessity. The experienced gift provider has already been burned and will ask for a deposit to avoid being stuck for up front costs and to ensure final payment.

That's it! Hopefully this will be the start of a mutually beneficial relationship. A good gift provider doesn't just sell baskets - he or she sells you! It's about building relationships with your employees or clients and representing you in the best possible light. Your gift company can recommend promotional products to brand your company, provide gift ribbons imprinted with your company name or logo, and suggest alternate gifts when a basket won't do. He or she can even suggest creative ways to market your business with gifts. Happy hunting!

Visit http://www.basketstar.com to see our corporate gift basket line.

Sympathy Sayings - What To Write On A Sympathy Gift Card

2006-03-20T17:50:00.000-08:00

People are often unsure how to express their sympathy when someone dies. Since we sell a lot of sympathy gift baskets, I thought we'd share some of the most common sayings we've come across:

You're in our thoughts and prayers
May the warmth of friends and family comfort you during this difficult time
Our deepest sympathy for your loss
Our hearts go out to you during this difficult time
We're so sorry for your loss
We share your grief and are thankful for the happy memories (he/she) left behind
Take comfort in God's love and may it bring you peace
Our heartfelt condolences for your grief
Take one day at a time and find strength in prayer
Know that the soul never dies, the spirit of love lives in our hearts and minds always

For sympathy gift baskets see: http://basketstar.com/sympathy_gift_baskets_nj.html

For Kosher Shiva Gifts see: http://basketstar.com/kosher.html

Valentine Gift Baskets As Customer or Employee Appreciation Gifts

2005-12-28T20:34:00.000-08:00

Don't get lost in the avalanche of Christmas gift baskets! Show your creativity by using Valentine gift baskets as unique thank you gifts for customer or employee appreciation or as a marketing tool.

Tie it to a theme: "We Love Our Customers (or employees)," "Our Customers (or employees)Are The Heart Of Our Business," "We Love Doing Business With You," or "We're Offering A Sweetheart of A Deal."

You're sure to be remembered in a positive way!

See Valentine Gift Baskets here: http://basketstar.com/valentine_gift_baskets_.html

2005-06-17T21:57:00.000-07:00

The Great Escape - Female Executive Basket - Spa and Gourmet.

The Great Escape

Corporate Gift Tips From Basket Star Gift Baskets New Jersey

2005-06-17T21:35:00.000-07:00

Corporate Gift Tips To Make Your Business Gifts Memorable & Appropriate

Know the company and their culture
Are they trendy or conservative? Your gift giving should reflect this. Also, global customs vary significantly so ensure you understand the proper gift etiquette for overseas clients.

Know the client and their likes, hobbies, and interests
When possible, personalize your gift. A theater or sports buff would really appreciate and remember tickets to an event.

Avoid religious themes or messages
Seasonal themes or "Happy Holidays" works for everyone.

Think about sending your gift on a different holiday
Such as: Thanksgiving, New Years, or even Valentine’s Day (Think: We love Doing Business With You) to stand out from the crowd and be remembered.

Don’t send the same thing every year
You’ll risk being taken for granted.

Stay away from anything too personal or that can be misconstrued
You probably know not to buy lingerie, but also consider the recipient’s shortcomings. A person with bad skin may be offended by a gift certificate for a facial. Also, be careful with wine or alcohol. The company may view it negatively or the individual may be a reformed alcoholic or non-drinker. Finally, consider whether the price of the cost is too extravagant. This may be a problem with company policy or taxes. Food is always appropriate.

Don’t use logo items:
If you want the gift to be from you personally or if feel a huge logo across your gift may be viewed by the client as cheap.

Do use logo items:
To get the most bang for your buck, but do it tastefully. Examples: Your company name imprinted on the ribbons in a gift basket or discreetly as a “private label” on a quality product in the basket. One of our clients prefers ribbons used inside the basket to avoid imprinted ribbon being removed and forgotten.

Idea for out of state clients
A regional themed food basket can work really well here - Greetings from Texas, New York, or New Jersey for example.

Plan your holiday gift giving early
Think July or August! This will allow you to take advantage of big early purchase discounts and avoid rush delivery charges or ensure you get exactly what you want before it’s sold out.

Have a question on gift etiquette? Email us at basketstar@usa.com

Visit our site at: http://www.basketstar.com.

Be sure to check out our Corporate Gift Basket page at http://basketstar.com/corporate___themed_gift_baskets.html

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