Have you ever noticed that if a North American has a good excuse, he’ll throw a party, raise a glass or make a gift basket for it? It’s that kind of happy-go-lucky good will that we love the most. Holidays aren’t the only reason for a celebration, however. There are dozens of equally great occasions on which to give someone a gift basket. We’ve been in the gift basket biz for over 50 years, and we are constantly amazed, amused and touched by some of the novel gift basket ideas people come up with.
Convalescence
We go into hospital for many reasons, but upon release we all feel the same. One lady gave her mother a gift basket upon her release from the hospital that included thoughtful and useful things. She packed the basket with a new nightgown, fluffy robe and slippers, gift soaps and lotions, a couple books, a CD player and a couple CDs, instant soup mixes, bread mixes, assorted cookies and gourmet coffee. Should your mother return from a trip to the hospital, remember to pack some microwave goodies, her favorite flavored vitamin water, fresh fruits, a few good movie DVDs, and coupons she can redeem for helping around the house, washing her hair or reading to her.
It’s Gotta Go
We all have family and friends, both male and female, who wish they were a little thinner and healthier. Literally hundreds of products exist over the counter and in network marketing that stimulate the body to lose weight, help digestion of foods and relieve many illnesses like high blood pressure, high cholesterol and help diabetics. A thoughtful gift basket for these friends and family members might include one or more of these products along with a pair of free weights, stretch bands, a collapsed stability ball with a pump, a couple workout DVDs and healthy snacks. To give these folks motivation, a few articles of clothing in a smaller size, a cute swimsuit or a small belt might be attractive to the recipient. If it’s gotta go, go in style!
Hoofing It
Not everyone owns a car. There are those who can only walk to the nearest grocery, pharmacy or shopping center for what they need, because they can’t walk farther to get better things. This is the perfect occasion on which to give these folks a gift basket. It can be packed with a month pass for the bus or money for a cab. If your friend or family member wants to go to Home Depot to get plants for his/her garden, go to a superstore for items that are tall or too heavy to carry home or wants to go anywhere as long as it isn’t home, then pack a gift basket with your car keys and the days you can spare your car for his/her shopping pleasure. Ideas for packing the basket could include beginner pots of whatever plants they want, seed packets, decorative pots, digging tools, gloves and perhaps stakes and twine for tomato plants. We all forget how wonderful it is to be mobile until we suddenly aren’t. This gift basket would mean a lot to your footing it friend.
Because You Can
There’s nothing like the look on a child’s face when he receives a gift for no reason at all. Some of the coolest remote control cars, trucks and planes would fit into a gift basket. Dolls, doll clothes, pots and pans for her “kitchen”, fluffy boas, “purses” and princess shoes in a gift basket delights any little girl. Cool T-shirts, costume jewelry, pink, blue or any color hairspray, flip-flops, season tickets to Six Flags or the neighborhood pool give teen girls something to brag about. Boys could always use a new phone, X-Box or video games with which to amaze their friends. One and all, they appreciate being celebrated just for being themselves.
It doesn’t take a formally recognized holiday to surprise and delight those we love. Gift baskets just plain make people happy, and it’s up to us to make them smile. We’ll be happy to help when you contact us for more information.