The Gift Exchange

We’ve all seen it on TV if not in real life, men and women about to say their “I do’s” when the bride suddenly looks like Casper and does a belly flop into an arrangement of  delicately sprinkled rose blossoms. Once the petals settle and she comes around she goes from 0-Bridezilla in 60 seconds. Her perfect day is “ruined”!

Later on when talking to her at the reception she admits she had forgotten to eat in oh I don’t know about 24-48 hours. Send the new bride in your life the decadent and irresistible Bride and Groom Chocolate-Covered Strawberries on her wedding day and ensure a BBSB balanced blood sugar bride. Everyone will thank you!

As a Designer for a company specializing in gifts and gift baskets, the pressure is on for me to always give the perfect gift. I have found that often the best gifts are not necessarily the most expensive gifts, but the ones that show you have taken the time to really think about the recipient and include a thoughtful card message. So often gifts or gift baskets are given with a card that simply reads “Happy Birthday”, “Congratulations” or “Thank You”. When writing a card, take time to add a little zip. Instead of “Happy Birthday”, try “Happy Birthday Mom! Thanks for all the birthday cakes you made for me when I was growing up. Sit back and relax, for today is all about YOU.” Doesn’t that sound a bit better than “Happy Birthday”?

When writing a congratulatory card, state why you are sending your congratulations and add a little extra. Something like…”Congratulations on your graduation. The world is at your feet. Go forth and conquer.”

Thank you cards are the easiest to personalize—especially if you are thanking someone for a gift. Perhaps you received a blender as a gift. In your thank you card you could say something like…”Thank you so much for the great blender. We are already dreaming of all the great margaritas we’ll be sipping this summer. Stop by anytime and we’ll give it a whirl.”

I think you get the idea. Be creative. Be imaginative. Be you.

To me, there’s nothing better than candles. The mood of relaxation they create is absolutely without equal. Sometimes, scented candles are my favorites (there’s a million of them out there now), and sometimes I just want the light and the mood without a strong fragrance. I recently tried our Comfort Candle, and it fit the bill for what I wanted.In addition to fitting the decor of my living room (although, it’s so subtle, it would fit great in most homes), it was the perfect size. Just slightly smaller than a softball, and a tea light fits perfectly in the top. I absolutely love anything that will fit a tea light. They’re so versatile, and you don’t have to throw away the candle when it’s done! Just pop another tea light, and you’re ready to go again. The best part is that bags of tea lights are super inexpensive, costing about $5 or so for 50 at your local large home store.This is a gift that is a cornerstone of our Gift Ideas section for a reason. It’s inexpensive, and inspirational. That’s not easy to accomplish in a single gift! There’s many people we’re close to, but geographically far away from. Send them a little comfort today. They’re worth it!

It should be a universal mandate that Mom is absolutely prohibited from lifting a finger on Mother’s Day. A great way to insist upon this rule, even if you are living far away, is to send one of our gourmet gift baskets. I know, I know, you are probably thinking that I am obligated to plug our products, but the truth is that many of our products are full of delicious foods that will satisfy and nourish most moms for weeks, thereby successfully eliminating the dire need to cook.

How do I know, you ask? I sent my Mom the Toast of Broadway over a month ago for her birthday. She – and my food-loving Dad – are still pecking away at it, which is incredible, if you ask me.

A great option that we designed this year especially for her is The Mother’s Day Collection. It is full of healthy choices like artisan olive oils and smoked salmon, and yet still contains enough sweets to satisfy her sweet tooth.

If Mom is a health nut, don’t over look our many nutritious fruit baskets. The Fruit and Flowers Basket is full of fresh, healthy fruits and flowers. You simply can’t go wrong!

We have some family friends that recently had a baby boy. We were excited for them about the new addition to the family and celebrated his home coming. Lately, the baby has had a few problems and it sometimes is hard to clearly express your concern for the baby and the mom. The Mommy and Baby-Cute as Can Bee basket is perfect for them as it expresses our love for both mom and the baby’s wellbeing. We hope that the baby makes a speedy recovery soon.

Frequently I get calls for inexpensive, yet polished looking corporate gifts.  When I steer a customer towards the Grand Estates Wine Duet, there is usually a big “wow!” that comes out of the other end of the phone. It’s got all of the elegant touches you’d want in a corporate gift such as stylish packaging, tasteful arrangement and a great quality gourmet and wine selection. The versatility of this gift makes it perfect for just about any occasion or client, and I love the overall design of the gift best, as it’s surprisingly sophisticated at such a great price!

The Gift Exchange’s “Win a Gift for Mom From GiftTree.com” contest has come to an end. Thank you to everyone who shared their messages to mom with us. We truly enjoyed reading the many posts. Some of the messages were so touching it was difficult to read them without shedding a tear, while other messages were down right hilarious.

It was a difficult decision, but after much deliberation, The Gift Exchange contributors picked Debra Ford as the winner of our contest. Congratulations, Debra!

From Debra to Mom:
Mom, you adopted me at 3 days old, never lied to me, and more importantly, never made me feel anything but loved and wanted. I will always remember being told that I was specially pick from thousands of babies (OK, so maybe you lied, but what a great one!). Now a mother myself, I try to follow your example and make my children feel loved and special each and every day. Thank you mom, for giving me all my birthmother could not, and all I could ever need.

Not a winner this time? GiftTree has many Mother’s Day gifts that are a perfect way to express your love and appreciation to your mom this Mother’s Day.

Moms really are what make the world go round. They give us life, love us, and send us out into the world, always ready to be there for us at a moment’s notice. A mother’s job certainly doesn’t end when her child grows up. The job just evolves.

I spent my early childhood trying to emulate my mom and then as a teenager, I was always trying to escape her. Obviously during those tumultuous teenage years, I knew everything and didn’t need to listen to the archaic advice from my mother. Surely my friends were better judges of life than my mom. (I laugh at the thought now) These days, I can look back fondly at the lessons she taught me, spoken and unspoken, when she thought I wasn’t even paying attention.

I can almost hear the unified sigh from all of us who wish we’d given our mother’s more credit for the advice they were trying to freely give. So, what is the best lesson your mom taught you? Post a comment below and share the best advice or most valuable lesson that you learned from your mom and you’ll be entered in GiftTree’s Mother’s Day contest. The Gift Exchange contributors will choose our favorite post and the winner will receive the Organic Spa Basket, for you or for your mom.

Deadline to Enter: Midnight (PST) Wednesday, May 7th. Not the winner this time? GiftTree has many Mother’s Day gifts that are perfect for mom.

I am a bona fide creepy movie lover, and The Pit and the Pendulum was a classic horror film I loved as a kid. There was this deranged madman played by Vincent Price (the master of horror), who used a pendulum as a torture device. What could be a more diabolical tool for perpetrating evil? Hehehehehe.

I laugh about it now, but when I first saw the Engraved Copper Pendulum in the personalized gifts section of our website, the first thing I thought about was that movie. What a great gift idea! And it’s not that hard for me to imagine who would enjoy a pendulum either, especially this one. Very polished and sleek looking, this is the perfect whimsical gift for any business executive, (or horror film junkie). It can also be engraved with a single initial for a personal touch. This is really a fascinating gift idea making the pendulum not just for horror flicks anymore…

Since I work in the Customer Service Department at GiftTree, I have to get up very early in the morning. Most of us in this department have to be at work at 6am. A few come in at 5am and at certain busy times of the year, quite a few of us come in at 5am. We have to field those calls from people calling in from the East Coast, which is 3 hours ahead of us.  So, since I get up so early each day, I like to have all of my stuff ready for the next day, so I can sleep in just a little bit longer. Anything that helps me sleep in awhile longer is very helpful! Plus, at 5:30 in the morning, my brain isn’t fully functional just yet, and every single day I forget something that I need for the day. But I discovered something that should make my mornings just a little bit easier. One of our new gifts is a Door Organizer with Engraved Key Chain. Whoever came up with this is a genius! It’s this handy little organizer that hangs on a doorknob, and it holds all the little things that one needs through out the day, but tend to forget: keys, sunglasses, pens, etc. It even has a little panel in the back to hold mail or a newspaper. Our door organizer also comes with a key chain that you can have engraved. Too cool! This is just perfect for those of us who are in a rush every morning or maybe a little bit forgetful!