Admin's Week Gifts

Executive's Diary: A Unique Gift for Administrative Professionals Day for a Dynamo Administrative Professional

Trust me, I got one of the best.

Janice isn't just a two-bit administrative assistant. She's a professional workhorse on steroids.

Every morning on my desk I've got hot coffee and fresh copies of the Times, Post, and Journal. The curtains are open so I can see the city. I never have any meetings before 9 or after 3. She screens calls all day, only about five of which ever get through to me (Thank God!).

Every year around late April I get her some nice flowers as an administrative professionals day gift. Trust me ¿¿¿ I don't skimp. It's the good stuff ¿¿¿ roses, tulips, everything. She knows I appreciate her. She's been with me for seven years. It's a good gig.

But this year, oh - this year it's been extra rough. We got slapped with two lawsuits on the first of January ¿¿¿ one from the Feds and one from our competitor! She has had to cancel meetings with major clients that were scheduled two months in advance because of this. Then the water main broke in our office and we had water raining down on the conference room table ¿¿¿ not 20 minutes before a conference call with Tokyo! Jeez Louise. But she got that all taken care of in not even 24 hours. The next day I came in and it was like nothing had ever happened.

I tell you, she's a godsend. So I gotta do something special for her this year ¿¿¿ something extra nice. It can't just be flowers.

I was walking down the hall on my way to lunch a couple of days ago ¿¿¿ and coming down the hallway in the other direction was Gerald, the Director of Human Resources, with a huge ¿¿¿ I mean this thing was gargantuan ¿¿¿ gift basket the likes of which I'd never seen before. It looked like champagne, chocolates, caviar, I don't even know what. I mean, I'm a man of extravagant tastes, and this thing? This thing was out of this world.

"Gerald! What is that? All for you?"

"Nah, I got this for my wife, had it shipped to the office so I could surprise her tonight for the big anniversary date. 25 years you know."

"No kiddin'! Hey, where can I find a basket like that? I need an Administrative Professionals' Day gift next week and I really gotta treat Janice nice this year."

"Oh, sure sure. GiftTree.com - use 'em all the time. Gift baskets, towers, wine, and champagne ¿¿¿ they do it all. I've never been disappointed."

"Wow. Hey, Gerald, you're a king. A king among men. GiftTree.com ¿¿¿ I'm goin' there. Take it easy now ¿¿¿ and thank you."

"Sure thing Bob."

I went back to my desk and found the GiftTree site. And Gerald really wasn't kiddin'!

I saw some foods I knew and some I didn't. I saw champagne options, wine options, beautiful containers, everything with a ribbon. I'm not one who's easily impressed, but right away I was ready to buy. The basket I picked had a bottle of Cristal ¿¿¿ only the best for Janice - with Godiva Chocolates, Ghirardelli Chocolates, and Camembert Cheese just for starters ¿¿¿ and a beautiful silver hang tag that I had engraved to say "Janice Stuyvesant April 23, 2014." It was the perfect administrative professionals day gift. Perfect.

Finally the big day came. I was in my office on the phone when I heard Janice's voice in the other room:

"Bob, you shouldn't have! Look at this thing! Is this you? You did this?"

"Ah, you better believe it Janice. Had to be the best for you."

She smiled and started calling her friends for a champagne toast.

What can I say? It had to be the best. My special thanks to GiftTree.com for an admin's day gift she'll never forget.