What should I give this Christmas?

With rivals for your business, it has come to be absolutely vital to give a thank you and appreciation present at seasonal time. Like it or not the attitude of saving money worked for only a couple of those hard economic years. The accepted trend was austerity and we all assumed and secretly hoped it might become tendency and a way of life. Most of us reduce on everything. We cut down the additional items like travel and vacations, Starbucks, newest fashion pieces, new cars, and entertainment. We also monitored our pennies as we were conscious of multi-tasking errands to cut gas costs, attentive to food prices and shopping the specials, turning off lights and turning down heat, making gifts or regifting. It was interesting and some parts of it made us realize we do squander. However, we also realize how much we love spending our time and money on things we love. Take Jason from Denver, for example. He missed not skiing, not going to Avalanche or Nuggets or Broncos games, not eating out and relishing a movie. He jumped into the economic downturn with stamina and mentally told himself he could cut personal and business expenses and that would be the best way for him to manage both operations. He didn't like it but he was astonished at how much money he could save. He watched games on television. He shopped at the grocery store instead of take-out food. He discontinue his gym membership and used the exercise equipment in his home. At first it was a unique experience and definitely eye-opening. In business he trimmed out one of his workers and spent more time doing the work himself. He cut the usual treat Friday by not bringing in breakfast and his employees understood when he told them times were hard and to keep jobs it was sad but there would be no Christmas party or holiday gifts or the traditional birthday gift. It absolutely saved money. There were three significant issues. One was that cutting the extras in his personal life influenced Jason's mental and emotional health. He found himself missing something and becoming more grouchy. Second was that cutting business extra perks greatly affected the morale and spirit in his business for the employees and for Jason himself. Before long efficiency went down and the atmosphere of a positive place to work took a turn for the worst. The cooperative teamwork turned to competitive existence as employees thought who would be cut next and missed those small birthday and holiday perks. Jason himself found that he missed the optimistic vibes he got at work which were now replaced with uncomfortable silences. The third major problem was that his main competitor had taken the entire opposite tactic and as he and others cut costs and services the competitor decided to preserve and even raise the bar. That Denver based company hired a few additional workers and took a vigorous approach to steal customers away from the competitors who were cutting everything. It even hired away one of Jason's strongest employees. It chose to take a gamble and go into debt to keep workers and keep giving gifts for birthdays and Christmas. Take the holiday gifts for example. The Denver company ordered their regular thank you and appreciation holiday baskets from Baskets By Rita and maintained their regular customers. Why? Because the customers had few other gifts, so when the holiday gift basket arrived it endured alone. The customers responded with calls of gratitude and acceptance of using that company for the next year, since they seemed to be the strong one that would be there for them. The Denver company even put out more by ordering the Grand Gourmet basket to send to their competitors' best clients. For Jason it was a devastation because he lost two of his strongest. When he contacted them they said they were wondering if he still was in business and they knew the competitor seemed to be doing well. Jason decided it would be cheap to make phone calls to his clients to keep contact. That worked for some, but he had lost some clients who would didn't come back. The next year he called Baskets by Rita in November to set up an order for baskets. He ordered a less expensive basket but had them sent in mid-December. It did help out. He also ordered a huge basket filled with candy bars and individual treats for the staff workroom. It arrived on the scene with a big bow and he was amazed at the results of his $200 purchase on morale. The next year he did the same thing but also called Baskets by Rita and ordered small baskets to give his employees at their annual pot-luck lunch before the holidays. They were delighted and he felt he got so much more appreciation than just giving them cash or a gift card. It was a visible Wow and a festive gift instead of a card. Also they didn't find out how much he had spent where they used to know their importance by the value of the gift card. This year Jason called Baskets by Rita the first of November and mentioned he needed a few grand baskets and gourmet baskets sent to competitors' clients. Jason jumped at the next option they gave. They suggested he send them out to be delivered right after Thanksgiving. Their motto is to be the first holiday gift received. The first gift gives more bang for the buck because they take time to read the card and it's around for a while. Some even hang the cards and the top one is yours for folks to read over and over again. Jason did recall there were clients before who had seemed to forget which company sent which gift because they all arrived at once. Baskets by Rita said to let yours be the first and rock star gift for a lasting impression. Jason is thrilled because his chardonnay wine gift baskets will arrive early not a few days before December 25.

Early bird catches the worm

The leading 2 strategies for corporate prudent gift giving at holiday seasonal time: send a gift with that is impressive and not gift cards and make yours the first gift your customer or perspective clients or customers will receive. Best 2 errors for firm gift giving at holiday time are: Not getting the gift promptly enough and giving gift cards or gift certificates. Let's start with blunders.... Not preparing/tardiness. By sending it late your gift gets mixed up with all the others in a pile or in the break room and individuals are likely to forget what they got from who. The cards get mixed up and in the commotion and hustle and bustle in the days before Dec. 25 your gift is lost and you have lost money by now. Administrative assistants are usually in the position of sending the holiday corporate gifts and bosses, you need to pay attention.  Don't come to your administrative assistant at the last second and expect her or him to work miracles...lateness on your part should not be an emergency on their part. You are adding to them in a really challenging position to scavenge and find last minute products or gifts and to get them sent. Many times gift companies, especially holiday basket companies like Baskets by Rita in Aurora are immersed with last minute desperate demands. This year looks like a excellent one so don't be amazed if local and national basket and food companies run out of stock. Your secretary will be wasting time and spending way too much time on your late gift giving task and it not only will stress them out but take away from their regular duties. The solution to last minute gift giving problems is to plan early. Give them a opportunity to make an order and get the gift at the price point you want to spend. Did you know that most individuals and companies who put it off end up spending a lot more than they had planned? The items they wanted are sold out and they have to take what is remaining even if it costs more. So the two pitfalls or mistakes with mailing it late or the problem itself and the cost of spending too much money and more importantly the less positive impact for your money. So what do you do? First of all in timeliness, give your administrative assistant a budget and time to make the order. Be sure it comes as soon after Thanksgiving as possible to have that extremely positive effect at your clients and customers businesses. Secondly, fore go the gift card and gift certificate plan. Those have been popular in the past but in past years everyone gets and gives gift cards and they have lost their luster and affect. It also is the most effortless way to go..it shows they weren't well worth the time or energy or they were a last minute gift thought. Gift certificates to restaurants have worked in the past too except someone is now in charge to order the food and go get it. Choose a gift that comes with a cheerful wow isn't that great or how nice or isn't that beautiful. These days individuals buy pretty much what they want, so send a gift that comes with bling and a bow and the gift basket is probably your very best. Check out local places where you can probably just go and pick them up to save shipping costs. In Denver or Colorado Baskets by Rita in Aurora is a good start.

Things to do and see in Denver.

Welcome to Denver,

We have no doubt you will love Denver. It is a terrific city.

The following are some ideas of places to visit while in Denver:

-Denver Museum of Nature and Science History, 2001 Colorado Blvd is showcasing a incredible exhibit.

-Denver Art Museum- 100 W 14th Ave Pkwy.

-Denver Capitol- "Beulah red" is the name of the red marble that gives the Colorado State Capitol its distinct beauty. All of the "Beulah red" marble in the world went into the Capitol. Climb the stairs to the top of the dome. The thirteen step of the capital building in Denver is precisely 1 mile high above sea level.

- Denver host the world's largest Rodeo every in January every year, the Western Stock Show.

-Denver sets claim to the creation of the cheeseburger.

-Denver Botanic Gardens- 1007 York St. One of the top 5 botanic gardens in the United States.

-Colorado History Museum- 1200 Broadway. It tells the story of Colorado's past.

-Molly Brown House Museum- 1340 Pennsylvania Street. "The Unsinkable Molly Brown" is well-known as a Titanic survivor. Take a look at her home and get to learn about this famous Denverite.

-Discover the Mile High City using B-cycle, Denver's bike share program. Set up an account at http://denver.bcycle.com. It is a fantastic way to see the city.

-Colfax Avenue in Denver is the lengthiest continual street in U.S.

-Denver is America's #1 Beer City- Metro Denver brews a lot more beer than any other city in the U.S. Colorado brews more beer than any state in the country and has more microbreweries per capita than any other state.

-DIA, Denver International Airport, serves the city of Denver and the neighboring area. It is rated as the fourth busiest airport in the entire United States and is the biggest airport in the country when ranking by physical size .

-Denver Mint- 320 West Colfax Avenue. Take a tour and see how it creates fifty million coins a day, every single one marked with a "D" for Denver. Reservations are recommended.

 

Day trip ideas:

-Rocky Mountain National Park- 1000 US Hwy. 36, Estes Park. Autumn season is a nice time to discover' Look for elk in the valleys and lower elevation. The ideal conditions to see them is at sunrise or sunset. If you want a magnificent panorama, take Trail Ridge Road. It is the highest continual highway in the whole world. It crosses the Continental Divide.

-Colorado Springs is situated 60 miles south of Denver and at the base of the 14,000-foot high, Pikes Peak. Things to see include the Air Force Academy, the famous Broadmoor Resort, Will Roger's Shrine, Cheyenne Mountains Zoo, the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame, the United States Olympic Training Cente, and Garden of the Gods.

-Central City and Black Hawk are located about 35 miles west of Denver. Central City and Black Hawk are two historic old mining towns from the 1870. The Victorian structures are nevertheless protected. This locale was once was called the "Richest Square Mile on Earth", The two towns now offer low stakes betting. There are also mine tours, museums and an individual can take lessons on the best way to pan for gold.

Want to send a "Welcome gift" to participant or member of Educase while they are visiting Denver? One idea is a "Denver or Colorado Welcome Basket" from Basket by Rita: http://www.basketsbyrita.com. This twenty year old company makes Colorado gift baskets and delivers them around the U.S. and world. They have a hard cardboard gift box (can be folded flat to travel home), with a Colorado seasonal scene on each side or a practical, reusable canvas Colorado gift bag of goodies. These make great gifts and remembrance of Denver and Colorado. Xmas is around the bend and think about sending a Colorado gift basket this year!

Get ahead start and make the holiday season less stressful

This year I will plan to ship corporate holiday gifts ahead of time. Horror story. Last season I thought there was no hurry and that I would get true deals by waiting until mid December to purchase gifts for my clients. Client gifts of gratitude for their business is really important and if you falter to send a holiday gift you have botched the customary gift that has come to be expected yearly. Don't forget how important and necessary these appreciation tokens are. Three years ago I decided to skip the gifts because of a budget crunch. Thinking it made very little or no difference I felt quite smug about the amount of money and time and hassle I would save for this extra meaningless expenditure. Was I ever completely wrong. In fact many of us were wrong. The other company people I meet with weekly all talked it over and were in agreement that one year couldn't make that much difference and we were quite smug about our money saving strategy. In my business my main competitor is someone who has tried to get my clients but I've always received their trust. Unfortunately for me he made a decision to take the risk and send out gifts early. The next year I found I was losing some of my clients because they had decided to take a look at other firms that could deliver the same or equivalent service. As we asked new clients many of them had already signed up with the competitor and my laid back and trusted style that I would easily keep clients was slipping away. I had to work really hard to keep the clients I had and put in a lot of time and effort for the next few years to get some of my original companies loyalties back. Maybe it wasn't just the holiday gift, but the next year I took note. Listening and asking questions of good friends and relatives about what made them loyal and things that made a difference I noted that follow up letters of thanks,telephone calls, and gifts aren't just tokens they are are reminders and stamps of assurance for the clients. So two years ago I made sure I had money for gifts at holiday time budgeted. I started looking for gift ideas and sent them out the first of December. What I found out was that I immediately got cards and calls from clients. They loved them plus mine were the first gifts to arrive at their office. My secretary and I were talking and she pointed out the gift we got at Thanksgiving one year with the note that here's your first holiday gift to enjoy. Since it was the first and only gift at that time it did make a big difference. Most gifts of food, gifts baskets, and cards come that last week before December 25 and although we appreciate them they sometimes get tossed in and mixed up and we can't remember exactly who gave what. Besides workers are bringing in treats and food for each other all week. So my secretary and I started talking and analyzing that the first gifts that come in are the most recognized and appreciated and you normally remember them. That brings me to our plan for this year. We have already contacted a basket business to send out holiday gift baskets to be delivered no later than December l. Why? Because last year we thought we'd order them later and they were sold out of the one we really wanted. Since we have clients in 10 states we had failed to note that many would not arrive on time because of shipping days needed. We gave up after checking about sending flower arrangements or poinsettias which seemed useless for a few days in the office. As a last resort we scrambled to get gift cards for area restaurants or bakeries near each client. It took way too much time. We were able to find some gift cards in food market, but they were not the right denomination. We also felt uneasy that the exact amount we were spending was apparent, putting a dollar value on the client. But we got the cards sent out. It was fine and at least we sent a gift. However one of the more vocal and blatantly honest secretaries called to thank us and did say she preferred the gift baskets because she was the one who had to order and go to the restaurant to bring back what was ordered with the gift card. She also made it clear that to feed everyone they had to add more money. Yikes, not a good idea. This year I called Baskets by Rita the first of October and placed my order for gourmet gift baskets and Colorado gift baskets to be delivered just before Thanksgiving so they will arrive that first week of December. They explained to me that they have to order all holiday products in August and September to have enough stock to not run out additionally suppliers run out early. We're feeling really smug. Our clients will know these are gifts of appreciation, there are food items to be shared by all, they come packaged beautifully giving that WOW factor and our card and gift will be the first one they get and will be hanging around the break room all holiday season. It won't get misplaced with all the other gifts. Since there is not a dollar amount attached you are not blatantly telling them what money amount they are worth. Plus my secretary is so happy because this is a slower time for us and she was able to make all plans in a more relaxed way. We discovered another money-saving hint for giving holiday gifts. We will have baskets shipped to 9 other states, but the majority are in the Denver area. My secretary has arranged to save some of the shipping and delivery costs by going to pick up most of the Snow Pak Gifts and deliver many herself. We've added a wine and cheese FAC the first Saturday in December in our office for clients and we'll give most of them out then. If not, it would be good for me to take them and give them myself and make the personal call. The morale of the story is do not underestimate the power of the holiday appreciation gift and order early.

Making a great first Impression

Making a good first impression is at the heart of leadership and job skill musts. Whether you are applying for a job or managing a assignment it is a strategy tool that ranks among the most important. You want to get off to a perfect start. One article suggests that within 3 seconds someone appraises you by your appearance, your body language, you mannerisms, and the way you present yourself. We make impressions by our actions, what we say and by what others say about us. To make a excellent impression you must know what was said about you or how you are perceived. If it is positive you come with a good track record. If it was not you have a ability to change that impression. How you present yourself IS the impression. That first impression must be solid enough to show confidence to establish trust. However over-confidence can destroy trust. It is a fine line. Polite, attentive, on-time, positive, appropriateness and sincerity go a long ways. Fortunately you do not have to sign up for a seminar or class, but simply google making a nice impression to find numerous sites with free and beneficial information. The difficulty lies in finding out what others have said about you and what information they already know. That means researching. So that takes care of the first impression. The key is keeping a good impression. Once that you have landed that deal or sold that house or secured that client your impression skills are not locked in. You must expand that impression that they made the right choice and that you truly value them. You do that in your text with a letter or note or a phone call. You do it in your behavior with making face to face timely visits when possible. And you are sure to spend a few bucks to maintain that impression. It might be with food or gifts, and not just holiday anticipated gifts. When you first land the sale follow up with something. My neighbor is a real estate agent and used to send a restaurant gift card to her clients after the closing. He now walks into the closing with an impressive and The Thank Full Gift Basket from Baskets by Rita. He already knows the client, so whether it's a beer tub, wine gift basket, gourmet gift basket he pays the money for it to be a wow factor and make the significant impression as he walks through the door. He said the day he came into the room with a baby gift basket for the couple about to become parents they were so excited. Lasting impressions have rewards and he says that the wow factor and the oohs and aahhhs he gets from them carry through. As they thank him as they are leaving, he mentions he would appreciate any referrals they would send his way. When they refer, he has another gift basket sent to their house. He claims this impression has definitely increased his client list. So good impressions are important.

Getting the Most Out of Your Employees

 A chief of a corporation in the Colorado area provided an interview to a friend's son, a graduate business son preparing his thesis. The young man asked questions about marketing, budgeting, and the best market procedures. The discussion and questions also including corporate pitfalls and challenges, protecting assets and the problems and practices in increasing sales. The CEO admitted that managing a firm's long-term reserves had always been at the center of his energy and determining stakeholders was instrumental. Weighing alternatives in every aspect was his solution to the question about best decision-making practice. The hour interview was almost over when the graduate asked his last question about what was the greatest liability and what was the greatest asset in the company. After bumbling through a list of financial jargon, the CEO stopped unexpectedly and thought carefully before saying that all of that was secondary because the employees could be the greatest asset or they could be the greatest liability. The individuals working for you can make or break the company. Simple as that. The CEO then took our friend's son out to lunch and they continued to talk. The conversation included examples from the CEO's working experience when he worked at a restaurant through college and when he managed various establishments. He had many examples of how good workers actually made the company money and the managers and owners did not always know it or recognize it. At the same moment, a impolite or incompetent or an employee with a bad attitude could ruin not only the sale at the time, but later. They discussed about the television show Undercover Bosses where CEOs pretend to be new employees on the ground level for a week to actually get some in field experience and insight. The CEO admitted that he had thought of doing that. The two of them throughout lunch talked about different episodes and came to the summation that employees do make or break a company. And usually what they want most even more than money or raises is to be dealt with respectfully and to have their efforts acknowledged. They want a thank you of some kind whether it be just a sincere thanks, a gift card, money, a promotion of a gift. The graduate revealed that his mom who had been an administrative assistant had just quit her job the week before saying she had just had enough. Her boss not only did not see what she had accomplished but did not seem to care about rewarding anyone. When she recommended he give gift cards he said that was fine but she would have to give them and write the note and he put her on a small budget. After a year she suggested they give time off to employees but he refused saying. She realized morale was really low and he did agree and she was to come up with something. She told him to come into the next morning meeting, which employees hated, with food. He told her to get some cheap donuts from the grocery store. She started just standing up to him and said no, he needed to spend some bucks and get quality pastries or food and quality coffee boxes from the Panera Bread down the street. He appointed her to do it and to be sure it was there on time. It did the trick and employees liked it. She needed a totally different idea for the mid afternoon meetings. So when she saw the huge basket delivered next door with all kinds of treats for employees she was impressed and contacted the basket company, Baskets by Rita. For the same money they put together a Corporate Gift Basket with goodies to put in the break room for everyone to enjoy. It was big and they delivered it to her that day. The boss walked in with the huge basket and there were cheers from the once tired employees. The student made an appointment the next day with his adviser to change his thesis topic to center on the importance of appreciation and recognition for employees contending that they are the most valuable long term investment.

Medical School Exams Stress Relievers

All those who are aware of individuals who are either applying to medical school or preparing to take medical licensing exams realize of how stressful they are. Just because everyone is cheering on a prospect does not take off the intense pressure they feel. Whether it is the medical students entrance exam or one of licensing exams they have a lot at risk and feel their whole future is resting on that specific test. Financially each assessment not passed brings on more financial issues to them and they probably have already built up high loans. So whether a person is taking the MCAT the Medical College Admission Test as a med school entrance exam or the the USMLE the United States Medical Licensing Exam or FSMB Federation of State Medical Boards they all mean huge stress. No one can take the exam or go through it for them so all others can do is support them to continue the degree programs, whether it be for a Bachelor/Doctor of Medicine or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine or Doctor of Podiatric Medicine or even a masters of physician assistant program. Since so much is riding on the licensing in getting the medical degree phone calls of encouragement are encouraging but phone texts are even better since they can read them at their ease. A med students schedule is heavy and free time and sleep are minimal. It is always good to let them know you are thinking of them and you know how tough these times are and that they have your help. You can send a card. You can order a stress relief gift to be delivered to help them through those long study hours. University of Colorado med students have enjoyed the Med Student Care Package and Board Exam Gift from Baskets by Rita of Aurora. Located just down the street Baskets by Rita does ship across the United States so care packages are not limited to the Denver area or just Colorado. They are very cute and come in a doctor RX box. They have also been used for doctors to send to special patients or students they have mentored or as a thank you from a med student to thank a professor/doctor. Set up as the med student care package and board exam gift for support might have been the intent but they will customize it for a patient to send to thank a doctor or even for someone to send as a get well gift with a card saying just what the doctor ordered for you to get well. Relieving tension and showing emotional support are a definite positive impact on good mental health. Treats and good wishes are always welcome and relieve stress and show thanks, concern, care, best wishes.

Unique baby gift

Wonderful tip for giving a unique, cute, adorable and unusual baby gift is to order a baby girl or baby boy welcome wagon. The cute small red wagons hold lots of baby gift stuff that are practical for recently born babies. Knowing that it is always fun to send something unique for the new baby is a difficult task. Usually individuals call the medical center gift shop for the same, mundane gifts they have. They have the usual blue and pink floral arrangements which are fine but do not last and are hard to transport home. That kind of baby gift is soon forgotten. They also have baby gift baskets but you may find that the parents have already received at least one or more from the hospital gift shop. Asking the gift shop worker does not ensure you that visitors have popped into the gift shop and purchased the same gift. I was humiliated to stop in and purchase a cute basket and went up to her room to see two similar baskets from other people. That meant I had to go back down and switch it for something really common in the gift shop. The most terrible part was that it definitely took the pleasure of my gift giving away. They were apologetic as was I apologetic and embarrassed. When the the gift shop individual just rolled her eyes about wanting to exchange it, I had just had it and instructed her I wanted a refund. In the parking lot of the Denver hospital I met a guy and gal carrying in these adorable pink baby girl and blue baby boy gift red wagons. That is exactly what I had wanted to walk in with something that caused the couple to ooh and aah about. I just flat out stopped them and asked where they got them. They had ordered them from a basket store near the Denver hospital called Baskets by Rita. Cut little welcome baby wagon that were the wonderful birth gift. They were definitely special baby gifts and practical and enjoyable. They told me Baskets by Rita also has a big brother/sister line of baskets that they gave one time. I got on my iphone and without delay called Baskets by Rita and ordered one of the little red wagon as a baby welcome gift for the newly born. It was easy to arrange to have it delivered to their house when they got home from the hospital. When they got home with the new baby and got the baby welcome wagon, they immediately called me and said I just had to come over to see the new baby and the adorable wagon. So from now on the hospital gift shop will not be my first selection for sending gifts or flowers.

Hosting a Special Event in Denver?

Conferences are not cheap. They can make a significant effect and thorough planning is vital. Not only are theconferences expensive for the host, but also for the participants. Participants and companies are not easily parted with their dough and they want to be guaranteed and reassured that they have invested their time and funds well. Post critiques show that small details make a huge difference. Throwing a conference or convention together without consideration to the smallest details can spell failure. So the steps to take as a promoter and host for the conference/convention are to find a great destination. Knowing your would-be attendees is major whether you choose a location that is a short distance for them to drive or choosing a great getaway for companies to check out and experience a new city. Check out the cost of the venue and ask for details. Do not select busy times of the year for holidays, family vacations or a busy time for the businesses targeted. For example, as retailers do their buying for summer sports equipment, late spring and early summer or not the time to entice them. They are preoccupied and they have already acquired their items for the year. Next you must evaluate the schedule to be sure the timing is good. If you overbook they may not have down time to enjoy themselves. If you do not offer sufficient workshops or variable schedules of interest, they will not feel they gained anything from the conference or convention. Try to get a key speaker or two to draw a crowd. Promote early to get them to lock into your event first on their calendars. It even works to offer a discount incentive for early signup. Do assign an professional to offer all information the convention goer will need from airport transportation to hotel registration and maps. Of course your serious concern will be the conference content itself. So plan to keep it moving, keep it productive, keep it exciting. It is better to have more short sessions with question/answer free time to chat and interact than to have participants leaving lengthy sessions because they are tired or feel they are hearing repetitive information. The first impact will make a huge difference. Efficiency and getting information to help airport/hotel/conference center logistics run efficiently will set off the tone of the convention. It is also important that when they arrive there are plenty of welcome folks available to set that upbeat optimistic tone and answer questions. The check-in table should include all the info they will need. And you always must be willing to put out the money for freebies. Our company attended a conference in a small city in a mid-western town. It was obvious they were trying to save money and got the conference center and food cheap. We paid a alot for a rental car to drive the 2 hours to the locations and stay in a small 2 star hotel/motel conference center. The pretzels and vats of bad coffee set the tone for a long two days ahead. The next year we chose to go to the Denver Convention Center and what a big difference. Flying into DIA was so impressive with those stunning mountains as a backdrop. Our hotel was attached to center and there were all kinds of restaurants, night life, shopping nearby. We found a cool Cookie and Brownie Gift Basket from a local basket company in Aurora. It was a box with all sorts of Colorado snacks. That convention rocked and we will go again next year.

How can we improve our firm's relationship with our employees?

Today's post features recommendations acquired from a few businesses about how to boost morale and not destroy good employees. Striving to keep the workplace positive should be of major concern to CEOs and bosses. Losing revenue and time is a huge concern. If workers are happy and like to come to work production grows. If they feel that they are integral team member and that they are appreciated they become invested to the company. Factory formed thank yous and anticipated pats on the back even raises and the same old bonuses or gifts or treats destroy their impact after awhile. In fact employees begin to bank on predictable gratitudes and gifts and treats. If you furnish donuts every Friday it becomes the norm and just a normal part of the work schedule. If you give a gift card for every 10 sales it becomes predictable and if you miss one you will get resentment instead of thanks for the gift cards you gave. Remember the movie with Chevy Chase in the Christmas movie where he counts on the yearly bonus from work and when it is not given one year the manager becomes the bad guy in everyone's eyes. In the movie and in real life people just expect the bonus, money gift, turkey, whatever is the norm every year. Often they order items or spend the money before it even comes in. For that reason organizations need to be very careful not to do the same thing week after week or month after month or year after year. Food treats should not be the same because they become anticipated and actually become rather boring. Some would say that cash is always the best way to go because everyone can spend it however they want. True, but it also can get repetitive. If you throw out a dollar at the weekly meeting one week for something, the next week you get a gourmet coffee cart. If you provide a grocery card for Christmas one year you need to deliver a gourmet gift basket the next year. If you provide lunch a day one month you need to do something diverse the next month. Most executives feel that this type of imagination is not a part of their tasks and it is not important. Morale boosters are very important. Creative gift giving are one of the best way to say thanks for a task well done and to encourage hard work in the future. Most of the time companies use administrative assistants to find ideas and put together the thank you. For women flowers and spa packages and gift cards work. For men beer tubs, hardware/home improvement gift cards are great. Restaurant gift certificates are good too. You just have to get creative. Corporate Gifts or Company gifts can be tricky when you are including a lot of people in one office--it could be a gesture of kindness or a thank you gift to a whole office or company. You either have food delivered or if you are worried about food spoilage send a huge corporate gift basket with various items. My company has put the burden on me, the administrative assistant, to come up with two new options each month to spend only $300 on the 20 employees. They said I need to find gifts of tokens to include everyone. I am looking for new tips for next month but this month we have seen a big difference in positive attitude around the office after my two appreciation gifts were done. The first was for each employee to find one dollar bills in various places during a week. This last week to thank them for their labors, we had a Coffee Gift Basket arrive to overpower the snack table. After hearing workers talking about the Aurora movie theatre shooting victims, we chose an Aurora gift basket company, Baskets by Rita and we were not disappointed. So remember to thank your employees and show gratitute for a job well done and to encourage really hard work.

Tusen takk, a Token of Appreciation

It is difficult to come across unusual and sincere and special ways of saying thank you to someone you treasure or endorse. To pay honor to their knowledge and work by commending them for assistance. You want them to know of your thankfulness what they have performed for you or for others or for the business. To recognize that is the first step. To let the person know you sincerely and truly appreciate them and acknowledge them is very important. Offering thanks is not just for Thanksgiving anymore. You must offer and endorse the behaviors you want to see continue. So the first step is to be aware of showing appreciation and acknowledging it. That does not mean going overboard all the time and having to give lots of gifts or money for every little thing. Findings have found that people respond to acknowledgements of even the slightest kind such as a nod or look of endorsement or an actual pat on the back. Even a smile and a look of facial gratitute can be ways of endorsing self esteem and showing you like and recognize what has been done or said. These words of appreciation and commendation display tribute to the person and show that you value them. Saying thank you works. Now if you overdo it for every little thing it thanks and appreciation lose their value. It has to fit your personal way and must be sincere. Sincere gratitude and the word here is sincere is enormous. For a corporate praise of any kind is good but eventually and periodically you need to put your money where your mouth is and hand something as appreciation of services and recognition of gratitute. That token of appreciation could be money such as a raise or cash with a thank you note. And you have to mix it up a little bit too. If you know the person shops at a certain store or enjoys a particular coffee house or bistro you could give gift certificates. They are always appreciated. This works if you also do not want to make a big deal or applaud out loud for everyone to see or hear. Sometimes you do and you want others to step up so they too will get those monetary awards. So the looks, the thank you words, the notes and the occasional gift cards work. If you feel you want something with more of a wow factor then consider an genuine gift that wows. The problem with money or gift cards is that they are definitely appreciated but have an exact value and the amount given one employee can be perceived by others as a rating scale by what they get. My firm has small gift cards that are consistent for certain things then we started going to get plaques engraved and people displayed them for a while but are now gone and seem to be old hat to everyone. The secretaries said it is taking too much effort to go out and shop for these prizes and that employees compare how much we spend on one compared to another. One of our secretaries found an Aurora based gift basket company that she now calls and has a gift basket or pail made up and delivered to us. It is so easy. Sometimes she just orders one of the baskets online from Baskets by Rita and tells them what to put on the card. More often recently she has been writing a note on the order or even calling and asking that the basket be unique. She just gives the price we want to pay and they put together a different gift basket crate box or pail every time. That way employees have no idea what amount we spent and theirs is unique. It is great way to say, "Thank You!- A Thank You Gift Basket." http://www.basketsbyrita.com

Happy birthday Gift Basket

All my family know that they will get either beer, a bottle of wine or flowers I grabbed on the way to see them. It worked well for a while, but now it seems to be just too predictable. Looking for a totally different birthday gifts can take a lot of time. Today I went looking for my best close friend which should be easy. I know exactly what he will like so it should have been very easy. I ended up just heading to a big box store and buying a gift card. They used to have small cool wooden crate type things to put the gift card in but not anymore. So that was Okay but really mundane. Last Saturday my dear wife was out of town and asked me to go out and get products to put in a basket for her cousin who was bringing her daughter to Colorado to start college. My wife emailed me a list of all the items to buy for the basket so I went to find it. She puts in mostly Colorado products like chocolates, potato chips, salsa, tortilla chips, nut products, Colorado water, tea, espresso, beef jerky, cheeses, crackers, and honey sticks. First I could not find a basket in the food market and only a few of the products. I finally threw in the towel because it was taking forever to look and be sure I had Colorado made foods. My neighbor was also shopping and I revealed my frustration when she suggested just going to our business district and going into the big home specialty shop and having them help me. I did that and it was helpful but I was shocked at how much it price, including the basket. They proposed to help me put it all together in the basket and put on a nice big bow. It looked great and my wife was not surprised at the cost of buying the stuff there. She goes to 7 or 8 different places to buy all the merchandise and saves about twenty dollars. Now that is just way too much effort. An less difficult way is just to go online and find a gift basket shop that will do it and deliver it. My wife and I argued over the expense, so to show my point I found a several of baskets at Baskets by Rita which is a Colorado based company. They have a Colorado wooden crate that is cooler than typical baskets. Even after the delivery cost, it turned out it was cheaper than us doing it ourselves. So getting back to the birthday gift idea I saw the crate and decided to order one and have it delivered to my house so I could see how it looked. It came and was excellent. My wife and I concluded that they do a much more professional job of putting it together and it looks amazing. Plus it turned out to be less expensive than doing it ourselves. They have a great selection so that is my plan from now on when buying Beer Birthday Gift. http://www.basketsbyrita.com

College Care Package

 Hard to imagine that school is almost beginning since August has already arrived. Summer goes fast. Youngsters are back in classes and for me it is hardest to say goodbye to the kids who are my family members who are going back to college. It was so cool to see them all summer and now some are packing up getting ready to go to school. Most of the kids I know go to Colorado State University in Fort Collins or Colorado University in Boulder. Two are going to Colorado College in Colorado Springs. Actually there are two of my cousins kids who are coming to schools in Colorado. My neighbor is making up little gift bags for each kid with cookies and goodies from the grocery store to assist get them stocked up for dorm life. She has bought chips, dip, candy, nuts, and snacks and put them into a bucket. They turned out pretty cute. When I asked her how much it cost she said she had no idea. I had a tough time finding a bucket and filling it with stuff to look good. It just did not look like enough. Then I started adding up the cost because I knew I needed to go get more stuff to make it look good. I just that wow factor for college students when they get to school. I know they may be a little homesick and this is the nicest thing I can do for them and probably more for their parents. Shoving the things in the bucket is alright and it gets the task done. After making two of the buckets best friend suggested I check out Snack Gift Baskets. She told me this after she was astonished at how much I had spent on each gift. Her agency uses Baskets by Rita for all the gift baskets they send to visiting clients. There are great wooden crates with mountains and the word Colorado on them packed with products from Colorado. After checking out the website of Baskets by Rita I do not dare tell my hubby that I actually might have sent a Colorado crate for the same price or even cheaper than I spent on my own. http://www.basketsbyrita.com

Please show the Victims of the Theater that you care!

 After the shooting tragedy in Aurora Colorado we are at a loss for what to do or how to help. Aurora is a suburb of Denver. We are all feeling such grief and send our sympathy and best wishes and best hope for recovery to that whole community. The shooting attracted national news and what a devastating tragedy. I am so sorry and want to do something to support. The Aurora police department must be amazing with what they are dealing with. They made it to the scene in 90 seconds. People and businesses in Aurora must be comforted to know the department responds so quickly. Plus what must those heroes from the police department and all the medical facilities in Aurora Colorado feel now as they work to save lives and keep people safe. You cannot put a price tag on that kind of help. A group of friends yesterday had a discussion and we all decided to do something. Some are sending cards and others of us desire to do something far more personal to help our own sense of healing the emotional wounds. My cousin is going to send some kind of food coupons and my neighbor is sending flowers with a message. My brother is a small business owner and suggested we find nearby Aurora Colorado businesses to support since they must really feel the impact. So we are going online to find coffee shops, pizza places, florists, etc. I was going to place an online order to an Aurora company Baskets by Rita to send a Ultimate Sympathy Basket to be shared by everyone. http://www.basketsbyrita.com

Beauty on a Budget

tea and bath gift baskets

Every month I squander way too much cash on spa and pamper services. Every time I turn around I'm in need of another nail appointment, hair cut, laser hair treatment appointment, or waxing appointment. On top of these forms of superficial methods, everyday stress pushes me to splurge for biweekly massage therapy and chiropractic visits and the monthly Jacuzzi. Obviously the expense of makeup and other bath and body products augment the expense as well. At the end of each month I've spent the contents of my checking account just to pamper myself. Talk about stress! Several years ago I started to find techniques to bring down these payments without making a great number of sacrifices. I now purchase at home waxing kits, color my own nails (most of the time), and have sent my boyfriend to massage classes. If you know someone like me or you wind up in my situation, you can almost certainly guess what the very best gift would be for her. Now obviously, a morning at the salon would be ideal, but if your bank account is a little bit smaller than that why can't you send the spa to them? Baskets By Rita has a great assortment of spa and pamper gifts which are stuffed with premium quality items including products by Body Eclipse, the distinctive supplier of spa products for the Brown Palace hotel in Denver. Next time you need a gift for a deserving woman, save her some money off her normal routine and give her an evening of relaxation with the Tea and Pamper Her Gift Basket. Our gourmet tea gift basket comes with a combination tea pot and wonderful bath product a great combination for relaxation. Offering a great assortment of tea, cookies, chocolates, soaps, lotions and a candle. A nice sentiment for bereavement gifts of thank you tea gift basket. Tea gift basket with gourmet foods for a woman.. Believe me, she'll thank you!!!  http://www.basketsbyrita.com/Tea-and-Pamper-Her-Gift-Basket_p_24.html

Baskets By Rita, a Colorado Gift Basket Company, Celebrates its 20th Anniversary

Ten years after being laid off from Agilent Technologies, Marge Van Woerkom and her business, Baskets By Rita, are still going strong. As a previous Reporter Herald article outlined, Van Woerkom was one of many Loveland residents who found themselves unemployed in 2002 when HP and Agilent downsized. After 19 years of working for HP and Agilent, Van Woerkom refused to be a victim of her situation. She pulled herself together after the lay off and bought an existing business in Aurora, Colorado. She chose not to change the company's existing name, Baskets By Rita, which already had a strong reputation in the Denver metro area and this choice has served her well. "We've built our business on the philosophy that the customer come first" says Van Woerkom.
Since Van Woerkom took ownership of the company, she has managed to grow sales despite the economic recession of the past few years. In addition, she has grown the company's clientele and web presence year over year with the help of her staff and dedicated members of her family. As a sign of its ongoing growth, Baskets By Rita began plans several months ago to create a sister company, Gift Agent. Gift Agent will offer customers a slightly more specialized product line packaged in specialty boxes which will allow the company to be more eco-friendly and create more of a recognized brand identity. The hope is that receiving a gift from Gift Agent will be comparable in recipients' minds to receiving a box of Godiva chocolates. While Gift Agent gives cause for much excitement at Baskets By Rita, that is not the only exciting news for the company.
This year, Baskets By Rita is celebrating it's 20th year of business. While many other gift basket companies have gone out of business, Van Woerkom and her staff have managed to maintain steady growth despite the public's growing need to economize. To show their gratitude for the continued support of their customers and celebrate their 20 years of success, Baskets By Rita has planned a series of sales promotions for each month of the year. These promotions include deals such as 15% off when you spend $50 or more and a gift of a free basket for the winner of a video commercial contest. For every dollar saved by their customers through these ongoing promotions, Baskets By Rita will donate a dollar to a local charity. Each month, the company will choose two local charities to support and they will match the savings of their customers to determine the donation amount. The best part of this campaign is that customers are encouraged to vote for their favorite charities so that everyone can be involved. As a local business, Baskets By Rita does its best to support local programs and Van Woerkom is excited to have an excuse to give back even more than her usual holiday charitable donations. Like us on Facebook and vote for your local charity. When doing so we will send you a coupon code for 20% off your next purchase.

Spring Back Into Action

Now that Easter's around the corner many of Americans are starting to think about making Easter baskets, celebrating Christ's resurrection, and making Easter cookies with our closest of kind. Even folks who aren't particularly religious often still enjoy religious holidays for instance Christmas and Easter seeing as these festivities are an important part of our national culture. Regardless of whether you're Christian or not, Easter comes at a time when everyone has something to honor. Easter marks the onset of spring. With the fabulous 60 degree weather we've been having currently in Colorado I can already feel Spring right around the corner and I'm ready to welcome yet again the season of rejuvenation. If you are a parent you are most likely getting ready for fun crafts and activities for your kids as they anticipate the Easter Bunny's visit. The Easter Bunny is an instance of how we've turned a religious holiday into something that anyone can celebrate. Let me ask a question. Why do people honor Easter in any way but its religious sense? The answer… Spring tugs us out of our winter shell and drives us to begin working on resolutions we may have been avoiding.

Though New Year's resolutions are often made in January, it isn't until Spring that we usually start to focus on them. Nice weather, new growth, and sunshine are better motivators than snow, icy winds, and dreary days. In spring people start eating less, spending more time out and about, working out more, and thinking more positively. These are all things that make us happier and why shouldn't we share our happiness with others around us? People living in colder climatic regions tend to wrestle more with depression. Any chance this is a coincidence? When you get back into your New Year's resolutions for the first time since starting them back in January, why don't you share your positive energy with your friends?

Easter is a good time to celebrate in the rebirth of new life. We rejoice by giving Easter gifts to our neighbors, family, and children as if saying life's a present, let's honor it! We enjoy the new growth of nature and hopefully appreciate our natural surroundings a bit more. We plant flowers and work in our gardens and revel in the loveliness of the season. We use less heat and electricity as we get ourselves out and about enjoy the best of the spring air. If you embrace these elements of spring like I do, why wouldn't you share in your good mood with the ones you love? Send an Easter gift to a far off friend, your family in another country, or your grandchildren. Put together a gift that incorporates one of the previously discussed subjects. How about giving a health food basket or put your gift in a "green" container? Or, display thankfulness for your countless blessings by sending a gift packed full of items that donate proceeds to charity. If you do not have the time or the ability to get something together yourself, why not let Baskets By Rita assist you. For this entire year Baskets By Rita is making monthly donations to Colorado non-profit organizations of their clients' choice. Order a Easter Baskets for Children Girls. Our little girl's Easter Basket is oh so cute and filled with goodies and fun. Our white willow basket contains Butterfly coloring sketch pad, activity book, 12 pk crayola crayons, plastic filled eggs, M& M candies, Starburst candy, Crayon tube filled with chocolate covered sunflower seeds (yes the crayon top really works), Disney straw, Jelly Belly beans, Gold fish crackers, large plush bunny, Butterfly ornament, mini soccer ball, rubber ducky dressed up like a fairy, Easter cookies, lip gloss, popcorn, playing cards, peeps candies and a chocolate bunny. This is a great way to say "Happy Easter" to special kids far away. When this filled Easter Basket is empty, they can keep the basket for the Easter egg hunt. We can customize this basket to make it more appropriate for younger or older kids, just mention her age at checkout in the additional information box. It always feels good to send a gift, so why not do something else to supercharge your bright spirits?

<a href="http://www.basketsbyrita.com/Easter-Baskets-for-Children-Girls_p_138.html">http://www.basketsbyrita.com/Easter-Baskets-for-Children-Girls_p_138.html</a>

An Easter "Tail"

Have you ever questioned where the myth of the Easter Bunny comes from? I mean really, do the Easter Bunny and colored eggs really represent Jesus' resurrection? The answer is "no". The legend of the Easter Bunny goes all the way back to the 13th century and comes from pre-Christian Germany. The pagan people of the era worshipped multiple gods and goddesses. The goddess of spring and birth was called Eostra, which is where the word Easter comes from. As most people know, spring is the season of new life. Because of this, Eostra's image was the rabbit. The rabbit signified new life due to the fact that rabbits are well known for their significant rate of reproduction. Over time, this symbol of Eostra lead to other legends and in the 1500s, the first fable of the Easter Bunny was recorded. Now since you know where the Easter Bunny originates from you are probably wondering about the eggs. Eggs have been a symbolic representation of fertility for ages and were likely integrated in early pagan celebrations of spring. As Christianity became more widespread in Europe and in Germany, ancient pagan customs began to merge with modern Christian holidays. Today, we say that Easter eggs signify Jesus' resurrection. Over the years the Easter Bunny chronicle developed even further and grew to become what we know it as today. Comparable to the fable of Santa Clause, German families would convince their little ones that if they were good the Easter Bunny would appear and lay eggs that the children could trade for candy and various other treats. The tradition began of making nests for the eggs which ultimately transformed into the vibrant colored Easter baskets that we have today. The legend of the Easter Bunny first arrived in the United States in the 1700s when German immigrants arrived in Pennsylvania. Currently, this Easter belief is a prevalent part of our traditions along with scores of other norms which come from the roots of our immigrant ancestors. If you'd like to play the Easter Bunny this Easter, purchase a gift such as our Easter Baskets for Children Girls for someone you love. Baskets By Rita provides quite a few Easter baskets to choose from and is providing 10% off all Easter gift baskets for the month of March. Our little girl's Easter Basket is oh so cute and filled with goodies and fun. Our white willow basket contains Butterfly coloring sketch pad, activity book, 12 pk crayola crayons, plastic filled eggs, M& M candies, Starburst candy, Crayon tube filled with chocolate covered sunflower seeds yes the crayon top really works, Disney straw, Jelly Belly beans, Gold fish crackers, large plush bunny, Butterfly ornament, mini soccer ball, rubber ducky dressed up like a fairy, Easter cookies, lip gloss, popcorn, playing cards, peeps candies and a chocolate bunny. This is a great way to say "Happy Easter" to special kids far away. When this filled Easter Basket is empty, they can keep the basket for the Easter egg hunt. We can customize this basket to make it more appropriate for younger or older kids, just mention her age at checkout in the additional information box. http://www.basketsbyrita.com/assets/images/easter-baskets-for-girls.jpg  http://www.basketsbyrita.com

Valentine Gifts in Fort Collins Colorado

Love likely the most potent word in any language. This tiny one syllable word has resulted in warfare, betrayal, and lunacy, but it has also been the cause of harmony, unanticipated thrills, and unparalleled inspiration. How can it be that a force that is usually so positive can direct us to such bad? The French, acknowledged for love, have many captivating love stories to tell. Take the story of the sculptor Rodin and his apprentice Camille Claudel. Claudel worked for Rodin when they began their affair. His refusal to leave his wife for her made Claudel insane and she destroyed quite a lot of her pieces of art during bouts of paranoia a symptom of her schizophrenia. Claudel spent the last 30 years of her life in a hospital. How can a thing that can direct someone to such bouts of despair be the one thing that we all seek in this life? On the other hand, let us consider another french couple. Voltaire and Emilie du Chatelet carried on a 15 year long romance which was scorned by the people, but permitted by Chatelet's husband, the Marquis Florent-Claude du Chatelet. Chatelet and Voltaire shared a strong scholarly bond and spent time philosophizing together, accumulating books for their library, and sharing suggestions on each other's work in mathematics and science. Their shared values and devotion to each other fueled their love even after she died. Upon her death, Voltaire wrote of Chatelet, It is not a mistress I have lost but half of myself, a soul for which my soul seems to have been made. Regardless of her arranged marriage to the Marquis, the affection between Chatelet and Voltaire was tolerated and not envied. They were the topic of contempt but were allowed to live their lives together in shared respect. Their story reveals love in its ideal form. In my point of view, love is the sole thing worth living for. Whether it's love of kin, love of something, or love for a significant other, without love life is trivial. Maybe that is why love can force us to such extremes. For many, love is worth dying for. For many, it is worth living for. As Valentine's Day gets closer love is on everyone's minds. I wish each and every one of you a blissful love story packed with all the best love may bring and none of the worst. This Valentine's Day, demonstrate your love with a Red Hot Valentine Gift from Baskets By Rita.This Red hot Valentine's day box is perfect for all the special ladies in your life. An adorable teddy bear, milk chocolate truffles, dark chocolate and raspberry Chocolove bar,trail mix,a scented votive candle,chocolate chip cookies, Jelly Belly candy,caramel corn, hot cocoa, mixed nuts and a brownie. Say you are hot to your Valentine this year with our sweet treat. Everybody needs a little reminder from time to time of simply how much we are loved. If you like this blog, be sure to forward it on via Twitter or Facebook. Thanks a bunch!

Easter Baskets For Boys and Girls

The resurrection of Christ is what Easter is all about also making it the ultimate essential of all Christian holy days. However, at present the importance of the holiday is covered by decorated eggs and bunnies. Easter can fall anytime between March 22 and April 25 since is occurs the first Sunday following the full moon. Easter is also connected to the Jewish Passover in symbolism and it's location in the calendar. What's with Rabbits and eggs and Easter? Well the rabbit is a well know sexual symbol of fertility. Religions connected with Babel connect the rabbit with periodicity, both human and lunar. The Mother Goddess Semiramis (Easter) is linked with the moon. Therefore, the Easter bunny characterizes the Mother Goddess and is linked with once a year Spring time fertility rituals worshiping the Mother Goddess. Painted Easter eggs are a part of the festivities too that came from the egg which was a sanctified symbol among the Babylonians. They assumed that a amazing size egg fell from heaven into the Euphrates River from which the Goddess Semiramis was born. It makes you wonder how many of us honestly think about the actual meaning of this holiday other than the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It has grown to be another retail holiday and over commercialized. However, it is a time for families to unite and observe the day. Kids love Easter for the Easter Baskets, candy and most of all the Easter egg hunt which could be enjoyed by the adults as well. Family member that are separated by geography many times send Breakfast Gourmet Gift Basket to their loved ones. Grandparents send Filled Easter baskets for children to grandchildren. Daughter and sons might Family Easter Basket to parents and siblings far away. A breakfast gift basket with gourmet goodies to wake up to. Send someone a good morning wake up basket today and they'll feel loved and comforted. Perfect for Easter, Mother's Day, Thank You or Condolence gifts. A box of tea, honey sticks, gourmet cookies, cheese, crackers, jam, scone mix, premium coffee, biscotti, fruit and nut trail mix, a votive candle, cocoa, and chocolates. http://www.basketsbyrita.com/Breakfast-Gourmet-Gift-Basket_p_152.html http://www.basketsbyrita.com/Easter-Gifts_c_40.html http://www.basketsbyrita.com/assets/images/breakfast-gourmet-basket.jpg

Easter Baskets Filled For Kids

The resurrection of Christ is what Easter is all about also making it the ultimate essential of all Christian holy days. However, currently the significance of the holiday is masked by dyed eggs and bunnies. Easter can fall any day between March 22 and April 25 since is occurs the first Sunday following the full moon. Easter is also associated to the Jewish Passover in symbolism and it's location in the calendar. What's with Rabbits and eggs and The Easter holiday? Well the rabbit is a well know sexual image of fertility. Religions associated with Babel connect the rabbit with periodicity, both human and lunar. The Mother Goddess Semiramis (Easter) is related with the moon. Therefore, the Easter bunny characterizes the Mother Goddess and is linked with once a year Spring time fertility rituals worshiping the Mother Goddess. Painted Easter eggs are a part of the celebrations too that came from the egg which was a holy symbol among the Babylonians. They assumed that a wonderful size egg fell from heaven into the Euphrates River from which the Goddess Semiramis was hatched. It gives to something to ponder how many of us genuinely think about the actual meaning of this holiday besides the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It has evolved to be another retail holiday and over commercialized. However, it is a time for families to come together and celebrate the day. Kids love Easter for the Easter Baskets, candy and most of all the Easter egg hunt which could take on a life of it's own. Family member that are separated by physical geography many times send Easter Bunnies and Eggs Box to their loved ones. Grandparents send Filled Easter baskets for children to grandchildren. Daughter and sons ship Family Easter Basket to parents and sisters and brothers far away. Send a festive box filled with chocolate eggs and bunnies for Easter! Wrapped in cello bag and tied with a colorful spring bow. A mini stuffed bunnny, Jelly Belly beans, chocolate eggs, plastic filled eggs, a milk chocolate bunny, cookies, and assorted Easter candy. http://www.basketsbyrita.com/Easter-Gifts_c_40.html 

Valentines Beer Gifts for The Men

Everyone knows that Valentine's Day is the time to proclaim your love to your husband. The problem is that it can be if the truth be told quite hard for you women to discern what to give to your man. You could always get something sexy for yourself and use this as your gift to him, but for many couples this just won't cut it. jewelry are the accepted gifts, but to tell you the truth, ladies like these gifts more than your guy does. You could get him an a set of hand tools, but then you most likely won't see him for the next two weeks. So, what's a girl to do? Let beer be the answer! I'm fairly confident he will think it's a great gift. Now, don't just go get a six-pack of any ordinary beer and drop it on his lap; only other guys can be so not cool. Go beyond,fire up your computer and wander over to the web and order a Valentine beer gift basket to be delivered to his work. This will cost a little more than a six pack, but it will be SO worth it. Think about his surprise when the courier shows up (or FedEx package) with a beer tub full of amazing microbrews and great tasting food items. Be certain to have the enclosure card says something like "I thought you'd love this almost as much as me. See you tonight! Love." The co-workers will be flipping over this gift. The women will all be saying "oh, how kind" and the guys will be thinking about what embarrassing thing their spouse/girl friend bought them. You can be sure the guys will be thinking "Oh man, how cool!" We can even put a few extra chocolates in the tub that he can share with you. If he's really a awesome guy, he'll share the beer with you. You'll be sharing the chocolate he got you, won't you? http://www.basketsbyrita.com