Monday, February 29, 2016

Why Business Gifts?

There are so many reasons businesses need gifts. While I was contemplating a topic for a recent presentation, I realized just how many occasions there are for business gifting. It shocked even me!I thought I'd start a little blog series to talk about them a little more.By far,the most popular business gifts are holiday gifts. Christmas & the Winter holidays are the biggest holidays for us, followed by Halloween & Thanksgiving. Everyone wants to recognize those important to them during the warmth of the winter holiday season. It is a tradition that
goes back forever, and one can never go wrong with a winter holiday gift. But, over the last few years, Halloween has become another huge business gifting season. It is a fun, unexpected time to gift that always gets a huge response. And, Thanksgiving, is a natural time to thank important clients, employees, & associates! There are a number of other smaller holidays throughout the year that businesses use to base appreciation gifts on. Big or small, business holiday gifts, we love them all!

Thursday, February 25, 2016

SuperBowl Excitement!

All The Buzz at Superbowl 50!

All Well, the Bay Area is certain buzzing today, well and for the last couple weeks. 

Tons of activities, traffic, airplanes, etc. It has been very exciting to have such a huge event right here in our area! I was able to attend the Business Connect party in San Francisco this week, and it was quite a party! Beautiful venue, celebrities, good mingling and food. 
And, great to connect with other business owners that were also involved with the festivities surrounding the Super Bowl. We also snuck in a little visit to Super Bowl City, an outdoor attraction with lots to see; telecasting, historical football items, and lots of fun, touristy type opportunities. 
No matter who wins, we've had a blast! 

Superbowl just 1 Week Away!


Can you believe that next Sunday, February 7th is the big game in the Bay Area? It's exciting, that's for sure! There are events all week from San Francisco to San Jose.


The hotels are booked, the banners are hung, and the craziness is about to begin! We have Super Bowl gifts available ready for the week's festivities. Whether you want to welcome an out-of-town visitor, have a fun contest at work, give your clients a unique,timely appreciation gift, or surprise a football lover, we have the perfect thing. Take a look,and let us help you get in the game!



SuperBowl Controversy!

I was reminded this morning by a San Jose Mercury News story about a frequent discussion we've had around our home! Why no roman numerals for Super Bowl this year? I guess there are several reasons. First, being that 50 in roman numerals is "L", it is not visually appealing. Also,looking like a single letter, may not even have been stand out enough to be noticed much.
The newspaper added that a single "L" also is a letter with too much dead space, another reason why it isn't a bold or impressive number/letter! But, maybe the most important part has to do with the connotation "L" has in sports. L is for loss or loser, right? Eek, that is not good for the Super Bowl!Will the L make a comeback for Super Bowl LI/51? Guess we'll just have to wait & see!

New Vendor! R&J Toffee!


We are so excited to introduce R&J Toffee to our product line and to you, our supporters! We met Joel recently, toured his awesome facility, did lots of taste testing and even visited his company at the San Jose Harvest Festival. What can I say? This company is exceptional in every way. They are a family owned business, selling in only the finest stores.There are no preservatives, it’s a delicious treat, and it doesn’t even stick to your teeth. They recently won the 2015 International Chocolate Salon’s Best Chocolatiers & Confectioners in America 1st Place Gold for both Best Tasting Toffee and Top Toffee, for the second year in a row!  We are so impressed and even more excited that they are located in our home town, San Jose!  Let us know if you’d like to try it or include it in your gifts. For the holidays, we are featuring 2 sizes: a 4oz box great for including in your gift baskets or a 1lb gift box great for an addition to a large gift or as a stand alone gift with a holiday bow. Take a look at R&J’s story! We know you’ll love this very special chocolate almond toffee as much as we do! Shop for it now!

Do You Know The Way to San Jose?

I have to admit that it is pretty cool that San Jose, and our surrounding areas(San Francisco, Santa Clara, Mountain View, Palo Alto, & others) have become such popular destinations. We do have great weather, even with the nasty drought situation! But, I think a lot of the recent surge in travel to the Bay Area, may be due to business travel. With businesses like Facebook,Google,Apple growing & thriving in our little part of the country, it’s really no wonder! With all of this attention on our area, we’ve also experienced a greater demand of locally themed products. We love our local vendors and are excited that people want to share our local flavors and keepsake items. So, here’s a little sample of our latest Bay Area designs. Let us know how we can help you share your local pride! 


Thank You Teachers!

Well, it’s the end of the school year, and we have a rush on gifts for teachers. It’s really no wonder, they do the amazing job of educating our children, and lots of them…at the same time. If you’re like me, you really cannot imagine that task on a daily basis. It takes a special kind of person, that’s for sure. We get asked to create all kinds of gifts; small, chocolate, themed, related to hobbies, accompaniments to gift cards, you name it! We realize it is important to show your appreciation for the people that hold this special place in your children’s lives. We’re here for you to make it easy! Welcome to summer! 

What Else Can You Do?

  It always makes me laugh when someone asks me if we can put their gift basket in something besides a basket. Turns out, we really only use true baskets for about 30% of our gift baskets. Some really love the traditional look of a basket. But, truth is, there are unlimited options if you crave something different. Now, if you’re concerned that you need a more serious business look, I’d recommend a magazine rack, trunk, tray, or metal beverage tub. They still have that beautiful, corporate look, just with a little twist! 


But, if you really want a very different look, you can add something totally unexpected. And, here’s where your creativity is the only limitation. Often thinking outside the box can allow you to use a container that is very useful or really drives home a theme. Some of our most memorable containers include: a garbage can, ottoman, garden hose, backpack, ice chest, blanket, stadium seats, and so, so many more. Fun stuff!  So, hope we inspired you! If you’re stumped on creating a gift un-basket, give us call. We’re always happy to help! Share with us your ideas on what you think would make the most creative gift ever. If we use it, we’ll send you a gift, and it definitely will not be in a basket!