First Impressions, so Important!

Making a excellent first impression is at the heart of leadership and profession skill musts. Whether you are applying for a job or managing a project it is a strategy tool that ranks among the most essential. You want to get off to a excellent 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 good impression you must know what was said about you or how you are seen. If it is beneficial you come with a good track record. If it was not you have a chance to change that impression. How you present yourself IS the impression. That first impression must be powerful enough to show confidence to establish confidence. 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 workshop or school, but simply google making a good impression to find numerous sites with free and priceless information. The difficulty lies in finding out what others have said about you and what information they already know. That means examining. So that takes care of the first impression. The key is keeping a nice 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 appropriate choice and that you truly appreciate them. You do that in your words and phrases with a letter or note or a phone call. You do it in your conduct 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 likely gifts. When you first land the sale follow up with something. My neighbor is a real estate broker and used to send a restaurant gift card to her clients after the closing. He now walks into the closing with an impressive and festive gift basket from Baskets by Rita. He already knows the client, so whether it's a beer tub, Halloween Gift Basket, gourmet gift basket he pays the money for it to be a wow factor and make the big 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 perks 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 very important.

Plan Early and Beat the Holiday Rush!

This holiday season I will plan to ship corporate holiday gifts ahead of time. Horror story. Last year I thought there was no hurry and that I would get real deals by waiting until mid December to purchase gifts for my clients. Client gifts of gratitude for their business is very 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 thankfulness tokens are. Three years ago I decided to forego 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 problem I would save for this extra frivolous expenditure. Was I ever wrong. In fact many of us were wrong. The other firm 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 tactics. In my business my principal competitor is someone who has tried to get my clients but I've always received their trust. Unfortunately for me he decided 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 businesses that could deliver the same or same service. As we approached new customers many of them had already signed up with the rival companies 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 primary companies loyalties back. Maybe it wasn't just the holiday present, but the next year I took note. Listening and asking questions of close friends and relatives about what made them loyal and things that made a change I noted that follow up letters of thanks,phone 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 planned. I started looking for gift ideas and sent them out the first of December. What I observed 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 take pleasure in. 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 personnel 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 purchase 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 totally obvious, 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 brazenly 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 bistro 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 plan. This year I called Baskets by Rita the first of October and placed my order for gourmet gift baskets and Christmas in 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 in addition 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 fantastically 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 preparations in a more relaxed way. We came across 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 baskets 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 lesson of the story is do not underestimate the power of the holiday appreciation gift and order early.

A Gift For a Wonderful Wife!

So how is your favorite team doing this season? It is football time again and for those of us who cherish football we live for this time of year. Not only is it gorgeous weather to go to games but we begrudge the fact it has been a long dry season in the sporting world since Superbowl time last year. Hopefully each of us is looking at the teams, playing fantasy football and making predictions. For guys it offers a piece of interaction for any place we find ourselves. There is also the unfamiliar and best hopes for our favored football team to do well this season. Everybody seems to be talking about the replacement refs and how soon will regular football refs be back on the fields. It is way too easy to get so annoyed about it that you find yourself ranting and raving. That is what has been happening at my residence. I whine and moan and groan and am short tempered with my wife and she does not deserve that. She is such a wise football wife that to get angry is not the manner she handles things. She incredibly uses good will and humor. I am so lucky. After this weekend and my horrible mood I did not merit to get anything for my birthday yesterday. I was in Denver and she had a beer tub gift from Baskets by Rita delivered to my hotel. Since one of my favorite teams was the Denver Broncos the tub she ordered was a Bronco one and she wrote a excellent message using her awesome humor to help get me level-headed. It was great. I called her and decided to have flowers sent the next day. I often do that. So since I'm gone for a week, I called the lady at baskets by Rita and she's sending a New Grand Gourmet Gift Basket to my wife. Good move on my part cuz my wife will not expect it. We guys are not very creative or good about gifts but I am quite darn happy and pleased with myself. My stepfather is a diehard Green Bay Packers fan so I sent him a sympathy basket. He will appreciate it and really get a kick out of it. My mother was raised and is loyal to the Giants, have been raised in NYC, so I'm having a Congratulations basket sent to her arriving the same day. Can hardly wait to talk to my parents. They are always coming up with gifts and ways to help my wife and me so this would be great. This ref strike has certainly got everyone talking. The good news is that it gives friends something else to talk about besides politics. Our secretary really gets on all of us though and she says we should be feeling sorry for those poor replacement refs. Without them we couldn't watch any football at all.

Getting the Most Out of Your Company's Employees

A chief of a corporation in the Colorado area provided an interview to a friend's son, a graduate business student, preparing his thesis. The young man asked questions about marketing, budgeting, and the best market techniques. The conversation and questions also including business pitfalls and challenges, protecting assets and the problems and practices in increasing sales. The CEO mentioned that managing a firm's long-term investments had always been at the heart of his energy and determining stakeholders was important. Weighing alternatives in every aspect was his solution to the question about best decision-making practice. The 60 minute interview was almost over when the graduate asked his last question about what was the biggest liability and what was the biggest asset in the company. After blundering 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 folks 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 conclusion 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 done 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 observed morale was extremely 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 bakery. 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 delegated her to do it and to be sure it was there on time. It did the trick and employees liked it. She needed a 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 large 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 Rocky Mountain Gift 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 acknowledgment for employees contending that they are the most valuable long term investment.

Special baby gift

Superb idea for sending a unique, cute, adorable and unusual baby gift is to order a baby girl or baby boy welcome wagon. The cute small red wagons carry lots of baby gift stuff that are practical for recently born babies. Knowing that it is always pleasure to send something unique for the new baby is a real challenge. Usually individuals call the medical center gift shop for the same, monotonous gifts they have. They have the usual blue and pink floral arrangements which are nice but do not last and are difficult to bring home. That type 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 provide you that visitors have popped into the gift shop and purchased the same gift. I was embarrassed to stop in and order a cute basket and went up to her room to see two identical baskets from other people. That meant I had to go back down and exchange it for something really common in the gift shop. The most awful part was that it definitely took the excitement of my gift giving away. They were apologetic as was I apologetic and embarrassed. When the the gift shop person just rolled her eyes about wanting to exchange it, I had just had it and told 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 halted 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 fantastic birth gift. They were definitely special baby gifts and useful 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 promptly called Baskets by Rita and ordered one of the little red wagon as a baby welcome gift for the newborn. It was effortless 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 choice for sending gifts or flowers.

Medical Professional Gift Basket

Individuals who are aware of college students 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 student does not take off the extremely intense pressure they really feel. Whether it is the medical students entrance exam or one of licensing exams they have a lot at stake and feel their whole future is resting on that special test. Financially each exam not passed brings on more financial burdens 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 reassurance are supportive but phone texts are even better since they can read them at their ease. A med students routine is heavy and free time and rest are short. 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 support. 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 quite pretty and come in a doctor RX box. They have also been used for doctors to send to amazing 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. Minimizing anxiety 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.

Are you hosting a Conference in Denver?

Corporate seminars are not inexpensive. They can make a big effect and detailed planning is necessary. Not only are theconventions expensive for the host, but also for the participants. Participants and companies are not easily separated with their money and they want to be convinced and reassured that they have devoted their time and funds well. Post critiques show that small details make a major difference. Throwing a conference or convention together without consideration to the smallest details can spell calamity. So the steps to take as a promoter and host for the conference/convention are to find a great spot. Knowing your probable attendees is important whether you choose a location that is a limited distance for them to drive or choosing a great getaway for companies to see and experience a new city. Check out the cost of the venue and ask for details. Do not decide on 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 very busy and they have already purchased 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 enough workshops or variable schedules of interest, they will not think they gained anything from the conference or convention. Try to get a keynote speaker or two to draw a crowd. Publicize 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 pro 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 going, keep it efficient, keep it stimulating. It is better to have more concise sessions with question/answer free time to chat and connect than to have participants leaving long sessions because they are tired or feel they are hearing repetitive information and facts. The first impact will make a significant difference. Efficiency and getting information to help airport/hotel/conference center logistics run effectively 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 positive tone and answer questions. The check-in table should include all the information 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 lengthy 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 Rocky Mountain 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.

Ways Corporations can improve company morale

Today's writing features tips reaped from a few companies about how to raise morale and not lose excellent employees. Striving to keep the job positive should be of major concern to CEOs and bosses. Losing revenue and time is a great concern. If workers are content and like to come to work production increases. If they feel that they are part of the team and that they are appreciated they become engaged to the company. Factory made thank yous and anticipated pats on the back even increases and the exact same bonuses or gifts or treats lose their impact after awhile. In fact employees begin to bank on predictable gratitudes and gifts and treats. If you provide donuts every Friday it becomes the norm and just a natural 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 have given. Remember the movie with Chevy Chase in the Christmas movie where he banks 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 good or spend the money before it even comes in. For that reason organizations need to be cautious not to do the same thing week after week or month after month or year after year. Food treats should not be the common because they become anticipated and actually become rather lackluster. Some would say that money 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 crucial. Morale boosters are very essential. corporate appreciation gifts 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 organizations 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 excellent. Restaurant gift certificates are good too. You just have to get innovative. Corporate Gifts or Company gifts can be challenging when you are including a lot of people in one office--it could be a gesture of empathy 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 ideas each month to spend only $300 on the 20 employees. They said I need to find gifts of appreciation to include everyone. I am looking for new ideas for next month but this month we have seen a big difference in favorable 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 huge Snack 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.

Something unique for a birthday gift

 All my pals know that they will get either beer, a bottle of wine or flowers I found on the way to see them. It worked for a while, but now it seems to be just too anticipated. Looking for a completely 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 going to a big box store and getting 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 fine but really tiresome. Last Saturday my spouse was out of town and asked me to venture out and get things 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 goodies, chips, salsa, tortilla chips, nuts, Colorado water, tea drink, gourmet coffee, beef jerky, cheeses, crackers, and honey sticks. First I could not find a basket in the supermarket 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 shared my irritation when she suggested just going to our downtown and going into the big home specialty store and having them help me. I did that and it was helpful but I was shocked at how much it expense, including the basket. They offered 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 shocked at the cost of buying the goods there. She goes to 7 or 8 different places to buy all the items and helps save about twenty dollars. Now that is just far too much work. 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 prove my point I found a number 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 less expensive 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 more affordable than doing it ourselves. They have a great selection so that is my plan from now on when buying Snack Birthday Basket.

http://www.basketsbyrita.com

Remembering the Victims of Aurora!

 After the shooting tragedy in Aurora Colorado we are at a great loss for what to do or how to help. Aurora is a suburb of Denver. We are all feeling such sorrow and send our sympathy and best wishes and best hope for healing to that whole community. The shooting brought national news and what a devastating tragedy. I am so sorry and want to do something to assist. 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 answers 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 protected. You cannot put a price tag on that kind of assistance. A few 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 neighborhood 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 Fruit and Cheese Gift Basket to be shared by everyone. http://www.basketsbyrita.com

Care Package

 Impossible to believe that school is almost starting since August has already arrived. Summer goes quick. Kids are back in school and for me it is hardest to say goodbye to the kids who are my neighbors who are going back to college. It was so enjoyable to see them all summer and now some are packing up getting ready to go to college. 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 friend is making up little gift bags for each kid with cookies and goodies from the market 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 appear to be 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 bit homesick and this is the best thing I can do for them and probably more for their parents. Shoving the products in the bucket is alright and it gets the work done. After making two of the buckets my next door neighbor suggested I look at Care Gift Baskets. She told me this after she was shocked at how much I had spent on each gift. Her firm uses Baskets by Rita for all the gift baskets they send to visiting clients. There are neat 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 spouse that I actually could very well have sent a Colorado crate for the same price or even cheaper than I spent on my own. http://www.basketsbyrita.com

Why is Gluten Free Such a Bit Deal?

Gluten free foods have become very popular because the interest increases. You might have undoubtedly noticed more gluten free breads made out of gluten free grains popping up for your most liked grocers. What the Heck is Gluten? Gluten is identified in wheat, rye, and barley. Why has this become such a huge issue recently. I understand that we in our magnificent efforts to make thing better only resulted in creating a mess. With our enormous knowledge in horticulture we made a strain of grain that grow extremely fast and offers a higher yield. Well this awesome new grain is not so easily digested by our well engineered bodies. In some cases, that is for some people they are unable to process these new grains at all. Then the unfortunate thing is we have lost the recipe for the old grain so we can’t even grow it now and no one wants to because they won’t make as much money because the yield is to low. Well the fine news is there are lots of things out there that don’t have gluten in them and these food products are being used in innovative new way so that those who cannot have gluten can still enjoy things like cookies and great snacks. We have taken the time to design a wonderful gift basket around the theme of gluten-free. You will be happy to know that everything in this new basket is gluten-free and it taste good and there is a nice variety of sweet and savory snack too. A gift basket filled with a delicious variety of all natural and Gluten-Free snacks, this willow gift basket has it all! The perfect gift for those on a Gluten-Free diet. http://www.basketsbyrita.com http://www.basketsbyrita.com/Gluten-Free-Gift-Baskets_p_449.html 

A Gift For Father's Day He'll Love

A Gift Only Dad Would Love I was never your typical Daddy's Girl, despite being an only child. As my dad's only child he could have easily spoiled me rotten but he raised me to appreciate the value of money and I had to earn most of what was given to me. Now don't get me wrong, I was far from underpriveledged and always very well loved, but I guess what I'm saying is that my dad expressed his love best by teaching me how to get along in the real world. He taught me to be responsible for my actions, that everything comes at a price, to work hard for the things you wish for, and that love is best conveyed through quality time well spent and not by using money. The one thing that my dad was never reluctant to spend money on was my education. He helped support me through college and multiple unpaid internships, he helped me pay for several of my study abroad experiences and even French classes. Although there once was a time when I would complain that he wouldn't buy me the new dress that I wanted I now understand that he was saving his money for a worthier cause. Although I was never Daddy's Little Princess my dad and I have a wonderful relationship. I cannot thank him enough for all he's done for me and not just that but all he has taught me. This fathers day opt out of the yearly tie and do something a little extraordinary for your father. Make sure he knows how much you appreciate him by sending him a Fishing GIft Basket from Baskets By Rita. This fishing Creel gift basket has a wonderful assortment of fishing items for that angler in your life. Our large Fishing Gift basket contains a flies, lures, bobbers, beef jerky, cheese popcorn, Colorado river rocks, Alaska smoked salmon, cheese, crackers, cookies and snack mix. This great fishing gift basket can say Happy Father's day, Happy Birthday, Thank You or even Get Well. Baskets By Rita has a fantastic selection of men's gifts and you are sure to find just what he'd like. http://www.basketsbyrita.com http://www.basketsbyrita.com/Fishing-GIft-Basket_p_81.html http://www.basketsbyrita.com/assets/images/fishing-gift-basket.jpg

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.

How Easter Bunny Came to Be

Have you ever considered where the legend of the Easter Bunny came from? I mean really, do bunnies and eggs really say anything about Jesus' resurrection? The answer is no. The history of the Easter Bunny goes all the way back to the 13th century and originates from pre-Christian Germany. The pagan people of that era worshipped multiple gods and goddesses. The goddess of spring and fertility was known as Eostra, which is where the word Easter comes from. As most people know, spring is the time for rebirth. Due to this, Eostra's symbol was the rabbit. The rabbit indicates new birth since rabbits are well known for their high rate of breeding. In time, this depiction of Eostra lead to other folklore and in the 1500s, the earliest account of the Easter Bunny was written. Now since you understand where the bunny originates from you are possibly thinking to know more about the eggs. Eggs have been a representation of fertility for years and were likely incorporated in early pagan celebrations of spring. As Christianity became more popular in Europe and in Germany, ancient pagan ceremonies began to mix with fresh Christian celebrations. Today, we recognize that Easter eggs represent Jesus' resurrection. Over time the Easter Bunny myth developed even further and grew to become what we know it as today. Comparable to the story of Santa Clause, parents in Germany would convince their children that if they were good the Easter Bunny would come and bring eggs that they could trade for sweets and different treats. The tradition began of making nests for the eggs and these nests eventually transformed into the cheerful colored Easter baskets that we have these days. The legend of the Easter Bunny first arrived in the USA in the 1700s when German immigrants moved to Pennsylvania. At present, this Easter custom is a widespread aspect of our culture as are scores of other norms which come from the countries of origin of our immigrant forefathers. If you'd like to take the role of the Easter Bunny this spring, order a gift such as our Easter Basket Goodies for somebody you love. Baskets By Rita offers various Easter baskets to choose from and is featuring 10% off all Easter gift baskets for the entire month of March. Send a decorative Easter bag filled with seasonal goodies the whole family with enjoy. This bag is filled with a chocolate Easter bunny, chocolate Easter eggs, cheese, crackers, nuts, Jelly Belly candies, Peeps, cookies and sausage. Don't need another basket this is the perfect choice. Large sizes contain a larger selection of the items listed above. http://www.basketsbyrita.com

Something worth living for

Love... likely the most effective word in any language. This tiny one syllable word has resulted in battle, treachery, and insanity, but it has also been the cause of harmony, unforeseen experiences, and unprecedented inspiration. How does it come to be that a thing that should be so good can push us to so much evil? The French, recognized for l'amour, have many interesting love stories to share. Take the story of the sculptor Rodin and his lover Camille Claudel. Claudel sculpted for Rodin when they fell for each other. His refusal to leave his wife for her drove Claudel insane and she demolished quite a lot of her sculptures during fits of paranoia a result of her schizophrenia. Claudel spent the last 30 years of her life in a hospital. How could a power that can push someone to such bouts of despair be the one thing that we all search for in this life? Conversely, let's consider another french couple. Voltaire and Emilie du Chatelet had a 15 year long relationship which was frowned upon by the world, but tolerated by Chatelet's husband, the Marquis Florent-Claude du Chatelet. Chatelet and Voltaire shared a strong academic link and spent time philosophizing together, accumulating books for their library, and sharing input on each other's research in mathematics and science. Their shared values and faithfulness to each other fueled their love even after she died. After 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." Despite her arranged marriage to the Marquis, the relationship between Chatelet and Voltaire was endured and not envied. They were the focus of contempt but were permitted to live their lives together in shared respect. Their story illustrates 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 spouse, with no love life is trivial. Perhaps that is why love can push us to such extremes. For some of us, 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 everyone a blissful love story filled with all the best love has to give and none of the worst. This Valentine's Day, reveal 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. Box size 10 1/4" x 6" x 7 1/2" Say you are hot to your Valentine this year with our sweet treat. Everybody needs a subtle reminder sometimes of just how much we are loved. If you like this blog, be sure to forward it on via Twitter or Facebook. Thanks a bunch!