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