Unique Christmas Gift Ideas

		Unique Christmas Gift Giving Ideas
It’s hard to believe that Christmas is right around the corner. For many people Christmas is a magical time of snowy afternoons, cozy nights sitting by the fire, and enjoyable treasure hunts for perfect gifts to give to those they love. You'll never be the same after you check out the benefits and features of creative gift ideas that will create memories for a lifetime from Picnic-Basket.com! Fun Christmas Gift Giving Many rack their brain for weeks (or months!), trying to think of "just the right thing" to give the people in their life. As the time ticks slowly down they become even more frantic, and many times end up settling on something ordinary because they couldn’t find that one of a kind, unique gift they were looking for. Well, not this year! We’ve got some great ideas for unique Christmas gifts that you can bet your friends and family won’t be receiving from anyone else. One distinctive idea is a wine and cheese picnic basket from Picnic-Basket.com. This gift would be great for a couple, and might give them the inspiration to head outdoors for a romantic evening picnic for two. Rather than giving them "just another gift certificate", a wine and cheese picnic basket would allow them to do something meaningful together, and give them a chance to reconnect every time they enjoy it. If you’re looking for a gift for someone who likes martinis, Picnic-Basket.com offers luxurious, portable martini sets that would impress even the most discerning drinker. Imagine being able to take your martinis outdoors for a quiet evening under the stars! Many people don’t know that portable martini sets are available, and you can bet that any martini-lover would love these high-quality sets. And there’s no plastic here - all the martini sets come with stainless steel pieces, which any martini aficionado knows makes for a better martini. Another wonderful idea is a coffee backpack. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to head out to the beach first thing in the morning for a soothing cup of coffee and a light breakfast while watching the sun come up? That’s the whole idea behind the coffee backpacks at Picnic-Basket.com. These backpacks enable people to strike out early to enjoy the outdoors, and take their coffee with them for a lovely picnic. This is a unique, one-of-a-kind gift that any coffee lover would enjoy using when the weather is fine. With the Christmas shopping season here, it can be easy to get overwhelmed trying to think of "the perfect gift". Giving gifts that can bring joy and rich experiences to those you love are always the best ones, and many of the items featured on Picnic-Basket.com encourage people to head outdoors and enjoy the beautiful scenery Mother Nature has to offer. These unique Christmas gifts can improve the quality of life for those you love and allow them to try something new! Compliments of Picnic-Basket.com | 1-800-861-8823

Corporate Gift Solutions

		Corporate Gifts Ideas "Thank You". Two little words that we hear so rarely these days. Two little words that everyone loves to hear. Two little words to make your customers feel valued.
Two little words guaranteed to increase both an employee's productivity and sense of self worth. The Holiday Season is a great time to think about rewarding your valuable clients and employees alike. Have you thought of promoting your company in addition to rewarding those valuable customers and employees? Corporate Logo Gifts can be a fantastic Holiday Gift Idea. Instead of presenting perishable gifts that will be consumed and then forgotten, a gift with corporate branding will last indefinitely. Better still, every time the recipient uses your gift they will be thinking of your company. Whereas the bottle of wine or food hamper, once drunk or eaten, is out of sight. We have corporate gifts that start at very reasonable prices. If they enjoy a bottle of wine then an insulated wine tote would be perfect. Other reasonable corporate gift ideas are a Coffee Backpacks or Totes or perhaps a comfortable Folding Chair. A BBQ Tool Set is another great idea. Maybe a chef's apron with BBQ Tools? Your logo could be stitched on the front of the apron, ensuring years of endless advertising. Other products in this sort of price range include a wine and cheese sets, or if they are football fans we have pleanty of Tailgating Supplies to pick from. For the more impressive bonus there are Picnic Baskets and picnic backpacks. "Merci", "Gracias", "Mahalo", "Danke" all ways of saying "Thank you". Add a corporate gift to your words of thanks and receive the gift of giving: increased productivity and happy clients. Compliments of Picnic-Basket.com | 1-800-861-8823

Mother's Day Tea Party

A Mother’s Day Picnic with a Twist: An Afternoon Outdoor Tea Party
		Most countries set aside a day to honor Mom, that wonderful lady who feeds you, helps you with homework, drives you to activities, fixes your bumps and scrapes, and – regardless of your age – is your biggest supporter. In the United States, we’re fortunate to celebrate our Mother’s Day during the beautiful spring season when spending time outdoors is a treat in most parts of the country.
Many grateful kids and grandkids take mom out to brunch or to her favorite restaurant for a fancy dinner. But if your mother enjoys being outside in the fresh, fragrant spring air, why not consider an outdoor event this year? While conventional picnics or barbecues are always a lot of fun, think about doing something a bit more elegant to honor Mom, such as an outdoor tea party. Getting Organized Hosting an outdoor tea party in your own backyard or elsewhere isn’t all that difficult. It just requires some advance planning to organize the menu and various other aspects of the event. Start by sending out invitations, even if the people you are inviting are close family members. It sets the mood for the event and lets people know how to dress, what to bring, etc. These needn’t be expensive. It’s easy to design a dainty tea party invitation on your home computer. Be sure to include all the specifics. Next, if you’re holding the tea/picnic at your home, take a look around and make sure your garden and other parts of your property are looking neat and trim. Dust off your garden tools and perhaps plant some colorful flowers for the event. It’ll make your yard look extra special. If you’re going to a park or other location for your tea party, scope out a spot that’s especially picturesque. Check the condition of your outdoor furniture. Things can get damaged during the winter season, especially if there was a lot of heavy snow and strong winds. Make sure there is ample seating for all and be sure everything is clean. Wash your chair cushions and dig out your prettiest table covers for the event. Again, if you’re taking your tea party on the road, make sure seating is ample and in good condition at your chosen location and bring along some items to “prettify” the area. Planning the Tea Party Menu Tea parties are all about being dainty, even if there are men included, though these often work best for moms, daughters, and granddaughters. Tea, of course, is a must. You can serve several kinds, including “regular” orange pekoe tea as well as some fruity flavors. If your tea party is off the premises, you can carry this in a coffee tote or some other sort of insulated container. Use your best tea cups, if possible. You’ll want to include tea sandwiches as part of your picnic fare as well. These are tiny, bite-sized sandwiches that are ideal even for little mouths. Figure about 4-6 per person and offer a variety of selections including: Egg salad Chicken salad Tuna salad Cream cheese and cucumber Apples and Boursin cheese Turkey and cranberry sauce PB& J (for the little ones) For dessert, bite-size is best as well. Lemon bars, small pieces of pound cake garnished with strawberries and whipped cream, heart-shaped shortbread cookies, tiny vanilla cupcakes, and mini shortcakes are all a good choice. Here’s an easy recipe for some simple-to-make bite-size cheesecakes. NO-BAKE MINI CHEESECAKES (Makes 24) 12 vanilla wafer cookies 8 oz. cream cheese, softened 1/2 c. sugar 2 Tbsp. sour cream 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice 12 ripe strawberries, hulled and halved Pulse cookies in food processor to make crumbs. (Or crush in a plastic sandwich bag.) Line 24 mini muffin pans with paper liners and spoon a layer of cookie crumbs into each. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar at medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low. Beat in the sour cream and lemon juice until well combined, about 1 minute. Spoon the filling into the cups and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours or overnight. Top each cheesecake with a strawberry piece before serving.

Ideas for Spring Break Smiles

Spring Break Ideas

As winter loosens its grip and allows the warm days of spring to brighten your days, a "Spring Break" is just what you need to create fun times with your family and friends.
Get outdoors and enjoy creating exciting picnics, tailgates and barbeques to fill your warm spring and summer days!

Prepare ahead of time for picnic ideas, locations, recipes and the essential outdoor games, portable furniture and picnic accessories you'll need.

Here are some fun ideas and links to Springtime Articles to get outside and create Spring Break ideas to remember!

Get Wild at the Zoo - Take your entire family for a day trip to your local zoo. Plan a picnic lunch and save money on over-priced food and drinks! Lightweight portable picnic coolers are just the way to go!

Girls' Day Out - Catch up with the girls and plan a day full of inexpensive and creative adventures with your favorite ladies! Read our article on fun ideas and recipes for a Girls' Day Out Picnic!

Spring Cookouts - Fire up the grills and invite your neighbors, friends and family over for a festive barbeque! We have tips for making sure your outdoor grill is ready to be fired up, plus delicious healthy recipes, dessert ideas, and ways to customize and coordinate your grills to represent your favorite college teams and the NFL, so you'll be ready for tailgating parties as well! Read on for more...

Plant a Garden - Grab your gardening tool sets and head outdoors with your kids to plant your own organic garden! Better yet, try aquaponics (you'll use 90% less water than traditional gardens) or hydroponics to produce your own fresh fruit and veggies year round! Plant herbs, seasonal vegetables and flowers to bring some healthy color and life into both your life, and your lawn! Get a tan, and a little dirty while you bond with your kids, grandkids, spouse, friends and family.

Homegate or Tailgate - Ever heard of March Madness? Well, right now it's an important time for basketball fans. Tailgating fans of all ages enjoy spending time with each other cheering on their favorite teams, eating, drinking, playing outdoor games, and fooling around with brackets and drafts. Tailgating and homegating are celebrated year round and you can join in! Here's how you throw the best tailgating or homegating party around...

Fly a Kite - Spend some time at your local park, ball field, soccer field, beach or empty parking lot with your kids, spouse, cousins or friends as you partake in a childhood tradition of flying kites. Don't underestimate the complexities that surround the skills needed to successfully fly a kite. You'll find this challenge is a lot more fun when you're spending time with loved ones, enjoying drinks and good food while you relax on your days off. Take your dogs, frisbees, badmitton set, football, soccer ball, and other outdoor games and just get outside to enjoy the cool evenings and warm afternoons. Pack a simple picnic with plenty of beverages and don't forget your outdoor furniture like portable chairs, folding picnic tables and shade!

Smell The Roses - Take in the sights of Mother Earth bringing the foliage back to life! Go for a walk, hike, bicycle or motorcycle ride and take in the amazing fragrances and delightful sights of flowering trees, shrubs, weeds and lawns. Don't forget to bring your cameras, video cameras, picnic baskets and friends as you take in the flowers of spring!

HAVE A PICNIC - There are so many places you can go and create a magical picnic experience with a loved one. The best picnics are surprises though, so keep that in mind the next time you have a birthday, anniversary, or holiday to celebrate! Go on an impromtu picnic while you're on a day trip, or while you're on the road heading towards your favorite spring break destination. Plan ahead and save your money by preparing your own simple, yet elegant picnic recipes like the ones in this article, that will rock the socks off your picnic partner(s)! Don't forget essential picnic supplies, like the picnic blanket, or an insulated wine basket cooler to keep your tasty food and drinks fresh!

Take the time to enjoy your loved ones, you never know how many chances you'll get in this lifetime. Get outside and breath in some fresh air as you take in the beauty of this world. Our experiences with the ones we love are what make life worth living for. Picnics are unique in that every one of them is a different experience and always memorable as we take the time to enjoy the simple things like good food, conversation, and company with those that mean the most!

Happy Spring Break Fellow Picnickers!

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