It’s been a busy and productive couple of weeks at The Personal Gift Basket Co. We are working on several fun and exciting things in the background that I can’t wait to share with you in the coming months. So stay tuned! I can share something exciting: recently, we attended the Atlanta Market, and I’m super excited about all the beautiful new gifts and food items we found there. We spent five jam-packed days meeting the vendors we’ve done business with for years. We also connected with new companies with unique products that fit our gifting brand. After the five days of shopping, my body felt like I had been in a boxing ring, but it was so worth it. Now that we are back, it’s time to create beautiful gift designs with our new inventory. So stay tuned!
[Read more…] about The Personal Gift Basket Co Goes to MarketSummertime Gift-Giving
Summer brings warm weather, longer days, and the perfect reason for people to get together. Summertime gift-giving is a great way to express gratitude and celebrate special occasions during the season. Whether it’s a backyard barbeque, a poolside party, or an intimate dinner under the stars, a well-chosen gift can show appreciation for the host’s hospitality. Unlike holiday hostess gifts, summertime hostess gifts can encompass many different occasions.
When choosing the best gift, below are a few ideas to inspire your summertime gift-giving juices:
Outdoor Essentials:
Summertime is synonymous with outdoor activities and fun adventures. Consider gifting items that complement the outdoor experiences, picnic for two, smores kit, or beach essentials kit. These gifts encourage the generous host to embrace the sunshine and maximize their time outside.
Refreshing Treats:
The warmth of summer calls for refreshing treats to beat the heat. Consider gifting your host a basket filled with seasonal jam or jellies, a gourmet popsicle kit, an ice cream kit (with sprinkles, of course), or a selection of flavored syrups for creating delicious summer beverages. These gifts provide a great way to cool off and savor the season’s flavors.
Wellness and Self-Care:
Summer is an ideal time for relaxation and rejuvenation. After all the entertainment, help the host unwind with gifts focused on wellness and self-care. This gift could include spa items, face hydration teas, scented candles, or foot or hand spa products. These gifts promote self-care and provide a tranquil escape from the hustle and bustle of planning a memorable summertime event.
Outdoor Entertainment:
With longer days and pleasant evenings (sometimes), outdoor entertainment gifts are always a big hit for hostess gifts. Consider gifting a portable Bluetooth speaker, mini, portable projector, or fun outdoor games like cornhole, croquet, or badminton sets. These hostess gifts encourage outdoor gatherings and create memorable moments with friends and family.
Gardening Essentials:
Summertime is the perfect season for the gardening enthusiast host. Help them nurture their green thumbs by gifting gardening tools, seed kits, stylish planters, or a beautiful watering can. These gifts bring beauty to outdoor spaces and provide a fulfilling and rewarding hobby.
Personalized Summer Accessories:
Add a personal touch to your hostess gifts by opting for customized summer accessories. Consider personalized beach towels, monogrammed sun hats, engraved sunglasses, or customized flip-flops. These gifts show thoughtfulness and make the hostess feel special while adding a touch of summertime style.
Summertime hostess gift-giving lies in the joy of giving and the joy of the recipient’s appreciation for the gift. You always show up with something special for the hostess and never come empty-handed. Whether it’s a small token of gratitude for the invite or a grand gesture of thankfulness, bring them a gift they will remember and appreciate. Summertime gatherings are always so much fun, but there’s much planning and behind-the-scenes activities that go on to make the party a delight for all the guests. A gift can be a tangible way to show appreciation for all their hard work.
Whatever the choice, a thoughtful summertime hostess gift serves as a token of gratitude and contributes to the joyful spirit of the season.
Lisa Goes to The Atlanta Market
We have recently returned from five amazing days at the Atlanta Mart at Americas Mart. The Atlanta Mart is a wholesale tradeshow located in beautiful Downtown Atlanta, Georgia. The tradeshow spans over three buildings and a little under 27 million sq. feet. It is a premier gift, décor, gourmet, and lifestyle market. The mart is the nation’s largest, with over 8000 brands. It’s impossible to experience everything even in five days. It’s a gifting entrepreneur’s dream. There is so much to see, taste, feel, and experience, from floral to chocolates to candles to stationary.
One of my favorite parts of attending the market was previewing the upcoming seasons’ trends. Meeting the curators and makers of the gift and food items we currently carry face to face helps us build and strengthen those relationships even more. We shopped some of our longtime favorite existing wholesale vendors and got many opportunities to meet many amazing new ones.
We are always on the lookout for new trends and fresh gifting ideas to incorporate into our future gift designs for you to enjoy.
Our creative juices flowed, and we’re excited to share our new gifts soon, so stay tuned.
The Best St. Louis-Themed Gifts for Showers, Gift Bags and More
Read the recent interview Lisa had with Amanda Dahl of STL Today and St. Louis Bridal.
What’s the best way to celebrate your love and your love for the Gateway City? Customized gift sets! Whether for your guests, for the bridal party or even just as a thank–you for your parents, nothing captures the memory of this life moment quite like personalized reminders to take home.
Luckily, Union Studio specializes in unique, locally made items that will leave the desired impression.
“The fact that everything we have is handmade and local, by virtue, pays homage to St. Louis,” co-creator Sarah Kelley says. “[My business partner,] Mary Beth, and I personally know all 100 artists that we work with. We do our best to share their stories … with the people who shop here. Community-building happens here.”
Lisa Paden, owner of The Personal Gift Basket Co., believes the key components to a perfect gift depend on your knowledge or your relationship with the person in question. Gifts from the heart for those standing by your side on your wedding day can be as simple as offering a matching shade of nail polish and Champagne glasses or as elaborate as writing a handwritten note in dark chocolate leather notebooks, Paden says.
“We try to get to know the recipients; sometimes that’s easy and sometimes that’s not,” she adds. “That’s the fun part, coming up with the ‘why’ you’re gifting.”
The born-and-raised St. Louisan appreciates introducing her beloved city to others and collaborates with couples to find the right fit for each personalized gift basket. An entrepreneur, Paden has even captured the flavor of St. Louis in a one-of-a-kind treat.
“I work with a women-owned company out of California [called The Art of Caramel],” Paden details. “They asked me if I [wanted] to make a popcorn based on my city. I went to my friend, Gooey Louie in St. Louis, and asked him for four mini cakes that I overnighted to the girls. They loved them and said, ‘We definitely have to make a popcorn with this flavor.’ And that’s what we did!”
At Union Studio, a plethora of local artists allow for endless varieties – and Kelley and Bussen are attheready to flesh out your notions for the ideal gift set. Almost the entire inventory is available online, and you can call or connect with the owners via Facetime for further information. A walk-up window allows you to see items inperson – just be sure to wear your face mask.
“Our mission is connecting makers to people who want to support their work,” Bussen says. “People are still making and, on the other side, wanting to connect even more. When it’s handmade work, that intention doubles.”
Connection is the reason to gift your loved ones on your big day – something many crave during this historic time. Paden says it best: “My mantra is it’s always a great day to give a great gift.”
For couples seeking that signature St. Louis style to make a DIY gift set, pick gifts and treats from your favorites, like themed prints by Kelly Sieckhaus Designs; drink blends from Big Heart Tea Co. or Kaldi’s Coffee Roasting Co.; sustainable stainless steel straws from Ted Drewes Frozen Custard; specialty sauces like barbecue from Pappy’s Smokehouse or hot sauce from 4Hands Brewing Co.’s collaboration with Mission Taco Joint; or snacks like granola from Made Fare Co., salty nibbles from Billy Goat Chip Company and Just Popped Popcorn, or sweets from Bissingers.
The Personal Gift Basket Co., Wentzville, 636-240-3049, thepersonalgiftingco.com
Union Studio, 1605 Tower Grove Ave., St. Louis, 314-771-5398, stlunionstudio.com
What to Buy: Smart Gifts For 5 Occasion
There’s nothing more impressive than a happy gift recipient. Below are five occasions and gifting options to help make your gift-giving easier, and we can help you with all five!
New Baby
Babies are such a joy and purchasing the right gift can be fairly easy because you could end up buying everything you see! Below are a few items that make great gifts for the new little bundle of joy.
- Baby time capsule
- Layettes or outfit
- Blankets with matching receiving blankets
- Books and keepsake books
- Rattle and chewable toys
- Travel/emergency kit
- Lullaby or soothing music
- Don’t forget something for mommy
New Job [Read more…] about What to Buy: Smart Gifts For 5 Occasion