Monthly Archives: November 2022

Holiday Gifting Made Easy

You’d think with so many brick and mortar and online retailer options, that finding the right holiday gift would be a cinch. 

Why is gift-giving so hard? Because it is. 

But this isn’t a blog post about why; rather we focus on how to make it an easy process. 

The holidays are the perfect opportunity to show your gratitude to your friends (including frenemies), family (including those who don’t necessarily deserve your gratitude), and clients (who are always awesome no matter what).

You want something meaningful enough to convey your message effectively yet affordable enough that it won’t break your budget. You also want to ensure your gift is available and will arrive on time. 

Let’s take a look at making holiday gifting easy with four simple steps.

Step 1. Determine Your People Gift List

Get planning now if you haven’t started already. 

Make a list of the people you want to thank with a token of your appreciation, complete with their addresses and telephone numbers. 

For business, it’s a good idea to separate the list based on client details, such as longer-term clients vs newer clients or higher value clients vs lower, you can assign different “levels” of gifts based on cost. This ensures everyone receives an appropriate gift.

Step 2.  Determine Your Budget

This step should probably go first, but it’s funnier this way. 

I should have warned you at the beginning that there’d be some math involved, but whatever. 

We’re going to stay on clients a moment, though this same approach can be applied to friends, family, strangers, what have you. Set a budget limit to assign a budget to each gift “level,” using the value of your association with each client as your guide. Remember to include the total cost, such as tax and delivery, as the longer the list, the more quickly these small numbers add up. It’s not about sending something ostentatious and expensive, but instead something thoughtful as a token of thanks.

Step 3. Select a Gift Style or Theme

You’re at an advantage if you have a sense of your gift recipient’s taste. 

This allows you to narrow down your choices by selecting a gift style or theme. For example, you could choose to give all of your friends and family members gifts that are handmade (and then give the gift of a hand massage and manicure afterward). Or, you could focus on giving eco-friendly gifts that will help reduce your carbon footprint. Whatever gift style or theme you choose, make sure to put thought into each and every present. 

It’s a nice touch. 

Step 4. Finalize Your Plans

You can see the finish line! Now it’s time to finish. 

Your gift isn’t ready without a personalized message and a delivery date. You don’t want the gift to arrive after the holidays. Forget better late than never. Get a sense of shipping and delivery schedules, as there can be lags during the holiday season. 

Just like that, your work is done. But it’s not because…

🚨SHAMELESS PLUG ALERT🚨

Today is Giving Tuesday, and we’ve got you covered. 

BasketWorks proudly supports the Northfield Food Pantry with our Gifting for Good Food Pantry Gift Basket. Twenty-five dollars from each basket sold will be donated to the pantry. A card is included in each basket notifying the recipient of this donation. And it’s a great basket, loaded with holiday goodies like Everton butter toffee pretzels, English tea cookies, peanut brittle,, ice wine chocolates, and so much more. 

Happy Holidays!

About BasketWorks

BasketWorks is a woman-owned gift basket company located in the north suburbs of Chicago (specifically Northbrook, IL) since 1997. We are proud to offer a variety of gifts and gift baskets appropriate for all occasions. Each of our packages is built to order, allowing for customization at no additional cost to our clients. Contact us today! Please subscribe to our blog post and follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn.

5 Health Benefits of Turkey

You’ll enjoy this blog post…if you’re not a turkey. 

I know what you’re thinking: Come on, everyone knows turkey is healthy. What is this, a throwaway post? 

Well, folks know that turkey is white meat and on the leaner side, but it kind of ends there. Oh, but there are many more ways this bird does the body good. 

Today, we carve out (see what I did there?) the answers. 

1) A Healthy Source of Protein

Turkey is often touted as a healthy source of lean protein, and for good reason.

A single turkey breast can contain as much as 20 grams of protein, more than half of the recommended daily intake for most adults! We love protein because it’s essential for muscle growth and repair. 

Now, I won’t claim that you can’t go wrong with a juicy slice of turkey, because you can if you’re not careful about portion sizes. While protein is crucial nutritional content, you don’t want to load up on unnecessary calories. 

2) It’s Stuffed with B Vitamins

Who knew that turkeys are flying multivitamin packs?

Turkey is an excellent source of several different B vitamins, including thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and vitamin B6. These vitamins are essential for metabolism, energy production, and nervous system function. 

So when you’re enjoying that delicious turkey dinner, remember that you’re also getting a healthy dose of nutrients that will help keep your body running like a well-oiled machine or something. 

3) Reliable Source of Minerals 

As any self-respecting Thanksgiving host knows, the turkey is not only the centerpiece of the meal, but also a veritable goldmine of minerals. 

Turkey is rife with selenium, zinc, phosphorus and iron, which can support thyroid function, immunity, bone health and energy production.

4) Turkey is Low in Fat

As a lean protein, turkey is low in saturated fat and cholesterol, and one can argue that it’s a healthier option than other types of meat. In fact, turkey actually gives salmon a run for its money when it comes to omega 3 fatty acids.

Keep in mind, how you cook turkey–sauteed with olive oil rather than bacon fat–impacts saturated fat levels. 

5) Known to be Heart Healthy 

Turkey is often hailed as a healthy alternative to red meat. 

But what about turkey’s effect on the heart? Turkey can be quite beneficial for heart health. The amino acid L-carnitine, which is found in turkey, has been shown to improve blood flow and decrease inflammation. 

Turkey also contains CoQ10, an important nutrient that helps protect the heart from damage. In addition, the selenium in turkey can help to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

🚨SHAMELESS PLUG ALERT🚨

You know what goes nicely with turkey? Our Ultimate Autumn Gift Basket, replete with Everton butter toffee pretzels, cheese straws, mulling spices, ginger cookies, mixed nuts, and so much more. 

After reaping the health benefits of turkey, you can reward yourself with treats!

About BasketWorks

BasketWorks is a woman-owned gift basket company located in the north suburbs of Chicago (specifically Northbrook, IL) since 1997. We are proud to offer a variety of gifts and gift baskets appropriate for all occasions. Each of our packages is built to order, allowing for customization at no additional cost to our clients. Contact us today! Please subscribe to our blog post and follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn.

How to Keep the Peace at Thanksgiving Dinner

You know what they say, “You can choose your friends, but not your family.” 

That expression could not be more illuminated than during the Thanksgiving holiday, specifically at dinner. We’re supposed to peacefully break bread, yet so many tables turn into sparring rings over old family stuff, new family stuff, or just stuff in general. All this stuff gets all the attention rather than the actual stuffing

It’s hard to bite your tongue when Crazy Uncle Fill-In-The-Blank starts mouthing off about, well, fill-in-the-blank. Keeping the peace is attainable, but it takes some skill and a lot of patience. 

So, I encourage you to read on. 

Prepare Yourself Mentally

If you worry about a particular person who tends to make things feel less than peaceful, prepare yourself mentally for their arrival. 

If entertaining with a partner, agree on a signal (something subtle that doesn’t require a life ring as a prop) that tells them you need relief from a stressful situation. You can also tell yourself it’s just for a few hours and try to let negative comments trickle away like water down a duck’s back. Don’t forget about your guests. 

Allowing them to prepare for encounters with their less than favorite people can help keep everyone calm. If you know of possible conflict, give a head’s up to those who might stand to suffer the most so they can also prepare themselves for the day.

Set the Right Tone

Create a warm and welcoming environment where the focus is on family and gratitude. 

Or do your best. 

For example, have everyone write out what they are thankful for on a card and drop it into a basket. If things get heated, you can pull cards and share everyone’s contributions. Of course that might encourage the Thanksgiving disruptor to compose some unfriendly thoughts, but what can you do?

You can also have a potluck, so everyone brings their best dish to create a feeling of inclusiveness. 

Reduce risk for conflicts by creating “decorative” place settings that strategically keep people who tend to fight as far apart as possible.

Have Subject Changers Ready

Thanksgiving occurs after the Midterm Elections, so it’s okay to ignore the 800 pound Turkey in the room. 

Have some neutral discussion points ready so you can quickly try to change the subject. If arguments break out, try to insinuate yourself into the discussion by asking a question or bringing up something a little less controversial.

Keep Your Sense of Humor

Although it can be difficult to keep smiling when everyone is at each other’s throats, humor can go a long way to cool the mood. Be sure to read the room and think of something funny to say that might help everyone relax and shift to a more positive state of mind. 

Pay attention to conversations and interject your own comments before things have a chance to heat up.

WIsh I can tell you to say, but it’s your family, and I’m not touching that one. 

Set Off-Limit Conversation Rules

Most families have known hot-button topics sure to lead to escalated arguments. It’s your house, so your rules apply. Let everyone know in a fun way certain topics are off limits. Anyone that breaks the rule has to do the dishes—alone.

Keep an Eye on the Bar

Responsible hosts keep an eye on the bar to make sure no one has one drink too many. If hosting makes it too difficult to do so, assign a bartender. 

Alcohol fans the flames of emotion, which can turn an innocent comment into World War III. You might even consider limiting how much booze you serve. Only have a certain number of bottles of wine set aside for dinner and a fun-themed cocktail like pumpkin spice or apple pie martini as an aperitif.

As the host, you can create a neutral environment where everyone feels welcomed, included and safe. Whether it’s your crass uncle, inappropriate aunt, or political cousin, you can help avoid conflict and survive another family Thanksgiving dinner by keeping the peace.

🚨SHAMELESS PLUG ALERT🚨

One way to put a Thanksgiving peace-offender in a positive mood is by surprising them with our Autumn Harvest Gift Basket, built in a copper-toned tin and replete with chocolate covered cranberries, crunchy snack mix, Anna’s cookies, mulling source, and more!  

About BasketWorks

BasketWorks is a woman-owned gift basket company located in the north suburbs of Chicago (specifically Northbrook, IL) since 1997. We are proud to offer a variety of gifts and gift baskets appropriate for all occasions. Each of our packages is built to order, allowing for customization at no additional cost to our clients. Contact us today! Please subscribe to our blog post and follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn.