Christmas Gifts, Bouquets and Gift Baskets

My daughter has be to the most pampered little four year old in the world. The reason being, she is a girl. That’s not a reason for anyone to go nuts over a child but in my family, being a girl is a really unique thing. There are more boys in my family than in thee are in the army. I have no aunts, just uncles and they all have sons. Two or three each. The women in my family come from marriage. Except for me and my daughter. I was the only girl in my generation and history is undoubtedly repeating itself with my daughter. She has ten little boy cousins and no one to play dolls with. So anything and everything that my little girl wants, her Uncles get it for her. They don’t even ask if I approve of the gift or not, which is why she has three easy bake ovens. She got the first when she was ten months old.

This year as she continued to expand her vocabulary and learn new things about the world she realized we didn’t have a proper chimney. How would Santa come deliver the Christmas gifts if there wasn’t a chimney? We live in a modern style home, with electric heating; we don’t really need a chimney. But of course, since she wanted it, her uncles would get it for her. So while I planned my Christmas shopping and organized my gifts for Christmas, my cousins began building an outdoor chimney beside my house. My daughter would sit outside and watch her uncles build. She told them it had to be made of red brick and the cement had to be white.

I tried to talk them out of it but they were convinced this was the ultimate in unique Christmas gifts for a child. I have learned never to argue with a self proclaimed contractor. When the chimney was finally ready my daughter announced that Santa had cavities. Since he had to go to houses all over the world in one night, he didn’t time to brush his teeth after eating the milk and cookies. I tried suggesting we leave a granola bar and soda but no, Santa would catch a cold. On top of all my Christmas shopping, I now had to find a healthy gift for Santa aka my fat cousin who would play the part on Christmas Eve.

I suggested more health food, but my daughter wouldn’t let Santa eat something that she didn’t like. She personally taste tested everything. We couldn’t agree on anything until one day she walked in on my online Christmas shopping and saw me looking for some nice Christmas gift baskets. She declared that fruit for Christmas would be perfect for Santa and also added she needed to taste it herself to make sure. I searched around and found some nice fruit baskets for Christmas with the fruit arranged like a floral bouquet. I ordered one for Santa, my daughter and then ten more for people at work. It looked wonderful and would easily pass as a very heartfelt Christmas gift. It was a real break for my long Christmas shopping list.

Gift Ideas

Gift giving is always a gesture of celebration and love. Gifts can be given in many forms but nowadays the best gifts to give are the gift baskets. They can be arranged for almost all the occasions either it’s a valentine, birthday, chocolate day, friendship day, mother’s/father’s day . Some of the top baskets which are popular as gifts are baby baskets, chocolate baskets, fruit baskets, cookie baskets, and flower baskets.

Baby baskets are the most excellent gift for babies and for mommies as well. The best thing about gift baskets is that these baskets can also be personalized. Firstly select a theme for the baskets by showing some creative skills. For example if it is a baby boy then usually baby blue color is adopted as theme and if it’s a baby girl then pink can be used to give it girlish look. These colors can be switched with green and yellow respectively to make a change. After coloring you can choose the things to be added according to an activity, e.g. if it is a bath time basket then it can be filled with bath soaps, towels, lotions and bathrobes. Else if it’s a sleep time basket then it can be filled with blankets, bed sheets, teddy bears and calming lotions and soaps. Similarly different ideas can be selected to make wonderful baby baskets.

Flower baskets can also be a best option for a gift. Flowers can symbolize all emotions and they are a perfect gift for any occasion. Everybody loves floral decorations either in baskets or in bouquets. Different colors of flowers twisted together can make a beautiful gift basket. These baskets can also be made at home by plucking fresh flowers from the garden and arrange them in a basket. Some add-on like balloons can also be complimented with the fresh flowers.

Another such gift baskets which is frequently exchanged as gift is a chocolate basket. The best part of a chocolate basket is, that you don’t have to bother about the recipient gender, either male or female both are going to love the chocolate baskets. These baskets can also be personalized by adding some chocolates in a basket and wrapping it with a beautiful ribbon. When choosing the chocolate alternatives you have to focus on the taste of the person for whom you are making it. More so, the chocolate baskets could conveniently suit your budget.

Fruit basket can also be a fabulous gift to give. They can suit any age group and any gender. All will love to receive a fruit basket. They are nutritious if filled with fresh and seasonal fruits. No gift basket can be as healthy as a fruit basket can be.
Candy baskets are a dream gifts for the ones who love sweets and they will certainly start loving you too after your gift. A candy basket can be filled with candies, cookies, cakes and some mouth chocolate, anything that can satisfy their sweet tooth.

Tariq Farid Entrepreneur of the Year Award Winner 2008

Tariq Farid is an American entrepreneur and self made business man and the president and CEO of Edible Arrangements International, which specializes in creating exquisite, hand-sculpted, fresh fruit "bouquets”, composed of strawberries, pineapple, grapes, oranges, cantaloupe and honeydew. He is responsible for setting the company's strategic direction and for the licensing of new franchises across the U.S. and internationally. And finally Edible Arrangements President and CEO Tariq Farid will be honored by the International Franchise Association as its Entrepreneur of the Year during its 49th annual convention being held in San Diego at Feb. 16.

1: Early Life
Mr. Farid's entrepreneurial experience began in the late 1980s, when with a $5,000 cash advance from his parents; he purchased a local flower shop at age 17. Within two years, Mr. Farid was operating four highly successful stores. As a teenager, Mr. Farid worked in a local McDonald's for several years and learned the power of business systemization.

2: EDIBLE ARRANGEMENTS
Mr. Farid launched the first Edible Arrangements store in 1999 in East Haven, Conn., inspired by the convergence of three trends: Americans' growing consumption of fresh fruit, the robust growth in the specialty food market and the increasing dollars Americans were spending on gifts. A self-taught computer whiz, Mr. Farid designed all the systems that would be rolled out to franchisees, including their computer systems, training manuals, production and profitability tracking, supply chain management, etc. He has two U.S. patents pending for proprietary fruit-cutting machines and one patent for a fruit skewer that he designed.

3: ACHIEVEMENTS
The first Edible Arrangements franchise opened in 2001; the current total is now over 850 stores. Growth continues unabated, with an average of 25 franchise signings a month. Mr. Tariq Farid's involvement with franchisees has been very hands on, including laying floors and helping with the painting of stores. He still spends about two hours daily in the corporate store in Hamden, Conn., to stay in regular contact with customers, the day-to-day realities of running a retail store and the marketplace's changing demands.

3.1: Uniqueness
Mr. Farid projected a unique idea of displaying fruits arrangements in a beautiful manner. Edible Arrangements stores specialize in designing fresh fruit bouquets overflowing with juicy strawberries, pineapple, grapes, oranges, and cantaloupe and honeydew hand sculpted to look like flowers. Arrangements are guaranteed fresh and are available in a variety of styles and sizes. They are perfect for any occasion from happy birthday, thank you, congratulations and sympathy to business events, client gifts and employee appreciation.

3.2: Developments
Mr. Farid continues to expand all over the world like United State, Canada, United kingdom, Puerto Rico and United Arab Emirates etc.


3.2.1: Growth in United States
Mr. Farid launched in Connecticut in 1999 and has been blossoming ever since. Stores continue to expand throughout the United States opening about five stores a week. The demand for creative gift-giving and unique bouquets for special occasions has led to store presence in 45 states and the District of Columbia.

3.2.2 Growth in Canada
Canada continues to see the growth of Edible Arrangements in three provinces; Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia. That number is continuing to grow especially as the Edible Arrangements French website was launched in late 2006, allowing Edible Arrangements to accommodate many French-Canadian customers.

3.2.3 Growth in United Kingdom
With the entire country’s focus on the importance of fitness and healthy eating Edible Arrangements couldn’t have entered the United Kingdom at a better time. In early 2006 Edible Arrangements went overseas to Nottingham, UK and two more stores signed on in 2006 in Manchester, UK and Birmingham, West Midlands. With the gift-giving trend on the rise and the emphasis on a healthy lifestyle, Edible Arrangements stores will continue to expand, and continue to make customers smile.

3.2.4 Growth in United Arab Emirates
The steady growth of the U.A.E. has been identified by its ambitious real estate projects, world class sporting events, and a lucrative tourism industry. With fresh ideas and products, Edible Arrangements is a perfect complement to the growth and prosperity seen in this part of the world, and the ideal way to cool down the desert heat. The first Edible Arrangements locations opened in Dubai in December of 2007.

3.2.5 Growth in Puerto Rico
In a culture that values the importance of family and great food the Edible Arrangements concept has been accepted with open arms in Puerto Rico. After the San Juan, Puerto Rico location opened their doors in 2005, residents of the island have been spotting the fruit arrangements everywhere; from local festivals and family gatherings to holiday tables and quinceaneras. With the launch of the Spanish website, a second store open in Caguas and a third coming soon to Bayamon, Edible Arrangements is taking off.

4: NEWBRAND
In 2006 Mr. Farid launched Frutation®, a new concept that will take fresh fruit products to the next level. Frutation® is an all natural fruit station with a product collection that targets consumer who wants a fresh and delicious treat on the go. The menu includes a variety of items such as Fruithy™ (all natural fresh fruit smoothies), fresh juices, fruit salads, spiced fruit salads, fruit sundaes and dipped fruit. The concept provides a unique and healthy option and is built upon the reputation of Edible Arrangements which is known for product quality, novelty and excellent service.