Did you know that Mother's Day was officially recognized as a nationwide holiday in the United States 58 years before Father's Day? The first state to recognize this special day for dad's was the state of Washington with President Richard Nixon not proclaiming an official celebration until 1972. That really doesn't sound like that long ago, but our amazing father's are officially recognized now on a day of their very own.

Mother's Day was formally approved as a resolution in 1914 by President Woodrow Wilson, making the second Sunday in May a joyful celebration of mother's and mother-like figures. Father's Day didn't seem to pick up much steam however as men felt it emasculated them, that men did not want to
be showered with flowers and feminine gifts like the mother's did. In 1924, President Coolidge worked hard
to urge state governments to observe Father's Day, however it fell to the wayside as a commercial gimmick where dad would end up paying for his gifts himself since he was the breadwinner.

In the 1930's, many tried to combine both Mother's Day and Father's Day into one holiday, to celebrate
both parents with Parent's Day. Due to the unfortunate Depression that hit, this movement was halted and retailers choose to move forward with reclassifying the types of gifts dads would now receive. No longer would flowers and homemade gifts be the standard, but instead goods that men actually liked such as ties, cigars, golf clubs, etc. By the end of World War II, Father's Day was a national institution, although it wasn't a federal holiday.

It wasn't until 1972 that President Nixon declared Father's Day a national holiday, and since then each year father's are showered with gifts like sporting goods, Father's Day Beer Basket, and socks. Long live this tradition of celebrating dad's across this great country for all they sacrifice for their kids each and every day.

No matter if it's the end of the year and you are working on sending all of your clients holiday gifts, or if it's the middle of summer and you would like to remind your employees or clients that they are appreciated, The Gift Basket Pros can help ease the task of corporate gifting. It might sound like a tedious project, but sending business and corporate gifts is actually quite simple! Just contact our friendly Corporate Gift Specialist team and they will walk you through the process step by step.

Once you decide that you will be sending out gifts, let your dedicated account representative put together a list of gift options based on your budget
and theme, which you can email within your office so everyone can vote for their favorite. Once the gift has been decided on, you would simply compile your recipient address data onto our easy to use Excel Order Form, which would be emailed back to your dedicated account rep, and your work is done! We take over from there, importing your data and sending you an order confirmation to review to ensure everything is accurate. A Corporate Gift Specialist will always answer any questions you might have and will work to ensure the process quite easy and effortless.

And when it comes to savings on your large corporate order, we can certainly help! The Gift Basket Pros are always going to work to save you the very most on your order, whether it be with a corporate discount or with free shipping, not to mention shipping discounts for gifts that ship to the same location! We are here to not only provide quality gift selections with many Corporate Basket options, but to save you as much money as possible! And with that, your management staff will look to you as the smartest person in the company!

Nine long months have passed and mom and dad have just brought home their new bundle of joy, a precious baby boy or baby girl! No matter if you know the new parents through work or they are close friends that live down the street, you want to be sure to send a gift of congratulations to share in the excitement. From personalized baby blankets to adorable diaper cakes, The Gift Basket Pros have the best selection of gifts available for honoring this momentous occasion.

If you happen to know the baby's name, then you must shop our Personalized Baby Gift Baskets, that offer a delightful collection of personalized plush blankets, baby bibs, hats and even tote bags, that will make special keepsakes as the little one starts his or her journey through the world. Mom and dad will be sure to take extra special care of anything that carries the baby's name so they can pass down to them later in life.

For a truly unique and special gift, a Radio Flyer Baby Gift always aims to please! These mini Radio Flyer wagons are constantly a huge hit with the new parents that stand out from the normal gift basket. Each wagon is carefully put together with tender love and care and holds a wide assortment of necessities for the new baby. From the huggable teddy bear to the teether links, there is an array of items that will prove to be quit useful!

And for a distinctive and visually stunning gift, a beautiful Diaper Cake will deliver many smiles. Each and every diaper cake is made at the time of order by hand and adorned with bath necessities or plush stuffed animals for baby to enjoy. Diaper Cakes are ideal not for just when the new family arrives home, but also as centerpieces for baby showers.

With so many baby gifts to choose from you might ask yourself which one will make the perfect gift. Truth is, they will all make beautiful gifts and the new parents will be thrilled with whatever you decide to send them. After all, the real gift here is the cherished newborn that has just arrived.

As a business professional, you meet with new clients to see if there is a possibility of working together in the future. You have your presentation nailed down perfectly and work to make a true connection. The meeting goes great, everyone shakes hands and heads back to their respective companies to digest if what you presented was enough to close the deal. This is where sending a Thank You gift as a sign of respect and gratitude comes in and could possibly be the deciding factor between the two companies working together or not.

So what makes the ideal appreciation gift? I believe it is one that speaks to the recipient's personality. If you know your potential client is a wine enthusiast, then it makes sense to send one of our charming Wine Gift Baskets with indulgent red or white wine nestled beside a variety of gourmet treats. For example, the With Gratitude Wine Basket includes a Cliffside Chardonnay Wine from the California vineyards along with an assortment of chocolates, savory crackers and tempting cookies. And the basket itself even adorns a "Thanks" tag that will truly show your appreciation.

If you know your future client has a bit of sweet tooth, then a gift full of rich delicious brownies and cookies will speak volumes. The Mrs. Fields Corporate Thank You Basket holds three dozen fresh baked mini cookies in an assortment of wonderful flavors. Also included are four hand-frosted butter cookies along with a custom "Thank You" ribbon that is carefully placed around the gift for an added touch. Sending appreciation has never been so sweet!

The possibilities are endless when it comes to showing appreciation to a potential client for sharing their time with you. Schedules are hectic these days and for someone to take the time to listen to your proposition, then you should show them that their time is valuable and very much appreciated. The Gift Basket Pros are always here to help you select the ideal gift for your next potential client, so that you can close the deal and move to the next acquisition.

Dad is a one of a kind special fella. He's always there to pick us up when we fall and he's always going to be honest, even when we don't want to hear it. From the time we are little all the way to when we have kids of our own, dad is going to be that person that we will always look up to and strive to be just like him. He is a truly unique role model and on Father's Day, he should be treated as such!

With Father's Day just around the corner, The Gift Basket Pros has a number of gift ideas that we would like to suggest as possible ways to show your love to dear old dad. From nuts to beer to cookies to golf, we have some outstanding Father's Day Gift Baskets selections that will put a big smile on dad's face. Speaking of nuts, the Nut and Chocolate Gift Box is sure to be a big hit for the man on your Father's Day list. This handsome box contains a whole host of nuts that he is sure to fall in love with. We have included butter toffee pecans, smokehouse almonds, roasted salted pistachios, mixed nuts and chocolate-covered almonds and cashews. A must have gift for the nut lover!

For the beer loving dad that loves to pop the top off a cold one by the grill, we have the Father's Day Beer Basket. The name says it all, with five boutique beers such as Anchor Steam, Fat Tire and India Pale, we have also included smoked almonds, crunchy chips and salsa. This the the ultimate snack and beer treat for the dad that has everything. When you just don't know what to treat him with, a delicious assortment of beer and snacks is the only way to go.

And then we have the dad that loves his sweets. From chocolate to cookies, you just can't go wrong with a Mrs. Fields Father's Day Cookie Gift Box. You can send that wonderful dad of yours a "Happy Father's Day" themed tin that holds either 60 or 96 of Mrs. Fields very best freshly baked assorted mini cookies. Dad's sweet tooth will be satisfied and you will have earned major brownie points for giving him exactly what he wanted. And once all of the goodies are gone, he can utilize the keepsake tin for special mementos later on.

So now that you have a handful of great gift suggestions for sending to that wonderful father of yours, the hard part will be just picking the one you believe he will enjoy the most. But we all know, dad will love anything you send him because it came from you. Fathers are the very best and they should be told that everyday!

Schools across the nation are winding down for the start of summer, and that means Memorial Day is just around the corner. You can celebrate the long standing and time-honored tradition of Memorial Day with friends and family as you reflect on the special meaning of this day, and the sacrifices of those brave men and women that paid the ultimate price for our freedom. Although we hang our American flags high in honor of our fallen military, we also fire up the grill, dust off the swim shorts, and invite lots of friends over for the ultimate cookout.

In my humble opinion, Memorial Day cookouts should be kept traditional in nature, with lots of red, white and blue decorations, burgers and hot dogs on the grill and simple drinks that are perfect for celebrating the occasion. For the invitations, you should stick with patriotic themes, perhaps with the American flag or simple stars and stripes and have fun with the wording. You can suggest wearing red, white and blue and bringing their favorite side dish or dessert. Guests can reply to online invitations stating what they will be bringing so you can keep a list.

For the drinks, you can make the adults a Red, White and Blue Sangria, and for the kids a Layered Patriotic Punch and use colorful straws for an added touch of fun. For the grill, you need to have lots of juicy burgers, chicken kabobs, corn on the cob and even some grilled pineapple! You can even set out a burger bar so the guests can pick and choose what they would like on their burger. And to wrap up this delicious meal, a patriotic berry trifle, frozen lemonade pie or or simple red, white and blue fruit cups will make excellent dessert options.

As a way to show your appreciation to your host, you can always take along our Patriotic Summer Gift Basket that is filled with all of the necessities for an incredible dessert offering. Included are three different flavored ice cream toppings, chocolate sprinkles, sugar cones and even a couple of American flags! This is the ultimate way to show your American pride and thanks at the same time for throwing such an incredible Memorial Day party!

School is coming to an end, the days are longer, the weather is warmer and all we can think about is spending long and lazy weekends by the pool with our closest friends! With the aroma of fresh cut grass and neighbors carefully unloading their new grills, our thoughts immediately turn to when can we have the gang over for an afternoon of fun. You of course load the grill with huge burgers, juicy chicken, T-bone steaks and an assortment of vegetables, but what to serve to drink? My advice, keep it simple.

For all of the men who rule the grill at their house, there is probably nothing more necessary than a spatula in one hand a cold beer in the other. Sure, you can indulge in the summer favorites like Corona, Samuel Adams Summer Ale and good old Bud Light with Lime, but how about something a bit more refreshing like a Mike's Hard Lemonade. The flavors are delicious and crisp are would make an excellent addition to the summer barbecue cooler.

For a truly refreshing summertime drink, you can't go wrong with a white or rose wine. However it is crucial to ensure your wine is properly chilled for at least 30 minutes prior to serving. A light sweet Moscato or a fruity and vibrant California Chardonnay would fit the occasion perfectly as both are light-bodied and slightly sweet, and that makes for a perfect afternoon on an inflatable raft!

And lastly, a refreshing cold picture of Sangria made with red, white or pink wine and a whole host of fresh fruits will make any backyard barbecue one to remember. Crisp white wines such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc make the ideal companions to sliced strawberries, oranges, blueberries or peaches. You could even treat your barbecue host to a Chardonnay Gourmet Gift Basket as a way to show your appreciation for their invitation, plus you would be prepared with additional snacks!

The grilling season is upon us, it's up to you now on how to celebrate and what to serve, but hopefully the suggestions above will give you an idea as to how to get started. Enjoy all that summer offers with an invigorating drink as you grill till your heart is content!

Memorial Day, the meaning has changed over the years as times have modernized, but the true reflection of this day lies with those men and women that laid their lives down for the ultimate price, freedom for our country. Although this long three day weekend generally symbolizes the start of summer with backyard pool parties, baseball games and beach outings, we must remember that the true meaning of this day stems back to 1971 when congress passed resolution to celebrate May 30 as the first official Memorial Day. Prior to that and dating back to the Civil War, a holiday was created to observe the fallen on May 30, then known as Decoration Day. Friends and family would decorate the graves of those brave soldiers with flowers as a yearly memorial of their sacrifice.

Just after the Civil War, divide occurred when the north and south didn't exactly see eye to eye in regards to honoring each other's soldiers, however after World War I, our great nation came together. We bonded in the same cause in that a soldier is a soldier, no matter what part of the country they originated from. And today we honor and remember all fallen soldiers in all forms of battle that defined what it means to be an American. We celebrate on the last Monday of May with festive parades and celebrations and hang our American flags high as a tribute to all of the brave men and women that gave their lives for our freedom.

For those that do celebrate with barbecues and family pool parties, not only can you show your respect and admiration for the fallen military, but you can have some fun while doing it. The Mrs. Fields American Cookie Gift Box will make the perfect patriotic gift basket to take to your host as a small way of showing your appreciation for inviting you to such a longstanding celebration of freedom. Or the Patriotic Summer Gift Basket full of ice cream toppings for watching fireworks late into the evening. No matter your preference, a gift of American pride to share with all of your friends and family will just enhance the patriotism we feel in our hearts as we observe Memorial Day.

From elementary school to graduate school, the time honored tradition of graduating is one we hold near and dear to our hearts. From an early age, as soon as spring hits and warmer weather is upon us, the idea of long lazy summers and no more school is all we can think about. No more studying for hard tests, no more late nights at the library researching topics for lengthy papers, no more class projects that you end up having to work on at home, it's all done! And each spring, especially for those milestone graduations, we celebrate all of the hard work that the special student has accomplished to make it to the next level. Now we ask, how exactly should I congratulate them? The Gift Basket Pros can help.

The most common gift idea is to give cash. Once the young high school student now blossoming in the workforce, they will need money for gas, a new wardrobe for a more professional job and even textbook money for when they enter college. The possibilities for a cash gift makes up a long list, but perhaps your ideal graduation gift is a bit more personal.

Another popular gift idea would be a computer or laptop that the new college student can take with them as they venture into the world of higher education. Albeit expensive, a laptop would provide years of use as long as they don't drop it while taking a power bar out of their backpack in between classes.

A third idea would be luggage! Either a nice overnight bag or a set of luggage as the young adult enters the world, in whatever direction it takes them. Having something for spring break trips or for moving into their new apartment sure would be nicer than tossing everything into a moving box. A nice piece of luggage could be something they take with them throughout their lives.

However for those that aren't into spending a small fortune on a computer or expensive set of luggage, a simple Graduation Gift Basket just might be what they would truly appreciate! For example, with the Graduation Snack Gift Box, a plush bear doting a graduation cap and gown next to a host of tasty snacks like sugar cookies, jelly belly candies and chocolate caramel popcorn, could be the perfect gift for late nights with friends or weekend getaway trips during the summer. Or how about a Mrs. Fields Congratulations Cookie where he or she can snack the next few weeks away as they can finally relax and get some much needed rest.

The ideal graduation gift is out there for that special grad to help celebrate and commemorate this special occasion, just deciding on what to do for them is the fun part. If you ever need any help, The Gift Basket Pros will always be here to lend a hand.

The new baby has finally arrived, what a happy day! Gifts of diapers, receiving blankets, stuffed animals and precious keepsakes are sent to the new baby as a celebration. Many of these adorable items will remain keepsakes for the new baby boy or baby girl for years to come. But what about mom? Although her gift may be this new treasured bundle of joy she will now carefully raise for the next eighteen years, most don't think to send something specifically for mom to enjoy that is simply hers. And what does mom need now? Relaxation!

She has carried this little tyke for the past nine months and her body is in desperate need of tender loving care, and what better way to do that then with a luxurious Spa Gift Basket! She can spend an afternoon soaking in a warm beautifully scented bath while dad and nanna take care of baby. With scents like lavender, vanilla and coconut, mango and mandarin, pear and coconut, and so many more, she is guaranteed to be relaxed and rested so she can give 110% to the bouncing baby.

Each gift comes exceptionally presented with a whole pampering collection of generous bath and body products so she can instantly be whisked away to a happy place, at least for a while! For example, the Relaxation Spa Basket not only contains heavenly scented Vanilla and Coconut shower gel, bubble bath, body scrub, body lotion and more, but also an indulgent bath sponge and ultra plush waffle slippers, perfect for slipping into after bath time.

The Lemon Verbena Spa Basket holds an impressive collection of pampering bath and body goodies like body lotion, soap, lip balm, hand soap and even lemon tea cookies and citrus tea for enjoying during her alone time. This beautiful gift not only provides mom some personal time, but she will return feeling more like herself. Her batteries will be recharged and she will be able to dive into all of the necessary duties that a mother performs for her child.