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Entertaining

Entertaining, Gift Baskets

Summer Symphony: Cheeseboards

July 11, 2018
the taste of Italian Gargonzola

Fresh Fruit & Cheese Gourmet Gift Box

For a sensational appetizer that appeals to guests with many different palettes, some with restricted diets consider serving a Summer Symphony of flavors and textures: Cheeseboards! Cheddar, Goat, Bleu, Feta, Parmigiano and Farmstead pair superbly with fresh fruit, jam and nuts.

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Birthday Gift, chocolate covered strawberries, cupcakes, Entertaining, Gift Baskets, Party!

Turning One! Adorable First Birthday Party Themes

March 15, 2017

It seems like just yesterday when you welcomed your baby to the world. Soon your baby turns one! The year was a whirlwind of firsts…. 1st smiles, giggles, baby talk and steps. Celebrate this joyful year and first birthday with the special people in your baby’s life —  grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.

Is this your first time planning a first birthday? Hang on to your party hat and let us help you with the cutest themes, keepsake baby gifts and birthday treats!

Most likely you are a very busy parent at this stage, so plan several weeks in advance. Our friends at Celebrations.com have created three first birthday party themes to get you started.

Our Angel is Turning One Party is heavenly with mini angel food cakes, angel food snack cups and a milk and juice bar with angel carafes.

juice and milk angel carafes for a first birthday party

Juice and Milk Angel Carafes

What about a Rainbow Party with bright splashes of color? The fun continues with a crayon craft and brightly colored candy buckets for younger guests.

For a summer birthday check out all the dots! It’s a Polkadot Ladybug theme. From ladybug props to polkadot puppets everyone will enjoy this sun-filled party.

A first birthday is a magical day for the whole family.  Record the big day with lots of photos and a Birthday Scrapbook . Save for when your child turns sixteen. They’ll cherish this keepsake forever.

A handprint kit is an adorable gift for a first birthday. Our Tower of Time® 5 Year Baby Handprint Kit includes five multicolored tins for preserving baby’s handprints from years 1 to 5.  This gift is beautifully tied with a yellow grosgrain ribbon.

Need sweet treats for your big and little party guests? Our most popular bakery and sweet treats: Cheryl’s Wish Big! Birthday Gift Pail, Bake Me a Wish! Vanilla Bean Birthday Cake, Fannie May It’s A Party Strawberries 12 ct.

For more best selling cakes and cookies visit our Birthday Collection.

Too cute! Delicious frosted cookies for a first birthday.

Cheryl’s Wish Big Birthday Pail

Birthday Gift, chocolate covered strawberries, cupcakes, Entertaining, Gift Baskets, Party!

Spectacular Party Menu For Milestone Birthdays

March 9, 2017

Milestone birthdays — 20, 30, 40… are a new exciting chapter and a good reason to throw a spectacular birthday bash. A dinner party featuring three courses with lots of delicious food and desserts is the best way to celebrate.

How many guests should you invite? The more the merrier! Send invitations to new friends, old friends, family and neighbors. Plan an amazing menu for the big day.

Start with a few of your secret, signature recipes that everyone looks forward to. You don’t want to skip these! But what if you don’t want to cook everything? You may prefer focusing on the guest list, invitations and decorating. With so many details and decorations to think about we’ve made the cooking part easy. Here is a complete party menu for milestone birthdays you and your guests will love  —  appetizers, entrees, desserts plus the grand finale, birthday cake and jumbo cupcakes!  Everything you need is easy to order in advance. Let 1800Baskets.com deliver the party to you!

artisan cheeses from Vermont paired with Just Jan's spreads for milestone birthdays

Plymouth Cheese & Just Jan’s Spreads Gourmet Gift

Cheese Board & Appetizers: Bring flavor and fun with these tempting appetizers! Plymouth Cheese & Just Jan’s Spreads Gourmet Gift, Jack Daniel’s Whiskey Praline Pecans, Candy Bar Pretzels, Popcorn Factory Big Birthday Deluxe Snack Tin.

Entree: Your guests will rave over the hit of the party; premium, mouth-watering, simply delicious London Broil, burgers and smoked salmon. USDA Choice London Broil – Stockyards®USDA Prime & Choice Steakburgers – Stockyards® and Wild Alaskan Smoked Sockeye Salmon.

Dessert: Customers love these three. We can’t keep enough in stock! Fannie May Happy Birthday Strawberries, Juniors Happy Birthday Devils Food Cheesecake, Little Whisk Happy Birthday Jumbo Filled Cupcakes

Keep it spectacular! For the perfect birthday dinner party serve lots of great food well into the evening. Display on beautiful platters and bowls. Garnish cake slices with mile high ice cream scoops — after all it’s a mile stone birthday!

Perfect for when you can't decide between chocolate cake and cheesecake for milestone birthdays.

Junior’s Happy Birthday Devil’s Food Cheesecake

Visit our birthday collection It’s packed with menu and gift ideas ideas like the Happy Birthday Caramel Apple.

Sweet treats for Milestone Birthdays

A Spectacular Birthday!

 

Entertaining, Gift Baskets, Valentine's Day

Cupid’s Super Cute Gifts, DIY Hearts

January 30, 2017

Countdown to Valentine’s Day! Send your sweetheart a romantic basket brimming with treats or super cute gifts from 1800Baskets.com. Your valentine will swoon over heavenly chocolates, plump fruit baskets, Valentine theme gifts….and that’s just the beginning.

Whether your sweetheart is a connoisseur of chocolates or crazy for salty snacks you are sure to find the perfect gift basket in our Valentine’s Collection.

 

Valentines gift basket brimming with chocolates and super cute gifts

True Love Valentine Gift Basket

 

Don’t forget to order some chocolate treats to have on hand for Valentine’s Day guests. Have you tried Cupid’s Choice Chocolate Dipped Strawberries? Our strawberries are dipped in delicious 100% Real Dark Chocolate then drizzled or decorated to perfection. Real Love Deserves Real Chocolate™!

 

chocolate dipped strawberries make a super cute gift.

Cupid’s Choice Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

Love to decorate with hearts for Valentine’s Day? Create a sweet country heart shaped wreath to dress up your front door for the holiday. Here are the easy directions: create a burlap heart wreath with bow. You may even have time to transform your dining table with these cute mini heart topiaries from our friends at Celebrations.com.  Enjoy all your Valentines Day planning, shopping and decorating. Happy Valentines Day from 1800Baskets.com!

 

How to make a burlap heart wreath

Entertaining, Gift Baskets, Philanthropy

Fall Wine Tasting! Spotlight on Wine

October 21, 2016

Avenues to Independence and Presenting Sponsor Wintrust invite you to the Spotlight on Wine, October 27 from 6-9 pm in the Wintrust Grand Banking Hall; 231 S. LaSalle St, Chicago IL. Enjoy an international buffet from Hel’s Kitchen and a guided tasting of six unique wines. Try your luck with great raffle prizes and a special live auction. Your support will benefit Avenues to Independence, a non-profit organization that provides opportunities for individuals with developmental disabilities. Tickets are $105 per person. (The charitable donation portion of the ticket price is $55) Valet parking is available. Find out more about Spotlight on Wine and Avenues to Independence here: http://avenuestoindependence.org/spotlight_on_wine/

1800Baskets.com is proud to support Spotlight on Wine at the event on October 27. Best wishes to our friends at Avenues to Independence for a very successful party and wine tasting. See you there!

spotlight on wine

 

Entertaining, For the Love of Coffee, Gift Baskets, Holidays

Recipe: Pumpkin Cream Pie With Homemade Pumpkin-Spiced Whipped Cream

September 20, 2016

 

pumpkin pie with chocolate sauce

by Crystal Watanabe

Pumpkin spice lattes are popping up all over the place again, a sure sign of the arrival of the fall season. Sweaters, boots, and of course fall holiday entertaining are soon to follow.

When Thanksgiving rolls around, there are always at least two or three pumpkin pies on our table—usually because guests are trying to prevent the worst-case scenario of no pumpkin pie at dinner! For me, though, there’s something even worse than no pumpkin pie: no whipped cream.

I look at photos of pumpkin pie slices with cute little dollops of cream on them and laugh. At Thanksgiving dinner, I hold back on the main course so I’m ready to plop a mountain of whipped cream on my pie. My favorite pumpkin pie recipe, then, is heavy on the good stuff.

Similar to how a banana cream pie is constructed, the traditional pumpkin pie filling is on the bottom and a thick layer of spirced cream sits on top. You’ll find it’s light and fluffy and has just the right ratio of cream to pumpkin.

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Entertaining, Gift Baskets, Philanthropy

Smile Farms Summer Pop Up Shop, Atlantic Beach

July 6, 2016
Smile Farms Pop Up Shop

Incredible Flower Arrangements at the Pop Up Shop

Smile Farms welcomed the season by bringing a summer Pop Up Shop to Ocean Club, Atlantic Beach. The organization is dedicated to providing meaningful work opportunities for adults with developmental disabilities at local farms and greenhouses.

1800Baskets.com partnered with Smile Farms and 1800Flowers.com to help make the shop a success and to raise awareness for the organization. 1800Baskets donated containers of various sizes for the Pop Up Shop. Smile Farm’s employees planted the containers with beautifully arranged flowers and plants grown at Smile Farms at IGHL located in Moriches, New York. The arrangements were available for purchase at the Pop Up Shop and every one of them sold!

Continued support is essential so that the organization can raise awareness for a much deserving population. Want to help? Get involved today by attending one of the upcoming events!

Summer Soiree: Sip and Schmooze by the Sea,  July 14, 2016. To register please contact Tracey Gittere (516) 222-0550.

Second Annual Smile Farms Golf Outing and Wine & Paint Classic, September 26, 2016. Details: Email events@smilefarms.org for sponsorship opportunities.

If you would like to host a pop-up shop for the organization please contact info@smilefarms.org.

 

Entertaining, Mother's Day, Party!, Sweepstakes

Mother’s Day Facebook Essay Sweepstakes

March 30, 2016

My Mom Makes Me Smile

Like us on Facebook

Like us on Facebook! Here are the Winners of Our Mother’s Day Facebook Essay Sweepstakes 

 

Thank you for sharing your essays! Each one was an inspiration. Winners, please send a private Facebook message to 1800Baskets.com with your shipping information.

The My Mom Makes Me Smile Winners Are:

Spirit Javon, My Mom is the Best

Lori Singer, My Mom Keeps On Keeping On

Treva Shawn Anderson, Twinning a Generation Apart

Happy Mother’s Day Everyone!


Surprise your mom for Mother’s Day! Write an essay about the things that make her so special and a chance to win a beautiful basket or gift from 1800Baskets.com.

How Does Your Mom Make You Smile? Is it her warm hug, fabulous style, delicious cupcakes? Tell us why your mom is so special in 70 words or less. We’re giving away three prizes for Mothers Day! We will randomly select three winners. The sweepstakes starts on Facebook on 4/11. You can submit entries until 4/28. Winners will be posted on Facebook on 5/02!

Mother's Day Facebook Essay Sweepstakes

OFFICIAL RULES

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. OPEN ONLY TO LEGAL RESIDENTS OF THE 50 UNITED STATES, INCLUDING THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, WHO ARE 18 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER AS OF THE DATE OF ENTRY WHO HAVE OR OPEN AN ACCOUNT ON FACEBOOK.COM.  VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

  1. ENTRY PERIOD: 1-800-BASKETS.COM® My Mom Makes Me Smile Sweepstakes (hereinafter the “Sweepstakes”) begins at 12:01 AM EDT on 4/11/16 and ends at 11:59 PM EDT on 4/28/16 (the “Entry Period”).    
  2.  HOW TO ENTER: Visit the 1-800-BASKETS.COM® Facebook page located at https://www.facebook.com/1800baskets/?fref=ts  during the Entry Period and completely fill out the entry form and tell us in seventy (70) words or less “How your mom makes you smile.”   The entry form and essay will collectively be referred to as the “Entry.”

Accounts at Facebbook.com are free and can be opened at www.facebook.com.

2.1 ENTRY CONTENT RESTRICTIONS:

  1. Entry received a) must be unique and created exclusively by the entrant submitting b) cannot have been previously entered into a sweepstakes, contest or have been published c) cannot not be awaiting publication nor may it be submitted for publication consideration during or after the Entry Period; and
  2. The Entry must not contain material that violates or infringes another’s rights, including but not limited to privacy, publicity or intellectual property rights, or that constitutes copyright infringement; and
  3. The Entry must not disparage Sponsor or any other person or party affiliated with the Sweepstakes; and
  4. We are a family friendly company so each Entry must not contain material that is inappropriate, indecent, obscene, hateful, tortious, defamatory, slanderous, libelous, or that promotes bigotry, racism, hatred or harm against any group or individual or promotes discrimination based on race, gender, religion, nationality, disability, sexual orientation or age; and
  5. Entry must not contain material that is unlawful, in violation of or contrary to the laws or regulations in any state where submission is created.

2.2. ADDITIONAL ENTRY TERMS & CONDITIONS. Limit one Entry per person. Use of computer programs and/or other automated devices to enter the Sweepstakes is prohibited. Normal Internet access and usage charges imposed by your on-line service will apply. By entering, you understand that the Sponsor has the exclusive right to use the Entry and excerpts of the Entry in any advertising and promotional materials (visual, sound, print and/or electronic form), including, but not limited to, posting Entry on its websites, blogs, social media pages and in any form of advertising.  By submitting your Entry you grant any and all necessary rights and licenses provided herein, including without limitation, all necessary copyright and other related rights to the Entry, free and clear of all claims and encumbrances without violating the rights of any person or entity, including any right to privacy or publicity, you  hereby hold the Sponsor harmless from and against any third party claim arising from use of the Entry and waive any right to inspect or approve uses of the Entry or to be compensated for any such uses. All Entries become the exclusive property of Sponsor, and may not be acknowledged or returned. Proof of submission will not be deemed to be proof of receipt by Sponsor.

  1. SWEEPSTAKES PRIZES AND APPROXIMATE RETAIL VALUES (“ARV”):  Three (3) Prizes in total will be awarded.   Winners will be randomly selected will receive one (1) of the three following prizes.  A 1-800-BASKETS.COM® Mom You’re the Best! Brunch Tote Bag (product code #149369) ARV $59.99 USD, 1-800-BASKETS.COM® Love You Mom! Relaxing Tea Gift Basket (product code #149348) ARV $49.99 USD or a 1-800-BASKETS.COM® Mother’s Day Belgian Chocolate Covered Oreo Cookie Tin (product code #93262) ARV $39.99 USD.  Total ARV of all prizes of $149.97 USD.
  2. WINNER SELECTION: Winners will be selected on or about May 3, 2016 in a random drawing from among all eligible entries received during the Entry Period by a representative of Sponsor, whose decisions are final on all matters relating to this Sweepstakes. Odds of winning depend upon the number of eligible entries received during the Entry Period. Prizes will be awarded and potential winners will be notified by email associated with their Facebook account. Prizes are nontransferable and no cash substitution is allowed except by the Sponsor, who reserves the right to award prize of equal or greater value if advertised prize is unavailable.
  3. GENERAL RULES:  Taxes, related to the prizes are the winners’ sole responsibility, if applicable. Prize winners may be required to execute and return an affidavit of eligibility and liability/publicity release (where legal) within five (5) days of notification attempt or prize will be forfeited and an alternate winner selected. Return of any prize or prize notification as undeliverable may result in disqualification and alternate selection. Acceptance of prize constitutes permission to use winner’s name, likeness, image, photo, sobriquet and biographical information for promotional purposes without further compensation except where prohibited by law. By entering, entrant accepts and agrees to be bound by these OFFICIAL RULES and winners release Sponsor, and their subsidiaries, affiliates, directors, officers, employees, agents and all others associated with the development and execution of the Sweepstakes from any and all liability for damages, losses or injury resulting from participation in the Sweepstakes or acceptance or use of prize. Entries will be declared to be made by the authorized account. “Authorized account holder” is defined as the natural person who is assigned to the Facebook account associated with the submitted Entry.  Entries are subject to verification of eligibility and will be declared invalid if they are incomplete, falsified, altered or tampered with in any way. Sponsor reserves the right in its sole discretion to disqualify any individual that tampers or attempts to tamper with the entry process or the operation of the Sweepstakes or website; violates the OFFICIAL RULES; or acts in an unsportsmanlike, obscene or disruptive manner, or with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any other Entrant or person.   Sponsor and its agencies are not responsible for lost, late, incomplete, misdirected or damaged Entries due to internet services providers service, weather, technical, hardware or software malfunctions, telephone failures of any kind, lost or unavailable network connections, or failed, incorrect, inaccurate, incomplete, garbled or delayed electronic communications, whether caused by the sender, by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in this Sweepstakes which may limit the ability to participate, or by any human error which may occur in the processing of the Entries in this Sweepstakes. Sponsor reserves the right to cancel, terminate or modify the Sweepstakes if it is not capable of completion as planned, including for infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention or technical failures or corruption of any sort, and award prizes from eligible Entries received prior to cancellation. Void where prohibited or restricted by law.
  4. ELIGIBILITY: This Sweepstakes is open only to legal residents of the 50 United States, including the District of Columbia, who are 18 years of age or older as of date of entry who have or open an account on Facebook.com.  Accounts at Facebbook.com are free and can be opened at www.facebook.com.   All federal, state, and local laws and regulations apply.  Employees and families of 800-Flowers, Inc. (“Sponsor”) their subsidiaries, divisions, affiliates and related companies, advertising and promotion agencies, and their immediate families are ineligible.   
  5. WINNERS LIST: For the names of the winners, visit https://www.facebook.com/1800baskets/?fref=ts  and refer to the “Notes” section from approximately 5/10/2016 through 6/10/2016.
  6. SPONSOR & ADMINISTRATOR: The Sponsor and Administrator of this Sweepstakes is 800-FLOWERS, INC. One Old Country Road, Suite 500, Carle Place, New York 11514
  7. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY: NEITHER 800-FLOWERS, INC., THEIR AGENTS, EMPLOYEES, PARENTS, SUBSIDIARIES, OR AFFILIATED COMPANIES, AS WELL AS, THEIR ADVERTISING AND PROMOTION AGENCIES SHALL HAVE ANY LIABILITY FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, PUNITIVE OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, LOSS OF OPPORTUNITY OR GOODWILL. IN ALL EVENTS, THE SOLE MAXIMUM LIABILITY OF SPONSOR AND ITS AFFILIATES SHALL BE LIMITED TO THE ARV OF THE PRIZES SET FORTH HEREIN.
  8. GOVERNING LAW & VENUE: THE NEW YORK COURTS (STATE & FEDERAL) SHALL HAVE SOLE JURISDICTION OF ANY CONTROVERSIES REGARDING THE SWEEPSTAKES AND THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK SHALL GOVERN THE SAME. EACH ENTRANT WAIVES ANY AND ALL OBJECTIONS TO JURISDICTION AND HEREBY IRREVOCABLY SUBMITS TO THE VENUE OF THOSE COURTS WITHIN THE COUNTIES OF NASSAU AND SUFFOLK COUNTY, NEW YORK.

© 2016 800-FLOWERS, INC.

This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook. By participating, you hereby release and hold harmless Facebook from any and all liability associated with this promotion

Entertaining, Party!, Picnic

St. Patrick’s Day Corned Beef & Cabbage Sliders

February 29, 2016

A big plate of corned beef and cabbage with potatoes, carrots and other vegetables is traditionally served on St. Patrick’s Day. It’s a hearty supper for a day in March that could bring “fierce weather”.

You’ll love this new twist on traditional corned beef and cabbage perfect for a St. Patrick’s Day party buffet!

St. Patrick's Day Corned Beef and Cabbage Sliders with Guinness Mustard

This recipe was inspired by the St. Patrick’s Day scene in St. Louis. The Gateway to the West is lucky enough to have two St. Patrick’s Day parades! A big downtown parade and a smaller parade in the Irish part of the city — Dogtown.

St. Patrick's Day Slow Cooked Corned Beef and Cabbage Sliders

Be sure to make plenty of these sliders because they’ll disappear in the blink of an eye like a leprechaun! The quick Guiness mustard is a tasty addition to the corned beef and cabbage sliders. Here’s the recipe:

Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage Sliders with Guinness Mustard

 Add some Shamrocks!

Serve on a St Patrick’s Day buffet table with

Cheryl’s St. Patrick’s Day Shamrock Cut Outs!

Cheryl's St. Patrick's Day Shamrock Cookie Cutouts

 

 

Easter, Entertaining, Party!

Easter Place Card Nests

February 24, 2016

 

Easter is just three weeks away! If you’re planning an Easter brunch for family or friends now is the perfect time to collect some pretty ideas for table decorating. We found a clever craft — making place cards out of small nests for your Easter table. If you’re expecting a large crowd for your spring party Easter place card nests are especially helpful.

 

Easter Place Card Nests

 

The baskets are made of raffia, so you will need raffia and a few more items. The nests can be filled with foiled eggs, candies, or candy coated Easter eggs.

For directions on how to make Easter Place Card Nests go to the link below:

Spring Nest Easter Place Cards

For a fabulous Easter brunch buffet add eggciting treats like Happy Easter Petit Fours and Happy Easter Belgian Oreos.  One of these would look bright and cheery in an Easter Place Card Nest! Your guests will adore them!

Happy Easter Petit Fours

Happy Easter Belgian Chocolate  Covered Oreo Tin