Father's Day is on The Way!

It may be a little while off yet but it’s never too soon to be thinking about Father’s Day Gifts, especially if your dad is hard to buy for! Father’s Day is on the Sunday 16th June this year and we at SmartGiftSolutions.co.uk are here to help you find a unique gift for your Dad and we’ve got a great selection now available to buy on our website with the facility to buy now and select a delivery date for later.  Let's take a look at our favourites and best selling gifts especially for Dad…

Keep Calm and Eat Toffee -


Get his sweet tooth smiling with a jar of Walker's scrummy toffees. Label reads "Keep Calm Dad and Eat Some Toffee"... with a great price of only £4.99 it's the ideal Father's Day gift choice.





Belgian Chocolate Truffles in Classic Cars Gift Tin -

A great gift for big boys... Dad can enjoy the scrummy truffles and then put to
good use the cool tin with classic car illustrations for a number of uses around the home or workshop a great foodie gift and keepsake gift all in one at just £19.95.  Buy this gift now.



Champion Beer and Snacks Gift Hamper -

If you really want to spoil Dad how about sending him the ultimate luxury hamper for a bit of Royal Treatment.  Let him know what a champion he really is with our Champion Beer and Snacks Hamper bursting with treats such as toffees and chocolates, pate and biscuits, biscuits and cake, nuts and beer all perfectly presented in a luxury picnic basket.  We think this offers the ulimate value at just £64.95.


The Great British Beers Gift Box -

Go ahead and spoil him with our Great British Beers gift with a selection of famous british beers presented in a smart wooden box with sliding lid which he'll be able to put to good use in his garage or workshop after he's enjoyed relaxing and drinking his favourite beers... a spot on gift for just £28.95.




Multicoloured Star Glass Token -

Dazzle him with a vibrant starburst featured on this lovely personalised glass keepsake.  Convey the message that he's a star and personalise with any message of your choice of up to 45 characters.  A great gift of fantastic value for just £14.99.







 Photos in A Word Dad Frame -

What better way to let Dad know you care than with your favourite photos displayed in this letter mounted frame.  A special keepsake gift especially for him providing everlasting memories all for just £12.95.  Buy the Dad Photo Frame now.

The Fine Cheese Company & Artisan Biscuits

Our most popular gifts by far are our Cheese and Wine hampers... a classic gift selection that suits almost any occasion including get well soon, birthdays, thank you and a new baby celebration, providing a thoughtful gift for the proud new parents!

We've created two new hampers to add to our selection incorporating superior products from the The Fine Cheese Company and Artisan Biscuits. The Fine Cheese Company, specialists in cheese for twenty years, has been owned and run from the beginning by Ann-Marie Dyas. A judge at both the British and World Cheese Awards, Ann-Marie is committed to the survival of traditional cheese-making, and to introducing farmhouse cheeses to as wide a public as possible. As well has being cheese experts the company has also made it their business to know what flatters it and makes it a new experience by producing a unique range of Crackers, made by their sister Company, Artisan Biscuit. Fruits, whole fruits, chutneys, and english pickles for cheese are the result.

You will not find any of The Fine Cheese Company or Artisan ranges of products ever sold in a British supermarket but in over 600 delicatessens, farm shops and so on throughout the UK, and in over 30 countries from Austria to Australia.

Our new Cheese Wine and Biscuits Gift Basket includes The Fine Cheese Company's Waxed Farmhouse Chedder Cheese (200g) made in Somerset accompanied by Toast for Cheese with apricots, pistachios and sunfower seeds, an excellent accompanient to delicate goats' cheeses.

Our new Luxury Cheese Hamper includes Toast for Cheese biscuits with cherries, almonds and linseeds, an excellent accompanient for rich blue cheeses. Also included are All British Cheddar Biscuits and All British Stilton Biscuits made from freshly grated cheese, all butter and perfect with a drop of red wine or for gin and tonic and beer. 

The Fine Cheese Company is located in Bath, so if you ever find yourself in that neck of woods why not drop in where you'll be able to enjoy their cheese shop with artisan cheeses, and great food and wine, some of which you can't buy anywhere else.

Shop Our Cheese Hampers

Soft and Chewy or Crisp and Crunchy?

Do you like yours soft and chewy or crisp and crunchy?

Everyone needs a killer cookie recipe... here's two of our favourite so whatever way you prefer your cookie you'll have a, ridicously easy to cook, delicious batch of cookies in no time...

Make them soft and chewy...

You'll need the following list of every day ingredients -

• 2 1/4 cups  of  plain flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup light-brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups milk chocolate chips

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together the flour and baking soda and set aside.
   
   Combine the butter with both the granulated and brown sugar; beat until light and fluffy (this should be done with a blender for best results). Add to the mixture the salt, vanilla, and eggs. Beat until well mixed (about 1 minute).
   
   Add flour mixture, mix until just combined and stir in the chocolate chips.
   
   
2. Prepare your baking trays lined with parchment paper and drop heaping tablespoon-size balls of dough about 2 inches apart.
   
   
3. Bake until cookies are golden around the edges, but still soft in the center, 8 to 10 minutes.
   
   Remove cookies from oven, and let them cool for 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack once cool and let them cool completely.
   
   Store your cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They should last for  up to 1 week.
 

Make them crisp and crunchy...

You'll need the following list of every day ingredients -

• 1 cup plain flour
• 1 cup self-raising flour
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 1 cup milk chocolate chips
• 1 cup melted butter
• 1 egg, lightly beaten

1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees.  Sift both the plain flour and self-raising flour into a bowl and add the sugar and chocolate chips.  Stir well to combine.
   
   
2. Thoroughly mix both the melted butter and beaten egg and pour into the flour mixture stir until just combined.
   
   
3. Prepare your baking trays lined with parchment paper and drop heaping tablespoon-size balls of dough about 2 inches apart. Bake for around 18-20 minutes or until the cookies spread slightly and are a light golden colour.
   
   
   Remove cookies from oven, and let them cool for 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack once cool and let them cool completely.
   
   Store your cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They should last for  up to 1 week.

Enjoy!!

Send A Cookie Gift Basket to someone you love...

National Gardening Week 15th - 21st April 2013

Thousands of people are coming together this week and throughout the weekend for all kinds of gardening events around the UK. Gardening groups of all kinds will be getting together to share the love of their garden and keeping Britain beautiful.  

Launched by the Royal Horticultural Society to get the nation growing an example of some of the events going on this week is a Masterclass in salad growing!  Matthew and his wife Kirsten run 'The Little Salad Company' on a market garden in the heart of South Oxfordshire. Matthew looks forward to sharing what he’s learnt about growing salads and what he’s learnt about starting up a new business...  book a place.

If you're not able to get out and about this week and attend an event why not take just a little a bit of time and start prettying up your garden by planting something to celebrate the beauty of gardening.

Explore National Gardening Week Events

Adorable Bunny Cupcakes for Easter

 

Well let's hop to it and make these adorable little bunny cupcakes with the children for the Easter celebration.  So easy to make especially if you buy pre-made cupcakes and ready made icing... or if you've time on your hands you can make your own from your favourite cupcake recipe.








What you'll need...
 

Cupcakes
White icing
Shredded coconut
Pink decorators' sugar
Jelly beans for the nose
Chewable sweets for the eyes
Large marshmallows
Mini marshmallows
 

Directions... 
  

1. Frost your cupcakes with white icing and sprinkle on your shredded coconut all over to look like fur
    
2. Cut each of the large marshmallows in half (width-wise) and squeeze each half slightly to give it an oval shape, then decorate the sticky side of each one with pink decorators' sugar and set them in place for the bunny ear
3.  

1. Add a jelly bean for the nose and either jelly beans or small round sweets for the bunny eyes and use the mini marshmallows for cheeks. For a finishing touch you can draw on with the decorators' gel sugar pupils on the eyes and/or whiskers. 

Easter Eggs Hand Decorated With Love...

 

Such a lovely story in the news this Easter, despite the horrid weather we're all experiencing this inspirational elderly couple have decorated a 5ft high apple tree with over 10,000 personally decorated easter eggs!

The couple from Thuringia in Germany spent two weeks in the freezing conditions getting the tree ready in time for the Easter celebrations up and down ladders ignoring the snowfall.  The decorated chicken and duck eggs are on display each year and after the celebrations are carefully stored away until next Easter and all broken eggs are discarded and replaced. 

Read more...

Buying a Gift for An Aries Baby?

Aries are born: March 21^st- April 19^th

Be sure to know what gift to buy for the Aries in your life as the bold and independent Aries usually will not make a secret if he or she doesn't like the gift!  As an Aries believes that he or she was born to do great things they will hope to receive gifts that would show them as famous, rich, successful or beautiful.
 

The Arian is not in the least sentimental so steer clear of buying gifts like cuddly toys etc. Buy gifts that appeal to the adventurously-playful side of an Aries, such as skydiving lessons, auto-racing lessons or tickets to a sporting event.  The Arian likes an 'experience' rather than something tangible so what may seem like an impractical gift would likely be a good selection for the dynamic Aries.  Most Arians love new hobbies and learning new tasks.

Red is their governing colour as it's the colour of life and energy excitement, risk and danger. Bright red/orange flowers are therefore a great gift for the fiery female Aries. Foods like hot chillies might appeal to the Aries man. Many Aries men have a great attraction to fire: they love to camp, barbecue or even keep a fire in the fireplace at home. Gifts about fire will be a big hit for the Aries man.
 

Aries hates wasting time and proper time management is on top of the agenda. Think personal organizers, travel diaries and so on. You can also gift gadgets that will help in saving time like microwaves, blenders, toasters, coffeemakers and so on.
 

For the female Aries hair accessories, earrings, sunglasses and stylish organizers are going to be popular. For the men gadget “toys” will win their approval as will anything that confirms his status as an action man. Tickets to a sporting event are also likely to be popular with the Aries male.
 

So, to sum up Gifts which revolve around physical and competitive pursuits, vehicles, gadgets, and hands-on activities will bring a big smile to your Aries face.

Shop Online for Gifts...

Chocolate Gifts for Easter...

 

New and just in time for Easter... We've add some gorgeous Chocolate Hampers filled with the World's favourite Belgian chocolate Guylian... we also love the story behind the name... two passionate chocolatiers combined their names 'Guy' and 'Liliane' to create the world famous company... a true love story of romance and chocolate!  With five different price points there's sure to be a chocolate gift to suit your budget at our store. 

We are always on the lookout for innovative gift packaging, one that will provide your recipient with a long lasting gift and keepsake and this is no exception. All gifts in each of our new chocolate hampers is presented in a container made from sturdy card.  This ribboned storage box is great for a photo memory box, stationery, or can be used anywhere around the home or office.

Check out our Chocolate Hampers

Our Mother's Day Facebook Competition

Our * Best Seller * by far this week (and no surprises) was our Wonderful Mum Gift Basket....

Well done to Claire York, the winner of this lovely gift basket, and thank you to everyone who entered our Facebook Competition :-)

Here's wishing all our existing and future customers a beautiful Mother's Day weekend where ever you are.

Latest Review - Create Your Own Hamper

Thank you so much to Lyndell Lee in Australia for your recent feedback...

"I love this website I wish we had you in Australia!"

Good choice for a gift Lyndell!  Our create your own hamper category is by far one of the most popular.  When buying gifts to send overseas to loved ones what better way than to send a bespoke hamper.  Not just one gift but many, each one carefully selected for your recipient, depending on their likes and dislikes.

Not just food items but you'll find little gifts you can select from our pampering section, or select books, baby items, golf, teddy bears and more!  Take a look... Create Your Own Hamper

Be Fruitful When Selecting a Gift...

Beautiful and stylish, fruit gift baskets are the perfect choice for almost any occasion and so we're very excited to offer you a selection of 13 different Fruit Baskets here at Smart Gift Solutions...

Fruit baskets are a wonderful gift to receive, colourful and beautifully presented offering a healthy choice for friend or relative.  Fruit baskets are also the perfect corporate gift... for thousands of years, fruit has been the international symbol of hospitality and nothing has changed today :-)

Take a look at our range... we've catered for new baby boy or girl, as well as our popular themes "thank you", "get well" and "happy birthday" - click here for Fruit Baskets

Each selection of fruit and gifts is presented in a sturdy handled wooden tray which can be kept for multiple purposes around the home or garden after the occasion has passed offering you a good value gift choice.

Gorgeous New Baby Hampers

Check out our brand new baby hampers for 2013... new baby hampers

We're busy updating all our hampers and gift baskets... we've started with our most popular section baby gifts... we've created more unique selections and you'll find that prices have come down and value for money has gone up!  With new suppliers on board we are delighted to offer our latest selection which includes the loveable little character 'Little Rufus' by 'The Little Dog' made here in the UK.

And with the 50th Anniversary of Puff the Magic Dragon we are delighted to offer a specially designed gift basket celebrating this most loveable character.  A delightful gift as no doubt many grand parents will delight in the story and the musical toy bringing back special memories of the song that first enchanged children back in 1963! We've tried to suit all budgets and tastes but if you have any ideas for us please leave a comment.

Our New Year's Facebook Winner...

 

A big thank you to Charlie Natalie Frost for sharing her winning prize photo... champers and chocolates all round for the best memory of the year... well done Charlie.... we hope you enjoy and have a wonderful 2013!

What's So Great About Cheese & Wine?

We offered a gorgeous selection of Festive hampers this year to suit different tastes and budgets but yet again our most popular hamper by far was our classic Cheese Wine and Pate Hamper!

I guess it's simply a classic gift choice.... who can resit delicious cheeses combined with good quality red or white wine, add in some savoury biscuits and pate and it provides the simple pleasures of live that most of us enjoy... to simply relax and indulge ourselves for a little while.. especially at Christmas Time. To buy this classic gift suitable for almost any occasion click here.

Win Champagne for the New Year!

Enter our Facebook New Year Competition and win yourself a fabulous prize of Champagne and Chocolates to ring in the New Year with friends and family.  Enter Here.

WIN A Christmas Hamper !

We're giving away a superb luxury Christmas Hamper !!  

Everything you'll need for a
traditional Festive Celebration is included !!
Click here to enter.... and good luck!!

Dribble in style...

At Smart Gift Solutions, we've recently been beavering away to create a new collection of gorgeous baby gifts, perfect for giving to new parents or buying yourself as a little treat... We know something a baby will always do is dribble, it's just something they can't seem to control! So, we've created a gift that will please any parent who doesn't want to see every cute outfit ruined, a giftbox filled with stylish yet practical bibs!

Our new range of luxury Baby Bandana Bib Gift Boxes come in all different colours and styles, and are beautifully gift wrapped  in tissue paper and packaged in a glossy box for the perfect gift! It's a great way to ensure that every baby can dribble in style. Featured to the right is our Ice Cool Blue Gift Box, colour coordinated in gorgeous shades of blue to suit any little boy on his daily journey through life as a professional dribbler! 3 bandana style bibs are included inside the gift box for £16.95, which are then wrapped in matching tissue paper and finished off with a sweet blue gingham bow! Each bib is made from stretch jersey cotton, and the reverse side is made from soft micro-fleece, for added warmth and cosyness! They are also easily secured using two nickel-free poppers, so they will not cause irritation on babies skin. 

There are lots more, which you can check out here, with lots of great designs that will make any outfit extra funky! Stripes, spots, stars... 

Afternoon Tea Is An Absolute Must...

Afternoon Tea is a beloved English tradition that can be enjoyed anywhere, including in your own home with family and friends, on a sunny picnic to your local park or at a delightfully romantic café in town... With the array of Great British events happening this summer, it is no wonder that Afternoon Tea is at the height of its popularity! We can't name anyone we know who didn't enjoy a deliciously sweet cup of tea, with a selection of tasty scones to nibble on while cheering our Team GB athletes at the Olympics, or celebrating the 60th anniversary with a cuppa watching the Queen's Diamond Jubilee on BBC! It is the simplicity of the occasion that is why our nation loves it so much...

  

One of our bestsellers here at Smart Gift Solutions is the fabulous Great British Tea and Scones Gift Box  that is filled with quintessentially English gifts to provide you with your very own Afternoon Tea experience or to give to a friend to have their own! You can bake your own delicious scones and fill them with strawberry jam and cream, nibble on scrumptious chocolate biscuits and handmade fudge, and make your own pot of Twinings Afternoon Tea, all for under £30. It's a fab way to join in the Great British Tea Craze, and share with friends, family and colleagues too...

If you're an Afternoon Tea fanatic, and love popping to your local café to enjoy some traditional tea and scones, let us know what your favourite places to go are via Facebook, Twitter or the comment box below - we'd love to know!

WELL DONE TEAM GB!

TEAM GB!

So... The Olympics has sadly come to an end, but what an incredible experience it has been - we've done a BRILLIANT job hosting the event here in London... The Great Britain Team have won a whopping 65 medals, 29 of those being Gold - what an incredible acheivement? AND our very own national heroes have set both Olympic and World Records. Our newspapers, magazines and radio shows have been filled non-stop with awe inspiring articles and interviews with our nations Team GB - it's been wonderful to have such talented people take the centre stage! Bring on Rio 2016...

The Benefits of Aromatherapy on your Body...

 

We recently posted about our new range of Aromatherapy Gift Baskets; created so you can indulge yourself with gorgeous Essential oils to soothe, relax and relieve your body and mind. But what exactly are the benefits of Aromatherapy and how can it affect your lifestyle, and what particular oils work best?

Aromatherapy has been used for thousands of years as a natural medicine for both the mind and the body and has been clinically proven to improve and help with...
 

-         Boosting your immune system

-         Helping you to relax by easing your mind & body providing stress & anxiety relief

-         Insomnia

-         To regulate hormones (e.g. during the menopause)

-         To relieve menstrual cramps

-         Decreasing congestion

-         Killing fungal & bacterial infections

-         Increasing blood circulation 

But how exactly do the Essential Oils work?

 

The beautiful aromas from the oils help to release endorphins, instantly making your body and mental stale feel relaxed and calmer. It's sort of the same way you feel when you eat a gorgeous chocolate bar... Instantly happier! The body also absorbs the oils into the skin and blood stream, meaning massaging your body with essential oils instantly reaps therapeutic benefits! You know the feeling of massaging your chest with Tiger Balm when you’ve got a horrible cold, and you sinuses are relieved? That’s the magic of Aromatherapy!

There are particular oils which benefit different bodily functions – so we've complied a list of 10 Essential oils for you to refer to!
 

1)  Lavender is considered to be the most popular; and is most commonly used as a sedative, antiseptic, diuretic and can also soothe sores, burns and wounds. Lavender is considered effective for insomnia, with the oil being traditionally placed on the pillow before bed to ease sleep.

2)  Chamomile has antiseptic, antibacterial and digestive properties, and can be used to relax with its sweet and fruity aroma.

3)  Eucalyptus has anti-inflmmatory properties and has benefited asthma and bronchitis, and can relieve both muscular and rheumatic pains.

4)  Rose has both antidepressant and antispasmodic properties, and is perfect for uplifting a mood with its warm and sensual aroma.

5)  Jasmine can be beneficial for dry and sensitive skin, and with its floral scent it is considered to be rejuvenating and uplifting.

6)  Rosemary is often used in products for hair loss, as it is believed to stimulate hair growth.

7)  Sandalwood is used frequently in Asia, and is popular for the practice of meditation with its relaxing and therapeutic aroma. It can also be used for skin disorders and cystitis.

8)  Peppermint  is good for inflammation - with its cooling aroma it can numb uncomfortable muscular pain.

9)  Frankincense has healing properties that are great for wounds, blemishes, scars and dry skin.

10) Oregano can be used for increasing joint and muscle flexibility, and is believed to strengthen the immune system and improve digestive problems.

Although Aromatherapy is essentially a safe practice, there is of course the risk of allergic reaction to the oils as they are highly concentrated products that particular skin types may react negatively to. If the doseage used is too high, it may cause irritation, burns, nausea or headaches – so remember to use only the amount subscribed. Pregnant women should avoid using essential oils, as it can be a danger to both you and your unborn baby – for further information visit http://www.essentialoils.co.za/pregnancy.htm, where this is explained in thorough detail for those who are unaware of the risks.

Be sure to check out our Aromatherapy products at Smart Gift Solutions, where we have a range of Essential oils and Aromatherapy Gift Baskets for every woman to indulge with! If you are still unsure about the practice of Aromatherapy, or you wish to find out what other oils you can use, you can purchase our Aromatherapy Guide Book by Christine Westwood to discover more!