We hope you had a chance to enter our 'Win A Luxury Christmas Hamper' Competition on Facebook. We asked "what would you like to receive in your Christmas stocking this year?"

We loved reading all your comments especially Matt Smith! who we think wouldn't quite fit but wouldn't that be lovely? But then the largest Christmas stocking measured 168 ft 5.65"  in length and 70 ft 11.57" so anything's possible!

So many lovely wishes and all so different, except for quite a few of you were hoping for your favourite shop vouchers or experience day vouchers and an ipad/tablet.

We're all looking forward to announcing one lucking winner later today.  If you haven't aleady entered there's still time, so jump on over to our Facebook page and enter here.

Know Somebody With the X Factor?

Sam Bailey will be receiving our You're A Star Retro Sweet Case this coming Saturday... we think this is a superb gift choice for that special someone with the X Factor!

We're rooting for Sam, a former prison officer that's finally found the spotlight for her exceptional singing voice.  We wish the married mum of two, no doubt an inspiration to so many women, all the luck in the world and will be cheering her on all the way.

Click here to send the You're A Star gift to that someone special in your life.

Top Three Festive Drinks...

We asked you what your favourite Festive tipple was and (no surprise really) Bailey's came out tops.  They'll certainly be a bottle or two at our house on Christmas Day!

Second was Mulled Wine and Third was we think was a toss up between Eggnog and something sparkling like Champagne or Bucks Fizz.

Winter In Venice for Christmas

We are absolutely delighted to let you know that we've just added the Winter In Venice collection of gift sets to our Pampering range.  What we love most about their fabulous gifts is that they have combined a high quality re-usable product to keep things tidy around the house or garden to bring a pampering experience and long lasting gift that's second to none!

The ruby red collection shown just here is an example of their clever and practical packaging... what looks like a faux leather hat box is in fact a jewellery case.  Fitted neatly inside the lid is a removeable tray for keeping jewellery. 

Spook-tacular Halloween Photo Competition

Halloween is on the way and spirits are rising!  We're about to announce the Winner of our Spook-tacular Halloween Photo Competition on our Facebook Page.

We love all the creative costumes on young and old alike (and your pets!)  Some have been too scary to look at without feeling squeamish and have really spooked us!

Here's wishing you a very scary, but fun filled, Halloween with plenty of trick or treating, carving pumpkins and for me maybe a spot of apple bobbing and one or two horror films!

Seven Solid Days of Chocolate Indulgence!

Yay! It's Chocolate Week from 14th-20th October! So if you're an absolute chocoholic, you'll love seven solid days of indulging your sweet tooth and trying out all the best chocolate! Get started with our selection of indulgent chocolate gift selections... Chocolate Hampers.


And just to make you feel an itzy bit less guilty
you can go for dark chocolate which contains hefty amounts of disease fighting flavenoids... antioxidants also found in red wine and many fruits and vegetables. In fact, it appears to have more flavenoids than any other food!  So go for it!

Happy National Cupcake Week!

It's National Cupcake Week 16th-22nd September... are you ready?

Visit the National Cupcake Week website for all the information you'll knead (whoops! sorry) to get involved in making your own cupcakes, promoting your business and all the latest on the events that are going on throughout the UK to raise money for important charities.

And in the meantime leave your comment below to let us know what your favourite flavour cupcake is or like and share our Facebook post to win a dozen of our delicious cupcakes

Who's been watching this years The Great British Bake Off?

As you may already know from last years blog posts documenting The Great British Bake Off - Smart Gift Solutions are BIG fans of this wonderful baking show, and follow the show's progress almost religiously and we'd like to know what your thoughts are on this year's show!

Who are you rooting to win, and what have your favourite recipes been so far? Our personal favourite from this seasons show has been Frances' breadsticks that were designed in the form of matchsticks - fully equipped with a match box too! It was absolutely adorable... such a fabulous idea!

Let us know your thoughts by commenting below, or leaving us a message on Facebook - we'd love to know if you're following this year's show like us!

2013 SUMMER COMPETITION!

It's that time of year again - Summer Competition Time! And this year we have a very wonderful treat for our customers indeed. We're giving away a whopping £60 voucher for you to use on our website, allowing you to treat yourself, your family or your friends and colleagues to some wonderful treats. 

All you have to do to enter the competition is simply comment below what you would spend your voucher on, and what the gifts you choose would go towards - perhaps you'll create a wonderful picnic basket for a family day out, or buy yourself some pampering treats!

Don't forget to like and share on Facebook too, to spread the word about our competition - which will be announced on the 23rd of August!

GOOD LUCK!

National Allotment Week!

This week in the UK it is National Allotment Week, and to celebrate we'll be bringing you articles with facts on how to look after your allotment and why you should own one if you don't already! To start off this week, here are a few facts about the happiness of gardeners - with proof that getting outside and dirty can spruce up your lifestyle!

In a poll taken by Gardener's World, it was discovered that of the 1,500 people who were tested, a massive 93% stated that gardening improves their mood highly!  A combination of the fresh air and the satisfaction of achieving a noticeable result, such as a beautiful garden, growing your own vegetables or noticing flowers springing up all over the flower bed, there is no doubting that gardening causes a natural high!

The poll also showed that 80% of gardeners felt satisfied with their lives, compared to the 67% of non-gardeners - proof that perhaps opening an allotment or fixing up your garden will enable you enjoy a new aspect of life and take the strain off others, such as work!

For more interesting facts about the world of gardening, stay tuned! Or you can check out the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners, for ways to get involved this week.

5 Foods To Stay Healthy This Summer

As you know, we've been experiencing a scorchingly hot summer this year, with 2013 proving to be one of the hottest years on record. Can you believe that Monday the 22nd of July was the hottest day in 7 years? So, in weather so drastically different to what we usually experience in the UK, we thought it appropriate to provide you with a few tips on what to eat to make sure you're staying healthy in the madness of the heat!

1. WATERMELON!

This is a great fruit to consume on hot days - with a percentage of 92% water, it is perfect for keeping up levels of hydration, acting as both a tasty snack and a water supplement. It also contains lycopene, which protects skin cells from sun damage! A tasty sun lotion...

2. GRILLED VEGTABLES!
Perfect on the BBQ, and a brilliant way to remain healthy throughout the summer, and of course very tasty indeed. There's a variety to choose from... whether your tastes are bell peppers, asparagus, courgette or red onion - they're fab for adding flavour to any summer meal and provide you with your necessary source of greenery. Try them on skewers with your favourite kinds of meat - chicken, lamb, pork? 

3. BANANAS!
As well as tasting delicious, bananas are also helpful for replenishing your body after its loss of fluid through sweating, and is a rich source of potassium. If bananas don't float your boat, how about dried fruit or greens- fab sources of potassium too!

4. ORANGES!
Oranges, similarly to Watermelons, are a great way to keep yourself hydrated, as they are 80% water, and they're also another brilliant source of potassium. If you didn't already know, a loss of potassium can put your muscles at risk of cramping, so replenishing it is highly important during the hot summer days. 

5. RASPBERRIES!
Would you believe that one cup of raspberries has 8 grams of fiber? This means they are an excellent way to prevent weight gain and lower your cholesterol level - by increasing your intake of fiber to 8 grams per 1000 calories, you can lose upto 4½ pounds!

Here at Smart Gift Solutions we sell a variety of fruit baskets that you can either treat yourself to, or send to a friend this summer for both a healthy treat and a way of showing them you're thinking of them. Click here for our selection, suitable for all different occasions...

6 Tips for Healthy Hands!

As you may well know, the downside to gardening can be the stress it can cause on your hands - creating dry skin, cracks and even blisters. So, to avoid that this summer we've put together a short and sweet list of top tips to avoid hands that suffer at the expense of your gardening!

1. Wear gloves! The best way to keep your hands dirt free and protected.

2. Sprinkle talcum powder on your hands before putting on your gloves, and it will make the process of removing the gloves later a lot easier for you.

3. Keep your nails short to avoid them breaking, or having dirt trapped underneath them.

4. If you don't want to shorten your nails, you can make sure they have lots of vaseline under them before applying your gloves, so dirt is less likely to be trapped under your nails! 

5. Both olive oil and baby oil are the perfect treatment for rubbing on your hands after a hard day of gardening, to keep them well moisturised and in the perfect condition. 

6. Be sure to massage your cuticles - both before and after - to be sure you don't find them drying out and breaking away easily.

Remember - just because you love to garden, doesn't mean your hands should suffer - follow these 6 rules and you can keep hands as soft as the petals you're working with!

Happy Gardening :)

'Tis the season for a great wedding!

As you all know it is summertime (despite the weather tending to say very different), meaning there is an abundance of wonderful romantic weddings occurring left right and centre, BUT the question on everybody's lips is what exactly do you buy for the newly wedded couple?

We've recently added a selection of new personalised gifts to our wedding section here at Smart Gift Solutions so you won't be stuck when choosing the right present! For example, there is a gorgeous Rustic Wooden Heart Decoration for just £10.95, which is a great way to give the new couple a gift they can treasure and flaunt in their home, inscribed with their names for extra sentimentality.

Or perhaps, a gorgeous heart shaped map, beautifully presented in a wooden frame - which you can personalise with a postcode of your choice (perhaps where they live or the location of their wedding day) for only £19.99! Once again, its a wonderful gift that is very special to the couple - it's the gift to assure your present won't be pushed into the spare room!

Click here to be directed to our Personalised Wedding Gifts section, to get choosing the perfect gift for the special couple!

National Kissing Day!

Today is National Kissing Day, and in celebration, we thought we'd share with you a few fun facts about kissing! 

Although it may seem utterly ridiculous, it has been proven that kissing can in fact lower cholesterol levels and cause a decrease in stress levels, so if you're having a bad day at work kissing may make things a little better!

The longest recorded kiss in history was made earlier this year on Valentine's Day in Thailand by Ekkachai and Laksana Tiranarat, recorded at a whopping 58 hours, 35 minutes and 58 seconds! Isn't that absolutely crazy... how did they manage that?! Lots of practice we presume!

Kissing may seem natural, but it is quite a sport - using 34 facial muscles! That's a heck of a lot, and no wonder it can burn 2-3 calories... A passionate french kiss can burn up to 5! So, we say forget about the diet and get kissing, because its a damn healthy, beneficial activity!

What are the health benefits of chili?

To coincide with our Facebook competition, in which we are giving away 3 Grow It Chili Plants - all you have to do is you simply like and share our status, we thought we'd provide you with a few key facts that you may not have previously known about chili! Even if chili doesn't tingle your tastebuds, there are many beneficial factors to eating it that may make you change your mind...

For example, did you know that the key ingredient found in chili is called capsaicin, which has been scientifically proven to both REDUCE blood pressure and BOOST weight loss? (Can this really be true...) Well, yes! Capsaicin has anti-bacterial and anti-diabetic properties, and can reduce cholesterol levels. It can also speed up your metabolism, consequently reducing your appetite and improving weight loss!

Chilies do more than just fire up your taste buds and add flavour to a variety of meals, they can also stimulate and clear mucus from your blocked nose, meaning it can help rid you of your horrid cold! BUT be warned - there is a chance you may become addicted to chilies, due to the endorphin released when eating it, giving you a sense of pleasure! Get involved in the chili madness, by growing your very own chili plants - available here...

Things you need to know about Emma Bridgewater...

 

We absolutely love Emma Bridgewater's gorgeous collection of quintessentially English pieces, that combine perfectly class and style to create unique, traditional gifts, and we think (if you're not already) that you should definitely be in the know about this wonderful company (and the woman behind it too - featured to the left)! So, for our readers, we've composed a list of essential information for you to become equipped with the Bridgewater ways!

- Started in 1985 by Emma Rice née Bridgewater, and later joined by her husband Matthew, the company has now grown to become one of the largest pottery manufacturers in the UK!

- Emma is still very much a part of the business, contributing to many of the designs - including the Spongeware selection (which we sell on our website!).

- They follow a wonderful brand ethos, being that each piece is to be handcrafted in their Stoke-on-Trent factory - meaning it is a truly born and bred English company.

- If you fancy having a browse in person of the Emma Bridgewater selection of timeless pieces, you can visit one of her several stores in the UK - with 3 being located in London and 1 in Edinburgh, including an outlet store in Stoke-on-Trent.

 

Treat yourself to your very own Emma Bridgewater piece from our website, where you can choose from a selection of wonderful gifts, each filled with delightful treats for you to nibble on... What's great about the tins and cases we sell on our website is that they can provide you with an everlasting gift, as they can all be put to use after you've finished the treats! Featured here is our unique Biscuit and Cake Tin, the perfect Birthday Gift for a loved one, or a great way to say Thank you!

 

A World of Foodie Fun at Regent's Park this Summer

 

We're looking forward to the Taste of London this week! Returning to Regent's Park in London on Thursday through to Sunday it's your opportunity to savour dishes from 40 of London's hottest restaurants and see World class chefs live on stage! With some great bands too including Sadie and the Hotheads!  If you're a fan of Elizabeth McGovern in Downton Abbey then you'll recognise Sadie :-)

We're there on Sunday so sadly will be missing Sadie and the Hotheads but will definitely be making the most of our afternoon session and will be looking to taste as many culinary delights as possible but particularly looking forward to Thai cooking demonstrations and dance displays.

If you're planning on going... enjoy!  For more information visit the Taste of London website.

10 Fascinating Facts About Father's Day...

1. According to statistics the most common and popular gifts for Father's Day are a necktie and flowers.
2. Despite all the popular gifts a rose is the official gift for Father's Day... a red rose is worn in the lapel if your father is living, a white rose if he is deceased.
3. The world's oldest father was an Indian farmer named Nanu Ram Jogi who fathered his 21st child at the grand old age of 90 years, in year 2007.
4. The word "Dad" originated in the 16th century... it might have got its origin from the Welsh word ‘tad’ (father) that later got altered to dad. The word ‘father’ is basically derived from the Old English word - ‘foeder’.
5. Only 50% of all Father's Day cards are purchased for Dads.... 20% will be for husbands and the rest for grandfathers, uncles, brothers, sons etc.
6. In the UK 7 million Father's Day cards are sent each year, compared to 13 million Mother's Day cards.
7. Aside from a greeting card the necktie is the most popular of all father's day gifts and a whopping £198 million will be spent on DIY gifts.
8. The average age of a first-time father in the UK is 32 but only ten per cent of  babies are born to a father over 40, and a mere 1% to a father over 50.
9. Research has found that on average we Brits spend £27.37 on cards and treats for our Mum, while fathers warrant a spending total ofj ust £14.45.
10. When asked over 52% of Father's said they would like to receive a hand written card and most said they're ideal present would simply be a day out with the famiy.

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