We had never heard of that option but a group recently told us about their experience doing just that. One of the student’s mothers worked for an importer. She was the one that presented the idea to the school as a PTO fundraiser. She told the board that she could get them wholesale prices on gift items that they could use to create gift baskets to sell for their fundraiser. The board was very excited about the possibility. It was an easy way to raise money. Their goal was to build a playground and they did not want to get a loan or borrow the money. So they decided to explore the possibility.

They met at the importers showroom and picked out a selection of inexpensive holiday items. They decided to put together three different options at three different price points. They took the actual items they chose, placed them in the baskets and took photos of their new creations. With those photos they created a color brochure. It was very basic they told us but it showed the different baskets, had a list of the items in the basket and showed the retail price they hoped to sell the items for.

They chose to sell the gift baskets as a winter fundraiser so they handed out the brochures in the middle of October and made November 1 the deadline to turn in orders. They never told us the exact number of gift baskets that they sold but she did tell us that the sale went well beyond their wildest imagination. Of course very few groups have the resources or contacts to sell custom gift baskets for an elementary school fundraiser. But the lesson of this fundraising experience is that you can and should think outside the box when planning how to raise money.

A gift basket is a gift in itself, but it is, of course a collection of gifts. The variety found within gift baskets is what makes the concept so thrilling. When one receives a gift basket, she displays in a prominent place. If the basket is received in a home, it usually takes the place of an elegant centerpiece on the dining table or the kitchen counter. If the basket is received in a place of business, it is displayed in someone’s office or in a highly visible area.

Gift baskets are great conversation pieces. It is difficult to avoid conversation when passing by someone’s gift basket. Even men feel more comfortable sparking up a conversation about a gift basket than flowers, especially if they walk by a food gift basket. You can purchase gift baskets with anything from gourmet food, chocolate, or spa products. You can buy a basket that is appropriate for a baby shower, a birthday, or to simply thank a business client.

It is important to give the appropriate gift basket. For example, you should never send wine gift baskets to clients, or prospective clients. If you are trying to impress a potential client, you can’t go wrong with a gourmet basket. The more you know about your client, the better chance you have of getting the right basket. Try to find out a little about your client before you invest the money in buying a gift basket. If you met a client and she told you about a recent spa experience, a spa gift basket would be the perfect gift for her. If you have a client that loves chocolate, get them a gourmet chocolate basket.

When it comes to gift baskets you can be as creative or as standard as you want. You can be safe or adventurous. It is up to you, you have many choices. There are a lot of companies who offer gift baskets, so be sure to look for price and quality. You can find gift baskets department stores, but the selection is usually limited compared to a gift basket specialist. You can also order them from online companies where you can usually find good quality baskets at a discount price.