Fantastic gift (basket)?
November 6, 2024 2:48 AM Subscribe
I have a $285 budget and I want to get a fantastic gift/gift basket for a friend/coworker.
My friend did something really wonderful for a bunch of coworkers, and we crowdfunded $285 to buy him a thank-you gift. The $285 must include stuff like taxes, delivery fees/tips, shipping, etc.
I'm thinking maybe a gift basket --he loves food and cooking both--probably not kitchen gadgets but more like interesting/new ingredients (we are in California ). So ya a gift basket of gourmet foods and/or amazing produce or some awesome ingredients. I've looked into frog hollow, I know people love Harry and David, and will look more into Delicious Orchards too.
Open to lots of suggestions! I am also open to gift basket + restaurant gift cert or the like. It just needs to be really special to show how much we appreciate him!
Oh he also loves plants, crochet/knitting, and is a musician.
My friend did something really wonderful for a bunch of coworkers, and we crowdfunded $285 to buy him a thank-you gift. The $285 must include stuff like taxes, delivery fees/tips, shipping, etc.
I'm thinking maybe a gift basket --he loves food and cooking both--probably not kitchen gadgets but more like interesting/new ingredients (we are in California ). So ya a gift basket of gourmet foods and/or amazing produce or some awesome ingredients. I've looked into frog hollow, I know people love Harry and David, and will look more into Delicious Orchards too.
Open to lots of suggestions! I am also open to gift basket + restaurant gift cert or the like. It just needs to be really special to show how much we appreciate him!
Oh he also loves plants, crochet/knitting, and is a musician.
Penzey’s Spices comes to mind, and they have gift cards. If you want it to be part of a basket.
posted by childofTethys at 3:37 AM on November 6 [6 favorites]
posted by childofTethys at 3:37 AM on November 6 [6 favorites]
Honestly, I'd love a modest gift basket with $200 cash in it.
At a certain point, a lavish gift basket becomes a bit much and a large gift certificate becomes restrictive. I've known friends who receive expensive bonus gifts that were nice but not quite to their taste and it was a sort of awkward, "My boss spent how much on this? They could have just given me the cash." A gift basket with a card with two crisp Benjamins might be nice. (Ten crisp twenties are more spendable though.)
You know them better than I do, but keep this in mind.
posted by AlSweigart at 4:20 AM on November 6 [15 favorites]
At a certain point, a lavish gift basket becomes a bit much and a large gift certificate becomes restrictive. I've known friends who receive expensive bonus gifts that were nice but not quite to their taste and it was a sort of awkward, "My boss spent how much on this? They could have just given me the cash." A gift basket with a card with two crisp Benjamins might be nice. (Ten crisp twenties are more spendable though.)
You know them better than I do, but keep this in mind.
posted by AlSweigart at 4:20 AM on November 6 [15 favorites]
If you like, you could DIY the basket. That allows you to really personalize it. So you could have a distinctive planter from a local ceramics artist, some really nice yarn, local seasonal fruit, a book about his favorite musician, and maybe the centerpiece could be a restaurant gift card.
A year-long membership to something he really likes could also be great.
posted by bunderful at 4:22 AM on November 6 [5 favorites]
A year-long membership to something he really likes could also be great.
posted by bunderful at 4:22 AM on November 6 [5 favorites]
Best answer: I've got a few gift boxes from Here Here Market for coworker pals and they've been well appreciated.
posted by phunniemee at 4:59 AM on November 6
posted by phunniemee at 4:59 AM on November 6
Rancho Gordo! I linked to the "gifts" page, but you could totally make your own gift "basket" by picking anything you want. Comes w rancho gordo branded packing paper, etc. Could be at least part of your solution.
posted by atomicstone at 5:18 AM on November 6 [4 favorites]
posted by atomicstone at 5:18 AM on November 6 [4 favorites]
You could make a more lowkey gift basket and include a huge bouquet of origami dollar bill flowers in it! I'd be pretty stoked to get a $5 basket with $80 worth of gifts in it, topped off with a $200 cash bouquet!
posted by nouvelle-personne at 5:27 AM on November 6
posted by nouvelle-personne at 5:27 AM on November 6
Response by poster: Phunnieme, those look GREAT! I definitely may go that route. To those suggesting cash--I am SO pro cash for so many things, like when families ask what to get their kids' teachers my answer is always a heartfelt card and CASH. However, for this particular gift, I want it to be special/meaningful/curated. Cash feels too impersonal so it is not an option this time around.
posted by bookworm4125 at 5:51 AM on November 6
posted by bookworm4125 at 5:51 AM on November 6
If you think he might enjoy a change from California foods, Zabar's in NYC has gift baskets.
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 6:11 AM on November 6 [3 favorites]
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 6:11 AM on November 6 [3 favorites]
Get an $85 gift basket and a Kala U-bass. Every musician who's held mine has played it with a big grin on their face. Many non-musicians too. It's extremely easy to pick up and play. My local independent luthier/guitar store owner told me these have been his best selling instruments for years bc they are (relatively) inexpensive and everyone loves them. Nobody doesn't like the u-bass, so far as I can tell, even serious bassists think it's fun if not their main choice.
Also if you want it to be memorable and special, durable goods make a bigger impact than anything consumable imo, ymmv.
posted by SaltySalticid at 8:07 AM on November 6 [1 favorite]
Also if you want it to be memorable and special, durable goods make a bigger impact than anything consumable imo, ymmv.
posted by SaltySalticid at 8:07 AM on November 6 [1 favorite]
For California dried fruits and nuts, I've found Bella Viva to be one of the best: https://www.bellaviva.com/
Olympia Provisions out of Portland has great charcuterie boards and baskets:
https://www.olympiaprovisions.com/collections/gift-collection
And Goldbelly features many regional delicacies that can be fun to explore if you know he likes something like Chicago Pizza or NY Bagels.
I'll also say that our family has always loved getting the fruit bouquets from Edible Arrangements, and it looks like there is another place now called Fruit Bouquets that's part of the 1-800-Flowers group. But to get the bouquets you have to be in their delivery area.
posted by drossdragon at 8:29 AM on November 6
Olympia Provisions out of Portland has great charcuterie boards and baskets:
https://www.olympiaprovisions.com/collections/gift-collection
And Goldbelly features many regional delicacies that can be fun to explore if you know he likes something like Chicago Pizza or NY Bagels.
I'll also say that our family has always loved getting the fruit bouquets from Edible Arrangements, and it looks like there is another place now called Fruit Bouquets that's part of the 1-800-Flowers group. But to get the bouquets you have to be in their delivery area.
posted by drossdragon at 8:29 AM on November 6
Jasper Hill cheese baskets have been a hit in my experience.
posted by greenmagnet at 12:54 PM on November 6 [1 favorite]
posted by greenmagnet at 12:54 PM on November 6 [1 favorite]
The Meadow for salt, chocolate, other pantry goods with free shipping for $75+
and maybe plus a nice bouquet from local flower shop?
posted by eyeball at 7:14 PM on November 6 [1 favorite]
and maybe plus a nice bouquet from local flower shop?
posted by eyeball at 7:14 PM on November 6 [1 favorite]
I'm a food writer who sends a lot of gift baskets. I wrote an article during the first year of the pandemic about shipping food (mostly through Goldbelly). There are some good gifts there that might fit the bill.
But really, I came here to say what pepcorn beat me to: Your absolute best bet is Zingerman's. They are incredible, and the quality of items they sell (and some that they bake themselves) is top-notch.
Zingerman's is what Harry & David want to be when they grow up.
posted by yellowcandy at 8:08 PM on November 6 [2 favorites]
But really, I came here to say what pepcorn beat me to: Your absolute best bet is Zingerman's. They are incredible, and the quality of items they sell (and some that they bake themselves) is top-notch.
Zingerman's is what Harry & David want to be when they grow up.
posted by yellowcandy at 8:08 PM on November 6 [2 favorites]
Manhattan Fruitier -- which I'm pretty sure I learned about from someone here! -- have really lovely high-end gift baskets with food/treats that you actually want to eat and enjoy.
posted by rhiannonstone at 8:23 PM on November 6
posted by rhiannonstone at 8:23 PM on November 6
I like Burlap & Barrel for spices and they have some gift sets and subscriptions.
posted by mmoncur at 4:17 AM on November 8
posted by mmoncur at 4:17 AM on November 8
Mod note: [Merry gifting, everyone! We've added this to our list of holiday gift posts on the sidebar and Best Of blog!!]
posted by taz (staff) at 10:46 PM on November 22 [1 favorite]
posted by taz (staff) at 10:46 PM on November 22 [1 favorite]
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posted by bookworm4125 at 3:07 AM on November 6