Of all the gift basket themes made every day for all occasions, there are three that your business can thrive on throughout the year.

• Baby – No matter what the economy woman worldwide give birth, and friends and families celebrate with lavish baskets for the newborn and mom.
• Thank You - Appreciation for good deeds and favors are acknowledged in style with designs packaged in everything from mugs to trunks depending on the helper’s age and budget.
• Happy Birthday – As you read this, someone’s special day is being celebrated today. That someone is in your local area, and part of their celebration requires a friend or family member to order a birthday basket from you.

There is a runner-up theme that’s just as popular as the three mentioned above. Take a guess — which one is it?

Shirley George Frazier

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1. Ideas to Promote Your Father’s Day Gift Baskets

I couldn’t get Elaine McCool’s thoughtful comment to this baby baskets article I wrote earlier in the month off my mind.

Elaine is concerned, and rightfully so, about the new Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) that goes into effect in February. You can read more about it on the Toy Industry Association Web site.

For clarification, here is the focus of the CPSIA, quoted directly from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s Web site:

“Beginning February 10, 2009, children’s products cannot be sold if they contain more than 600 parts per million (ppm) total lead. Certain children’s products manufactured on or after February 10, 2009 cannot be sold if they contain more than 0.1% of certain specific phthalates or if they fail to meet new mandatory standards for toys.”

The bottom line, as I interpret it, is that the children’s products you purchase to create infant, baby, and children’s gift baskets, must pass rigorous testing for lead before placing it on store shelves for consumer purchase and including it within your baskets.

All of the mass produced, low quality, untested products shipped into the United States and sold by big box stores – the same products attributed to lost jobs and a sour economy – are now affecting us in a new, sinister way.

If you’re unsure about the quality of the targeted products in your inventory, contact the manufacturer to learn if it can be sold or if it must be discarded.

This is a huge problem that affects your investment money; however, it may become a legal problem for you if it’s added to a gift basket.

Suppliers that sell these items to us and retailers that sell baby products to the public are no doubt reeling, and some may go out of business. I’m hoping none of you are headed for closure.

There may be one bright spot in this matter – organic goods. Organics are made under specific guidelines, and even though it’s still necessary to make sure manufacturers and suppliers are within the law, organic infant and children’s goods may be out of harm’s way.

See the Organic Wholesale Supplies site for companies that will fill the void while the shakeout continues.

Thank you, Elaine, for voicing your concerns. Does anyone else have an opinion about baby goods and the new law?

Shirley George Frazier

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With every year change comes many stories about first babies and gift baskets. Here’s one such story published on KY3.com of Missouri.

You’ll see a photo of the newborn but not the gift basket mentioned in the article.

New babies are one occasion that keeps some designers very, very busy. As you read this, thousands of infants are born, and a gift basket will be ordered for many of them.

This is why some designers specialize in this gift and drop ship sources exclusively for baby gift baskets also exist. This specialty will always be requested worldwide.

I made two videos about baby gift baskets. One shows a large design, and another displays pre-made gifts in cute containers available from Stephan Enterprises. You’ll also find a list of potential products for babies on the products and supplies page.

If you still want to dabble in gifts for babies and want to offer something other than traditional baskets, this diaper gift at RetailWraps.com may be a great alternative.

Many of my baby gift designs, especially the ones created in upturned umbrellas, are topped with fans. One designer asked me about fan toppers at Ask The Gift Basket Expert, which is answered here.

Which of your baby gift baskets is ordered most often?

Shirley George Frazier

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