Gourmet Smoked Salmon now used in Outer Space?

Who would have figured that one of the products we use (and love) has actually been choosen by NASA to be on the menu for the Endeavour Astronauts. Seachange Savouries - Smoked Salmon Pate - An award winning Canadian product proudly made in BC.

Just how does NASA choose the foods that will accompany the Astronauts into outerspace? According to the Tom Hawthorn of The Globe and Mail:

"Seachange Savouries fish has been poked and prodded – not to mention analyzed, sampled and tested – by a bevy of finicky dietitians and food scientists at the Space Food Systems Laboratory at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. Agriculture Canada and the Canadian Space Agency also conducted four sessions in which foods were evaluated for taste, colour, texture and appearance.

Most importantly, the smoky treats had to pass a tasting panel of the most discriminating palates – the astronauts who will spend weeks in orbit without thebenefit of ordering take-out on a whim.

Not so long ago, astronauts endured meals in which appetizers were reduced to bite-sized cubes, and entrees were consumed by squeezing a semi-liquid from an aluminum tube. This was washed down by a glass of powdery Tang. Yum. By comparison, today's foodstuffs are an epicure's delight."

Congratulations to Seachange Savouries. Gifts for EveryReason, is proud to continue it's support for their company valuesand Award Winning (and Tasty) products.

Click HERE to read the whole story.
Courtesy of Tom Hawthorn — Globe and Mail, Tuesday, Jun. 16, 2009

Raising the Bar - new line of Healthy Choice Gifts

New Raising the Bar Gift Basket is part of our Health Choice Gifts.

We have Diabetic Baskets which contain sugar free products. Great tasting and perfect for sharing with everyone. Items such as Crackers, No sugar added Ontario Apple Butter Jam, Smoked Salmon, Vegetable Antipasto, Herbal Teas, Assorted Nuts, Candies and Chocolates sweetened with Malitol instead of Sugar.

We also have a line of All Natural Gift Baskets containing products that have no additives or perservatives. Great for those concerned with sending only the best that can be offered.

Look for upcoming updates as we continue our search for more great tasting healthy choice products. Have a recomandation? Feel free to drop us a line and share your healthy choices ideas - info@giftsforeveryreason.com

Online Shopping Tips - How Safe is it?

The number one reason shoppers do not make purchases online is because they have concerns about credit card security. The news media sometimes have stories of commercial websites being infiltrated by computer hackers, or credit card numbers being stolen online. However, these days, it is more common that thieves will get hold of your credit card information in a restaurant or gas station.

When shopping online, there are several things you can do to help ensure a safe shopping experience.

1. When using a credit card online, make sure you are on a "secure" site before you give your name, address or credit card details. Look for a padlock or a key symbol, which are usually in the bottom corner of your screen or for a policy that indicates use of strong security technology such as SSL. On a secure site, your information is scrambled into code, (encrypted) before being sent over the Internet, and stored on a secure database.

2. Even better is to look to see if the company you are purchasing from uses an online credit card processing company. Sensitive information is sent directly to their highly secure site where address verification and Visa/ Master Card security codes are used to catch fraudulent cards. (InternetSecure is one example of a secure credit card hosting company. They are one of the largest and most reliable payment processing networks in North America processing over a billion transactions annually.)

3. Avoiding sending your credit card details in an email, this is not a secure means of transmitting information and can be copied easily to others.

4. Check website privacy policies, returns and guarantees. If in doubt, call or email the company you want to purchase from. A reputable company will be more then willing to help answer any questions you may have.

5. Be sure to keep a paper trail. Print out the seller’s contact information, a copy of your receipt, a page describing the item you ordered, and the email confirming the order.

6. And finally, if you are ever in doubt about whether you should give out your credit card information, CALL the Customer Service number found on the back of your Visa, Master Card or American Express, and ask THEM if the company you are dealing with is a "SAFE AND SECURE" company to give personal information to.

Gifts for Every Reason is one of those companies!
Have a safe and enjoyable shopping experience.

Traditions of Sitting Shiva

In the Jewish mourning tradition, mourners of the deceased will usually sit shiva. As someone close to the mouner or to the deceased, it is appropriate that you pay a shiva call.

A shiva call takes place usually in the mourner's home. Often before entering the shiva house, there will be some water and hand towels which you can use to purify your hands. Especially on the first day if coming from the cemetary, washing your hands is appropriate. When entering the house, you may notice a tall candle burning. Since shiva takes place for 7 days, these candles are designed to burn for 7 days and are often provided by the funeral home.

The mourners typically have the mirrors covered, may not wear make up or shave. It's also common for those in mourning during the shiva period to sit lower than everyone else. This is a sign of humility and being brought closer to the earth.

As is typical for Jewish get-togethers, there is often quite a bit of food and drinks available. It is common for the friends and Jewish community to provide enough food for the mourners because they aren't epected to entertain guests or even to do their own cooking during the shiva period.

You should feel comfortable to bring some food to leave at the shiva house. This is always appreciated and is better than bringing flowers or other types of gifts and yes, you should bring kosher food.

It's common that the mourners may not greet their guests and this is not considered rude. You're free to come into the shiva house, walk around and talk with whomever you wish. It's appropriate to greet the mourner with "I'm sorry for your loss" or "If there is anything I can do to help, please let me know". This is better than "How are you" as clearly they are not well emotionally.

The period of shiva is dedicated to grieving and so if the mood in the house is solemn. It is very appropriate to tell a story about the deceased or to share some memories. Sometimes there will be a photo album on the table and it's appropriate to look through it with or without the mourner with you.

If you're not comfortable bringing food, another great gift is to make a donation to a charity that the deceased supported. For example, if they were close emotionally with Israel, you can plant a tree in Israel. If they were supporters of education, you can make a charitable contribution for that. Often at the funeral they will announce a charity that has been selected by the family.

Although the best way to show your support to the family in mourning is in person, it is also appropriate to send a card or a Kosher Shiva Gift Basket if you cannot make a shiva call if you are out of town or for other reasons.

The Best place to find authentic Kosher Shiva Gift Baskets to send anywhere in Canada is, Gifts for Every Reason. Free Delivery in Toronto, NewMarket, Thornhill and Mississauga. Only $5 delivery fee to Montreal. All Kosher Baskets are clearly labelled with Kosher symbols to easily identify items.

(Excerts taken from Kaddish Bands - http://kaddishbands.com/how-to-pay-a-shiva-call/)

Canada Shipping Areas

Gifts for Every Reason ships Gift Baskets to the following areas and all points between via Fed Ex Ground. Delivery is only $5 and travel times are 1 to 2 days. Visit our website for more details:

Ontario:
Barrie, Belleville, Brantford, Brock, Brockville, Caledon, Cambridge, Carleton, Chatham, Clarington, Cochrane, Collingwood, Cornwall, East Gwillimbury, Elgin Elliot Lake, Flamborough, Fort Erie, Fort Frances, Gananoque, Georgina, Glanbrook, Gloucester, Goulbourn, Gravenhurst, Grimsby, Guelph, HaltonHalton Hills, Hamilton-Wentworth, Hearst, Huntsville, Ingersoll, Kanata, Renfrew, Kincardine, Sarnia, Kingston, Kirkland Lake, Kitchener, Larder, Lake Leamington, Lennox-Addington, Lincoln, Lindsay, London, Merrickville, Nepean, Niagara, Niagara Falls, Niagara-on-the-Lake, North Bay, North Dorchester, North Dumfries, Norwich, Orangeville, Orillia, Osgoode, Ottawa, Ottawa-Carleton, Owen Sound, Oxford, Peterborough, Port Bruce, Port Burwell, Sault Ste. Marie, Scugog, Sioux Lookout, Smiths Falls, St. Thomas, Stratford, Sudbury, Temagami, Thorold, Thunder Bay, Tillsonburg, Timmins, Wasaga Beach, Waterloo, Welland, Lincoln, Wilmot, Windsor, Woolwich

Fathers Day Gift Basket Toronto and Canada

What do you send for the Dad who has everything? LOTS!

Gifts for Every Reason has a wide assortment of unique and affordable Gift Baskets. ALL hand made by us on site to ensure quality and freshness.

Choose from Golf Gift Baskets with Magazine subscription, Outdoors theme, Tim Hortons Coffee Baskets, NHL Toronto Maple Leafs and so much more. Or Customize any of our baskets your own way!

Quantities are limited. Order early to ensure your gift arrives in time for Fathers Day!

Visit http://www.giftsforeveryreason.com/ to view catalogue and secure online shopping.

Mothers Day Gift Baskets in Canada

Well its that time of the year again when we are called upon to find just the right gift for mom.

Sure flowers are the easy way to go. I mean what woman doesn't like getting flowers? Whether it's her favourite flower, colour or something totally unique flowers are a safe choice.

Looking for something more unique? More personal and thoughtful? Perhaps something she'll actually use and cherish? Then think of Gift Baskets. Gifts for Every Reason has the perfect gifts for Mothers Day, Food Baskets, Pampering Spa gifts, Diabetic Gift Baskets, Speciality Tea and Coffee Baskets, or opt for something custom made with some of her favourite things. You'll never go wrong with a Gift Basket from Gifts For Every Reason.

Did we mention FREE DELIVERY in Toronto, Oshawa, Pickering, Scarborough, Mississauga, Oakville, Hamilton, Markham, Thornhill, Richmond Hill, Newmarket, Brampton and lots more areas! We even deliver across CANADA for only $5-$10 !!!

No hassle, safe and secure shopping. Visit our website to see over 100 designs. All assembly done right on site to ensure freshness and quality!

Happy Mothers Day!

Easter Gifts and Gift Baskets in Canada

If you can't be with loved ones this Easter, consider sending a unique Easter Gift Basket. Perfect for the young and the young at heart. Everything from Easter Chocolates, to gourmet foods to even sugar free items.

We also carry a nice assortment of SPA gift Baskets, NHL Gifts and of course new Baby gifts. There is something for everyone. Don't see what you like? Gifts for Every Reason, can customize most of our gift baskets to suit your special needs and price point.

Bring a smile to someone's face this holiday and send a professionally made, fresh Gift Basket.

oh - and did we mention? There is FREE delivery to Toronto and surrounding areas. Shipping across Canada for just $5-$10 !

Gifts for Every Reason - Where we treat every customer as if they are our ONLY customer!

FREE DELIVERY - FREE SHIPPING

NEW for February 2009 - FREE Local HAND delivery to Toronto and surrounding areas in the GTA.

Next day, Hand delivery - yes, we said HAND delivery, to Toronto and GTA. Other basket companies may offer free shipping but it's only on Fed Ex ground deliveries taking a minimum of 2 days for shipping.

Gifts for Every Reason, is now offering FREE NEXT DAY, Hand delivery (not in a box) to Toronto. We are also working on a system that will allow us to send confirmations on our hand delivered items. No other Gift Basket Company in Ontario can offer that!

We know that customers expect more and to keep our customers happy, we have to have a higher standard of service and product. We will be focusing on including more Canadian made items and of course, more exclusive Gourmet foods. Ice Wine chocolate Truffles, Gourmet Maple Fudge, Hand made Cookies, Belguin Chocolate coated Almond Brittle, No Sugar added Jams and Jellies and British Crackers to just name a few.

And as always, PLEASE send us your feedback. Good or Bad we want to hear from you. With the economy slow down, this is the perfect time for Gifts for Every Reason, to re-examine our business. Our aim for this year is not to "survive" the economy but to prosper by bringing our customers what they are asking for. BETTER products, BETTER service and BETTER prices. So let us know if we need to do anything different.

Look for our complete line of new items coming in September 2009.

Happy New Year 2009 !

Considering the turmoil with the Canadian Economy, we thought we would take a big hit to our Christmas sales in December 2008. Shockingly, it was our busiest year to date and it was all we could do to keep up with the orders.

Surprisingly, this year we sold out of all our largest Gift Baskets first. Even our $500 size went.

Our Valentines Day gift Baskets are already online and selling fast. Look for new Purim, Passover and Easter gifts to be online in shortly.

We’ve also listened to our customers and will be bringing in some tasty new products to add to our line of gourmet upscale foods. We've expanded our Healthy section to include not only Diabetic and sugar free gifts, but healthy Loose leaf Tea baskets and new, All Natural baskets filled with products containing no artificial colour or preservatives

Our commitment to service, quality and award winning designing are some the things that make us stand out from our competition. Remember when ordering online, to make sure you see a physical address and that it states they assemble their baskets in house. Otherwise, you could be slapped with hundreds of dollars in duty/ Brokerage fees (if the company is in the USA) or a premade basket assembled months before containing expired unedible items.

Gifts for Every Reason, wishes everyone a healthy and prosperous upcoming 2009 Year.