Category Archives: Holiday

December 6, 2012 · 1:44 pm

How to: Personalized Gift Basket Ideas

At Figi’s, we’re all about giving gifts in good taste. That means using only the best ingredients in our award winning gift baskets, and it means taking the extra step to help you personalize your presents. Each of our baskets are built to provide a great selection of delicious treats for you or someone special in your life, but when you really want to go above and beyond, it can take a little extra something to bring your gift together. Here we break down a few custom gift combos to get you heading in the right direction for a personalized gift they’ll remember.

1. Treat Yourself – A Gift Basket for Busy Moms

For many moms, the best gifts are little things and simple gestures. Vacuuming without being asked, turning your socks right-side out or just calling to say hello can help turn around even the busiest, most stressful days. For special occasions though, a big gesture goes a long way to show your appreciation for everything she does. Show her you care with a hand-written card and a chocolate gift basket brimming with her favorite cocoa treats. See, chocolate is much more than just a traditional desert with a smooth finish; it contains special chemicals that boost certain signals in the brain by increasing endorphins (relieves stress), serotonin levels (anti-depressant), and dopamine production (creates feelings of well-being). With just a bite, you’re giving her the gift of relaxation and an opportunity to wind down by taking time for her – for many moms, this can be one of the best gifts of all!

2. Figi’s Trailmix – A Gorp Guide for the Outdoors-Man

Some guys have to spend time outside to keep their minds at ease. Something about nature just speaks to them, and they’re more than willing to answer when they hear the mountains, woods or river call. You may not be able to give these hardy outdoors-men the wild, but you can make sure they are well equipped for their next adventure!

The first thing anyone needs when striking out for a hike or a camping trip is a quality batch of trail mix. This concoction of nuts and fruit is easy to eat on the go, won’t leave a mess and is really easy to make. Start with a tin of Gourmet Nuts for a solid foundation to your gift, then add an assortment of sun drenched fruit and dried berries from Figis.com. Send these ingredients separately so he can mix them together as he sees best, or opt for a box of our trail-mix that arrives ready to eat. This specially made mix suited to his needs will really help him go the extra mile on his next trip!

3. Cheese Lovers in Paradise

Figi’s was born and aged in Wisconsin, just like our premium Cheese Gifts. If someone you know likes to live free and embrace the international Jimmy Buffet time standard – that it’s always 5 o’clock somewhere – then a Cheese Lovers in Paradise theme is a great way to personalize a classic combination. Send a collection of natural cheeses with a homemade recipe for queso to really get the party started!

4. Grill Sergeant

Send a seasoned barbeque veteran the ultimate brat box for a tour on the grill. Combine a Wild Game Brat Gift Box, sweet & smoky barbeque sauce, stone ground mustard, savory cream cheese and instructions for making perfectly caramelized onions for a carnivorous treat that will make mouths water. These savory links will make even fire-hardened grill masters swoon; just be sure to show up at game time when these bold bratwursts come off the fire!

5. Snow Day Essentials
Snow Day Games

Be ready for an impromptu holiday from school with the young ones this winter by putting together a gift box packed with snow day essentials. Plan ahead by preparing everything you need so when you get the news you’re ready to get going!

First, whip up a Classic Holiday Breakfast with buttermilk pancakes and ham to start the day right. Next, include some hand crafted diagrams for proper snow fort construction, food coloring for tactical team snowball fights, and hot chocolate with extra marshmallows to warm up after a day in the cold. Add a movie to the mix so everyone can relax at the end of the day.

Wrap. Label. Send.

Whatever you decide to include in your personalized gift, make sure it’s relevant to your recipient. No vegetarian will be thrilled to receive an assortment of steaks! Once you have everything together, wrap it up with some festive paper or get creative with your boxing skills, just don’t forget to include a hand-written card to your special someone. If you need more ideas for gifts to personalize and share, stop by Figis.com or let us know on Figi’s Facebook page, and we’d be happy to make some suggestions for you!

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November 16, 2012 · 3:42 pm

Cran-tastic Cranberries

If you’re like most people, you hear the word “cranberry”, and you think “Thanksgiving”! But here at Figi’s, some of us have discovered that cranberries are good in many different forms for all kinds of occasions. We attended the annual Cranberry Festival in Warrens, WI this year for the first time – it’s the largest cranberry festival in the world!

The festival is held in Wisconsin with good reason. Wisconsin grows more cranberries than any other state and produces half of the world’s cranberry supply. And they’re delicious! We sampled cranberry cakes, pies, ice cream, dried cranberries

Photo Credit to the Wisconsin State Cranberry Growers Association

dipped in chocolate, and enjoyed the aroma of candles made with cranberry. We did not, however, find even a hint of the traditional cranberry sauce!

We learned some interesting facts about cranberries, too! They are one of only three commercially produced fruits that are native to North America, along with blueberries and concord grapes. (Of course, this assumes that you think of pumpkins, squash, and tomatoes as vegetables.)

Cranberries are an incredibly nutritious snack, they contain antioxidants that are believed to protect against heart disease, cancer, and more, plus they are reputed to help prevent ulcers. They also contain hippuric acid which has antibacterial effects. With that in mind, the next time you reach for the chips, why

Photo Credit to Wisconsin State Cranberry Growers Association

not replace them with Figi’s healthy and delightful Low Sodium Cranberry Collection, Cranberry Nut Mix, or Cranberry Cheddar?

Figi’s loves to provide tasty cranberry treats to our customers, especially since they are grown just down the road! One of the most beautiful sights in the Wisconsin countryside is the cranberry bog… all those brilliant berries floating in a pool with the lush countryside as a backdrop. These views lead people to believe that cranberries grow in water, but that’s not true. The fact is that cranberry bogs are flooded with water to make them easy to harvest. The berries float to the surface after the fruit is “beaten” off the vine with a harvester. Then it’s scooped up and sent off to become juice or sauce. For fresh cranberries, a picking machine “combs” the fruit from the vines, no water needed. (To learn more, see http://www.wiscran.org/). These berries are available in the produce section at your grocery store for baking and making sauces, salads, and desserts.

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September 14, 2012 · 9:31 am

Delightfully Delicious Halloween Treats

It may only be September, but we just can’t contain our excitement for our Halloween food gifts.

Many people may think Halloween is just a holiday for young children. That couldn’t be further from the truth! There’s no better time to embrace our spooky side with outdoor decorations and (moderately) indulging in tasty snacks.

Pumpkin Fudge

In the coming months, we are going to see pumpkins popping up just about everywhere – in our coffee and in our baked goods. So why not add it to our fudge? Our signature Pumpkin Fudge is the melt-in-your-mouth dessert for those wonderful fall occasions.

Happy Pumpkins Petits Fours

If you enjoy our Season’s Greetings Petits Fours at Christmastime, you’ll love these little cakes. The Happy Pumpkins Petits Fours are yellow and pumpkin spice cake pieces dipped in ribbons of orange and pumpkin buttercreme. No one will be able to say ‘no’ to these smiling faces.

Spiced Pumpkins

Attention cream cheese lovers! These beautiful pumpkins have a wonderful surprise inside. Under a thin and sweet shell lies delicious pumpkin cake and real cream cheese filling. These hand decorated cakes are sure to please you and all of your guests.

Pumpkin Cookie Jar & Cookies

It just isn’t a holiday without cookies! If you’re not already in the Halloween spirit, you need to try these delicious pumpkin cookies. All cookies include a friendly jack-o-lantern cookie jar to be used Halloween after Halloween.

Remember, Halloween is a holiday to be celebrated by the young and young-at-heart! What is your favorite treat for Halloween?

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June 25, 2012 · 7:10 am

Backyard Barbeque Party Basics

When you think about summer, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? The beach, concerts or baseball? We’ve only got one thing on our

Photo Credit to Heather Luis and USDA

minds and that’s barbeque parties! Are you preparing to host one? Find out what you need to do:

Think ahead for easier clean-up

You use nonstick cooking spray inside. Why not bring it outside? The nonstick spray works the same way on the grill as it does in your pots and pans. So spray it on before firing up the grill and, again, after it has been turned off and had a chance to cool down. After you spritz the second time, the cooking spray should push any excess particles to the bottom of the grill, which will then be burned off the next time you grill out.

Keep the drinks cold with ice balloons

Ice is usually used to keep the drinks cold. While it does the trick, it can get messy, especially after it has had time to melt. For a fun and colorful alternative, fill up balloons with water and freeze them. After your cooler has been emptied, you can put your “ice balloons” back in the freezer for re-use or give the kids an opportunity for a water balloon fight.

Keep the food warm, but not burned

Depending on the number of people invited to your barbeque party, your grill may not be large enough to accommodate all of their wants and needs. To keep everyone’s stomach satisfied, you’ll need to have a variety of choices. But how do you grill everything without overcooking? Place a small aluminum foil pan on the grill. Once your brats and hotdogs have been grilled to perfection, stack them up in the pan. Your food will stay warm without getting overcooked.

Have plenty of games available

A barbeque is a chance for people to meet new friends. Games make excellent ice-breakers. Make sure to have plenty of games on hand to keep everyone entertained. Frisbee or beanbag toss make great choices for outdoor games. Have them set out and ready to play.

Get creative with your party décor

Everyone wants their house to be looking its best when they have company, but you don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars on décor. It’s likely you have decorations all over your home. Are you a gardener? Use different flower pots as a utensil holder. Are you a jar collector? Go find a few wildflowers and you’ll have a season-appropriate centerpiece. Use your imagination and let your personality shine through!

These are just a few items we think are essential for a fun barbeque party. What else do you think is important?

For more fun grilling and party planning ideas,

Check out our “Backyard Barbeque Party Basics” pinboard on Pinterest.

Cheese: The MVP of Super Bowl Appetizers

Although we are disappointed our Green Bay Packers did not make it to the Super Bowl again this year; we are excited to watch the New England Patriots and New York Giants battle for the Super Bowl XLVI Championship title.

Photo Credit to Figi’s Gifts in Good Taste

Some may say that Super Bowl Sunday is the easiest “holiday” of the year. You don’t need to buy presents for loved ones or decorate your home with seasonal trimmings. All you need to do is provide enough comfortable seating and tasty snacks.

When it comes to snacks, Buffalo wings and 7-layer dip may be the first munchies to come to mind, but both require a lot of work to prepare. Cheese is one of the easiest appetizers you can serve at your Super Bowl party. Use the following tips to create a victorious game day cheese assortment.

Choose Your Cheese Selection

The best cheese platters have variety. When deciding which cheese to use, choose blocks from different categories.

Semi-hard: Cheddar, Colby, Gouda and Swiss
Semi-soft: Brick, Monterey Jack and Ricotta
Soft-ripened: Brie and Camembert

Broaden Your Pairings

Here at Figi’s, we love meat and cheese gifts, but we also know that there are many more excellent pairings. The most popular cheese partners are fruit, vegetables and nuts. To discover winning cheese combinations, check out the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board Cheese Pairing Guide.

Make Your Cheese Platter Unique

Who says cookie cutters are just for cookies? Break away from typical sliced cheese tray by adding different shapes. If you are really in the Super Bowl spirit, take a look at these football-shaped cookie cutters.

Remove Tray From Refrigerator Before Serving

Take your platter out of the refrigerator about an hour before your hungry guests arrive. Cheese tastes outstanding at room temperature.

Cheese may be the MVP of Super Bowl appetizers, but when you serve it, you will be the MVP of Super Bowl party hosting. What else will you be serving your family and friends on Game Day?

New Year’s Resolution Self Check

It’s now the second week in January; how are you doing with your New Year’s

Photo Credit to Iwan Gabovitch

Resolution?

If you are having trouble getting motivated, you are definitely not the first and you will most certainly not be the last. As a matter of fact, a 2007 study states that nearly 88 percent of all New Year Resolutions fail.

Don’t let this unsettling statistic discourage you! We have tips to help you succeed:

Focus on only one resolution

Many people use the New Year as an opportunity to make several resolutions. While this is very ambitious, it may actually deter you from achieving your goals. By setting multiple resolutions, you very well maybe spreading yourself too thin. Rather than making two or three resolutions, just make and focus on one.

Set realistic, straight forward goals

One of the most common New Year’s Resolutions is to lose weight; again, very ambitious, but not very specific. Rather than giving yourself a generic goal, be more definite. Your new New Year Resolution could be to lose 1 pound a week or 5 pounds in a month. By setting specific goals, you will set yourself up for success.

Don’t give up

Did you know recent studies show that it takes at least 66 days to form a habit? This means that if your New Year’s Resolution is to exercise more, don’t be surprised if you struggle to get started. Just keep reminding yourself of your goal and be patient. If you can make it until March 6, you can rest assured that your habit will stick with you.

No one said keeping a New Year’s Resolutions was going to be easy. How do you plan on keeping your New Year’s Resolution in 2012?

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December 30, 2011 · 8:41 am

New Year, New Resolution

Photo Credit to Nigel Howe

Where did the year go? It seems like it was only yesterday that we were celebrating the coming of 2011; now the year has already come and gone within the blink of an eye. It’s true what they say; each year goes faster than the last. And now it’s time for everyone’s most dreaded annual decision: the New Year Resolution. As you know New Year Resolutions are certainly not new; however, you may not realize just how old they really are.

Let’s travel back in time about 4,000 years to ancient Babylon. In those days, calendars had not yet been developed so residents used late March (the beginning of spring) as the unofficial start of the New Year. The Babylonians were firm believers that the first intentions of the year would be reflected in the days to follow.

To make their good intentions clear, the Babylonian people created New Year Resolutions. The most popular resolution at that time was to remember to return borrowed farm equipment.

You could say times have changed since 2000 BC. In the past two years, the top New Year Resolutions have been to:

Lose weight and/or exercise daily
Spend more time with family and friends
Improve financial situation by getting out of debt

Will you be making a New Year Resolution this year? If so, what do you hope to accomplish in 2012? We will be checking in with you in the middle of January. Good luck!

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December 19, 2011 · 4:18 pm

(More) Fun Facts About Top Christmas Songs

Photo Credit to Frits Ahlefeldt-Laurvig

After our last post, Fun Facts About the Top Christmas Songs of All Time, we learned from our readers that we missed quite a few popular Christmas songs. So we have decided to write a sequel. Here are more fun facts about popular Christmas songs.

Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree

Although “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” was first released by Brenda Lee in 1958, it did not hit the charts that year or the following year. By 1960, Lee became well known for other hits such as “I’m Sorry” and “Sweet Nothin’s” and “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” finally caught on to become a Christmas classic.

Frosty the Snowman

“Frosty the Snowman” was first recorded by Gene Autry as a follow-up to his successful recording of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” It is considered to be a Christmas song; however, Christmas is not mentioned once in the song.

Jingle Bells

The words and music for “Jingle Bells” were written by American Composer James S. Pierpont in 1857. The original title was “One Horse Open Sleigh.” The song contains a third verse which is rarely sung

Now the ground is white
Go it while you’re young,
Take the girls to night
And sing this sleighing song;
Just get bob-tailed bay
Two forty as his speed.
Hitch him to an open sleigh
And crack, you’ll take the lead

All I Want for Christmas (Is My Two Front Teeth)

Donald Gardner wrote the story in 1944 while substitute teaching for a second grade class. His inspiration for the song came after asking his students what they wanted for Christmas. He couldn’t help but notice that nearly all of his students were missing at least one front tooth. He wrote the song in only 30 minutes.

Silent Night

The story of “Silent Night” began in modern-day Austria in December 1818. A parish priest named Josef Mohr was upset that his church organ broke and would not be fixed by Christmas. He told his friend, Franz Gruber who just so happened to be a headmaster and amateur composer. He took a Christmas poem that Josef had written him nearly two years prior and set it to music. That Christmas Eve, the church had music after all. Josef played his guitar and the pair sang the first “Silent Night.”

Did we miss any more popular Christmas songs? What are your favorites?

Fun Facts About the Top Christmas Songs of All Time

It seems like no matter where you go, you just cannot get away from the music of Christmas. You hear it in the stores, you hear it in the car and you hear it at home. You probably know the following songs very well, but you may not know some of these fun facts.

Photo Credit to Mykl Roventine

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

In the late 1930s, department stores bought and distributed coloring books each holiday season. In 1939, Montgomery Ward thought they could save money by writing their own; copywriter Robert L. May was given the assignment. “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” came from May’s own childhood difficulties as the smallest boy in his class. The story was made into a song when May’s brother-in-law, Johnny Marks, developed the music and melody.

White Christmas

Written by Irving Berlin, “White Christmas” is thought to be the most popular Christmas song ever. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Bing Crosby’s version is the best-selling single of all time. The song was originally written to capture holiday nostalgia. It was a story about a New Yorker stuck in California at Christmas. The song has been re-recorded over 50 times since its first release in the early 1940s.

I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus

Jimmy Boyd recorded the Christmas classic when he was only 13 years old. Many people thought the song was too risqué and was banned from play in multiple radio stations. Columbia Records had to appeal to the Council of Churches to clear the ban. The appeal worked and “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” became a Christmas favorite.

The Christmas Song

Song writing partners Mel Torme and Bob Wells took turns going over to each other’s houses to write songs. One smoldering hot day in July, Mel drove to Bob’s home. When he arrived, he could not find Bob, but found words written on an open spiral note pad. It said “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Jack Frost nipping at your nose, Yuletide Carols being sung by a choir, folks dressed up like Eskimos.” Mel asked Bob what these words were and he said he was trying to mentally cool himself down by writing about a totally different season. The duo wrote the rest of the song in 35 minutes.

The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late)

David Seville was inspired to write “The Chipmunk Song” in 1958 when his son kept asking him if it was Christmas yet; he assumed he was not the only parent with a child overly excited about the upcoming holiday. “The Chipmunk Song” was the last Christmas song to hit #1 on the US Billboard Pop 100 Chart.

Who knew the Christmas classics had such history? What are your favorite classic Christmas songs?

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December 5, 2011 · 2:53 pm

The Short Story of St. Nicholas

Photo Credit to Erik Abderhalden

Tonight, children all around the world will hang their stockings or set their shoes by the back door before bed. They will then have to try and contain their excitement until the morning to see what goodies St. Nick has brought. St. Nicholas sounds astonishingly similar to Santa Claus, so why exactly do we celebrate St. Nick Day two and a half weeks prior to Christmas?

St. Nicholas was born during the 3^rd Century in the village of Patara, land now known as Turkey. Nicholas was taught, at an early age, the value of helping the less fortunate. He inherited his parents’ wealth after they died in a tragic epidemic. Nicholas then gave it all away to help the sick, the needy and the suffering.

He wanted to help people in secret. Nicholas’ signature gesture was to leave small bags of gold in stockings and shoes. He became known all around the land for his generosity.

St. Nicholas died on December 6, 343 AD. The anniversary of his death became a day of celebration to honor his life. The Feast of St. Nicholas has been celebrated since that time in Europe; however, the tradition followed the first American immigrants.

Throughout the years, the custom has been changed. In the United States, St. Nicholas has become the model for the modern day Santa Claus. Although St. Nicholas Day is celebrated by a few, Christmas remains the primary gift-giving holiday.

Do you celebrate the Feast of St. Nicholas? If so, how do you observe the holiday?

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Category Archives: Holiday

How to: Personalized Gift Basket Ideas

Cran-tastic Cranberries

Delightfully Delicious Halloween Treats

Backyard Barbeque Party Basics

Cheese: The MVP of Super Bowl Appetizers

New Year’s Resolution Self Check

New Year, New Resolution

(More) Fun Facts About Top Christmas Songs

Fun Facts About the Top Christmas Songs of All Time

The Short Story of St. Nicholas

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