Giving on Valentine’s day is more than just a box of chocolate - it's a gesture that represents and means so much more. What a great opportunity to thank the people who bring love and joy into our lives! We take these emotional heartfelt elements of Valentine’s Day and incorporate them into every gift we create.

While the holiday's shows of affection have traditionally focused mainly on romance, we love the idea of spreading love even further to the many different types of relationships that are important to us. Whether you're celebrating Pal-entine's Day or Gal-entine's Day, or if you're spending it with someone special, we have you covered with the perfect gift for the ones you love.

Our Glam to Go and Head to Toe for Him luxury gift sets are as unique as your love. It's a gift that might not be expected but certainly will be enjoyed!

Looking for something more classic? We love a modern gourmet twist on a timeless box of chocolates and our Chocolate Couture line offers just that. And with our Valentine's Day themed gift baskets, there's something for the chocolate lover, cookie lover and everyone in between!

Looking to express your softer “fuzzy” side? Our Bear Hug is an irresistibly fun and sure to put a smile on someone's face. How cute is that? Perfect for the young and the young at heart.

With gifts delivered straight to your Valentine's door, we've made it easy to send a gesture of love and appreciation to anyone you're thinking of. Make their day just a tiny bit sweeter! And remember, no one is alone on Valentine's Day when we celebrate all the different kinds of love that make our lives so rich.

xoxoxo

The Nutcracker Team

Isn't it just the most wonderful time of the year? The first snows of the season, the twinkling lights, the music, the parties. Amidst everything to enjoy, it can sometimes be hard to squeeze in the shopping and planning that needs to be done!

While we all love the idea of the festive season, the reality of this time of year is that it can be stressful, tiring, and yes, downright expensive. Between planning, cooking, shopping and the other million-and-one things to do, Christmas time can get crazy. These tasks can, unfortunately, ruin the season for us. We want to be able to enjoy the dusting of snow sparkling on our lawn and the hot cocoa while watching Frosty on TV – but we are often interrupted by the craziness of gift giving, planning, and the other million-and-one things on our plates.

During this holiday season, we encourage you not to let the logistics and planning ruin your holiday spirit and cheer. Turn it into an organized process, one that happens early on, so that you don’t have to worry at the last minute. Finding a way to make it methodical and fun will help you stay organized. In turn, this means you will have less to stress about when it gets down to crunch time (a few days before Christmas and everything closes). Luckily, we’ve got some tips for making gift giving easy.

Santa Claus was on to something when he made a list and checked it twice. It’s always smart to start your gift-giving process by making a list. Write down everyone you need a gift for, a couple options of gifts for each person, where those gifts can be purchased, and your goal purchase date. Double check the list with your spouse to make sure you haven’t forgotten anyone, or that you don’t have someone on there that you don’t really need to buy a gift for. Starting this early can also help with doing research on sales: you might find that a certain item is on sale for a limited time – hop on that right away!

Once you have all your information on a list, you can decide the order of your shopping. Some gifts need to be purchased earlier than others, such as gifts for your kids’ teachers, your boss or secretary, or friends’ holiday parties. Make sure you purchase your gifts in order of when you will need to distribute them. This way, you will keep your brain ‘in order’ and help make sure that you actually give your gift on time.

Another way to make sure you stick to your list is to organize your shopping based on the locations of different stores. If you notice that many of the stores you are buying gifts from are at your local mall or in the same area, try and get all of those presents on the same day – that way you don’t have to make the trip back and forth. Everyone knows malls are busy and crowded at this time of year, they run out of merchandise, and don’t even get us started on the parking lots! Avoid going back at all costs!

And, if you notice that you will have to go to a special store or distant location for a gift, make sure you do this shopping earlier rather than later. This helps you to avoid last minute stress like traffic or running out of stock.

The gift purchasing process is never complete until the gift is wrapped, labelled and ready to go! So, while you may have purchased all your gifts on time, or even early, make sure you don’t leave all your wrapping and decorations until the last minute. This process can actually take some time to do properly.

One way to meet all of your gift-giving needs is to order a gift basket. Once you’ve made your list, especially for friends, colleagues, or loved ones that live far from you, you will most likely see that their wish lists can be satisfied by one of our baskets from our wide selection! If you’ve got a foodie friend, we’ve got baskets with cheeses, tapenades and gourmet crackers that are sure to impress and hit the spot. For coworkers with a sweet tooth, one of our chocolate towers is sure to please! For friends or even clients with kids, our holiday-themed baskets are youthful and fun, leaving a lasting impression.

The best part about buying gift baskets for your Christmas presents is that you eliminate having to go to the store, running around to a million places, doing the wrapping, and delivering yourself. When you order a basket from us, whether it is a special Christmas basket or one of our year-round baskets, we will decorate and wrap it in Christmas theme for you. And, we’ll make sure to deliver it promptly and professionally to your recipient, leaving yet another less thing for you to do! Help yourself out and make your gift giving process that much easier. Make your list, check it twice, and order a basket from Nutcracker Sweet for your loved ones!

Thanksgiving has come and gone, the Halloween candy has been eaten, and winter holidays are just around the corner. What better time than now to hit pause on the joys of over-indulging? True to our name, we love our sweets - but we also know that switching things up to opt for healthier choices doesn't have to be dull. We've come up with a few ways to celebrate special occasions without overdoing it. Plus, we have some gifts of our own that work for more health-conscious individuals or those with dietary restrictions! Tip 1: Put their wishes first “Come on, just have one little cupcake.” “Please? I made them myself.” “Having just one won’t ruin your diet.” Ever heard these types of phrases being said to a friend or family member who is trying to watch what they eat? At some point or another, we’ve all said it to someone or have had it said to us. While encouraging people to eat “just one” is well-intended, it can be harmful to someone trying to stick to what they think is best for themselves. It's probably true that having just one cupcake, or just one slice of cake, or just a few fries, or whatever the food, will not de-rail someone’s entire regimen - but that's a choice for them to make. When we give unhealthy food gifts to others that are watching their health, we unintentionally disregard their needs. As the gift giver, we're trying to do something special for the other person and that includes finding things within their boundaries! Not sure what they can and can’t have? Don't be afraid to ask! Most people will be pleased to tell you what they are trying to stay away from if it means they will get a gift that they can actually enjoy. Tip 2: Cater to their tastes without the pressure If you do want to give something “unhealthy”, make sure it's non-perishable! Let them know that you want them to enjoy and indulge at a time of their choosing. This way you take the pressure off of them and make sure that the gift is about the recipient, not the giver! Tip 3: Skip the Food Altogether If not knowing what someone can and can't have is making the gift-giving process trickier than you bargained for, maybe it's time to get creative! With our spa collection, delivering sweet sentiments doesn't have to involve even a grain of sugar. Sometimes playing it safe can be the best solution for all involved. No matter what you choose, a gift basket is an incredible way to give a gift to someone you care about, especially a foodie! While many gift baskets are filled with chocolates, candies, chips and other unhealthy treats, there are also many gift baskets that contain healthier versions of these foods! Getting a health-conscious foodie a healthy gift basket is a great way of showing that you care. It demonstrates that you know their needs and concerns, and that you were willing to work with these in order to get them the perfect gift that they can actually enjoy. Nutcracker Sweet is proud to offer luxurious, delicious, and thoughtful healthy food baskets for all health-conscious foodies. As well, we cater our health-conscious gift baskets to  people with other dietary restrictions like allergies. With brands like Made Good, Charlie and Sam’s, Castello and more, we may be leaving the sugar and salt behind, but we are keeping the luxury and taste on board. Ordering one of these baskets for your health-conscious foodie friends will be sure to show you care and leave a lasting impression. We are also proud that many of our more health-conscious baskets also take veganism, peanut allergies, and non-sweet lovers into consideration, so we truly have something for everyone! When you put others' needs first, cater to their tastes, and find ways to keep their dietary restrictions in mind, your gift can be a help, not a hindrance, to your health-conscious foodie!

Between barbecues, birthdays, housewarmings and good old-fashioned dinner parties, the summer months are always filled with great reasons to gather with friends and family. When someone else is hosting, enjoying food and company without any of the prep or clean up can feel like a much needed break from the stresses of our busy lives. While hosts are happy to put in the effort needed for you to sit back and relax, it always feels good to show your appreciation! When you want to find a gift that shows your gratitude and suits your host's tastes, it can sometimes be tricky without the guidance of a holiday or specific occasion narrowing down your choices. For when you're just not sure about what to get them, here are our tips to find the perfect thank-you for the hosts of the next summer party you attend! 1. Sharing is Caring What kind of atmosphere are your hosts trying to create for their guests? At a barbecue or casual meal, you can often bring something that will be used the day of the get-together: a bottle of wine, appetizers or a contribution to the dessert menu. This way, you contribute to the party while demonstrating to your hosts that you are appreciative of their generosity. Our line of shareable gourmet baskets, our famous Party Pleaser trays, and our wine or champagne add-ons all make for beautiful, delicious and stress-free contributions that the whole group can enjoy. 2. Know When to Save It for Later At a more formal get-together, sometimes it's best to plan for a gift that won't be used at the party itself. The gathering may have been catered, or carefully cooked and planned, and the hosts may simply want to serve their guests what they had in mind. For this kind of get together, it's often safer to bring a more personalized gift that the hosts can enjoy on their own after the evening has come and gone. Whether it be a gift from our spa collection, an elegant set of luxury chocolates or a smaller more personalized gift basket, we have plenty of options that suit this scenario. 3. It's The Thought That Counts Often hosts may tell you not to bring anything at all - some of us will take them at their word, while others may feel more comfortable bringing something anyway. Neither decision is right or wrong, but the important thing is taking the time to think of a gesture that will be well received. Our gift baskets are designed to appeal to a wide range of tastes, so you can rest assured that whether the hosts are close friends or casual acquaintances, you're not going to miss the mark. Over 35 years of gifting, we've come to know that some gifts simply never go out of style. Pro-tip: send your gift-shy host a thank-you to be delivered the day after their party! They'll be pleasantly surprised and more able to enjoy the gift after the stress and excitement of their party has passed. 4. When In Doubt, Give Us a Shout Whether you're sending a gift to your host before or after, or need to pick up something last-minute to take with you, we've got you covered! We think long and hard about all aspects of a gift so that you can get back to enjoying yourself in good company.  

The months of May and June are two of the busiest of the whole year. Between the coming of spring, Mother’s Day, the end of school coming up, and summer being on the horizon, by the time we get to June we often find ourselves overloaded with plans. We’ve got graduations, soccer games, barbecues, school concerts, and cottage weekends planned, and often once Mother’s Day is over, we breathe a sigh of relief. Because we’re still so busy afterwards, Father’s Day becomes another “to-do” in our schedules, and sometimes we neglect to plan in advance for it.  Father’s Day is a perfect way to slow down our schedules and make time for family, especially our fathers, husbands, uncles and grandfathers.   Many people often get stressed about the effort they must put into Father’s Day planning. If you’re feeling a little overwhelmed for this year’s Father’s Day, it can be a good idea to try embracing the holiday as an opportunity to take a mindful rest from your crazy-busy schedule. Use the time to spend with family and those close to you, or even plan a thoughtful gesture for your loved one. Rather than focusing on getting a big or expensive material gift, many people will opt to plan something special like a family barbecue, a day of golf, getting tickets and going to a sports game, or even going to see a long-anticipated movie or musical. Planning a Father’s Day activity is a perfect way to alleviate some stress in all the craziness of the spring and set aside time for family.   One idea that we love is a Father’s Day centred around barbecue. Barbecuing can be daunting to some, but once you get the hang of it, grilling is actually one of the easier ways to make dinner in the warmer months. Barbecuing at this time of year is a great excuse to spend more time outside. Even with the weather getting warmer and sunnier in May and June, it can be hard to find ways soak up the outdoors. Choosing to barbecue dinner is a great way to force yourself to get outside! And, if you’re already out there, why not sit down for dinner at your patio? Getting to spend the evening outside is a great way to calm your mindset, be one with nature, and of course, spend time with your dads!   Even better, grilling makes it easy to entertain large groups. Having a big family barbecue can be as easy as throwing some burgers, veggies, ribs, or hot dogs on the grill, making a few salads, and having a cooler of beer ready to go. Having a family barbecue is a great way to say thanks to dad and show him you care and doesn’t require a ton of work. And, who doesn’t love a good barbecue?   This year, we are so proud of our main Father’s Day gift basket, featuring all the grilling essentials. With amazing spices and rubs from top brands like The Keg, barbecue sauces, and grilling appliances, this basket is sure to be a big help this Father’s Day. If you aren’t a planner and need something last minute, this gift is a great option to give to dad. Or, if you live out of town and won’t get to see your dad, sending this basket in the mail is a great way to show him you care and are thinking of him even though you are so far away.   Or, if you are planning on hosting that classic Father’s Day spring barbecue, this gift basket is sure to be a crowd pleaser. All the products are there to make your barbecuing more delicious and much more convenient. Instead of marinating for hours or making your own spices and sauces, with this basket you will have gourmet barbecue essentials right at your fingertips. This basket makes barbecuing even easier than it already is! So get outside, enjoy your Father’s Day, and find a way to do something special without breaking the bank! Happy Father’s Day!