The last year has created a lot of distance between us. Many people haven’t seen certain relatives in a long time, or have been forced to stand 2 metres away from those they have seen. However, things are opening up again and hugs are no longer illegal (there’s a sentence I never thought I’d say). While this year has been challenging, I think it is possible to find some positives in it all. We’ve learnt to slow down in a world that is constantly go, go, go. We’ve picked up new hobbies- I personally taught myself how to do a Rubix cube. Most importantly, we’ve reconnected with those we may have lost touch with. We’ve learnt to appreciate our friends and family more than ever before.  Whether it be through family zoom quizzes or virtual lunch dates, we’ve adapted to our new normal all the while renewing relationships and building on our existing ones.

Gift Giving in 2020

The pandemic has also brought about change in the gift-giving industry. We’ve seen countless important occasions cancelled this year, or at least rescheduled. When it comes to weddings, graduations and birthdays, people have been forced to think outside the box. Many of us turned to the internet for ideas. According to Google Search Data, global searches for “online gift” increased by 80% between 2019 and 2020. People wanted gifts that were personal and had a little more meaning, in order to try and help soothe the anxiety and uncertainty of life in lock-down. We also saw a surge in the number of people choosing to support local and small businesses.  Nucleus Commercial Finance found that 63% of consumers have made a conscious effort to support local small businesses since the pandemic started- we love to see it!

Testimonials

Here at Baskets Galore, we’ve also noticed that gift-giving has expanded beyond the typical special occasions such as birthdays or weddings, and is now being used as a way to bridge the gap that the last year has created between us. More often than ever, people are sending gifts for no particular reason or occasion, other than to show love to the recipient on the other end. Here is a glimpse at some of our favourite testimonials from the last year.
"In these Covid-plagued times it’s essential to boost morale, especially of the nearest & dearest. My daughters, who I’ve only seen once in the last 9 months, were delighted to receive your hampers. Many thanks." (Anon)“Thank you for keeping us connected." (Annette, D)“Really good and reliable service, bringing a bit of sunshine to family at home and in the UK” (Hugh, V)“"A really lovely way to compensate for not being able to be together due to the current COVID restrictions. Huge thanks to all the BG team."(Anon)“Brought Joy to a Loved one!” (Anon)
We’re hoping that this new pattern continues as we come out of the pandemic, and so we’ve created a new range of Best Wishes Gifts- designed to keep you connected with those that you love. The new era of gifting is a welcomed change that will bring us closer and make the act of giving truly meaningful once again. You can see our new Best Wishes Gifts here: