Freedom Gifts and Gift Baskets

Mid-winter

2009-06-24T18:29:00.000-07:00

What is going on? Time has rushed by like a two year old with red food colouring, we are half way through winter already, the wood pile is getting low and the power bill is getting high.

Well we are coming up to that time of year when everyone seems to be having a birthday, whether its 9 months after Christmas or 9 months after new years what ever the excuse it seems that everybody knows somebody with an up-coming birthday.

Let Freedom Gifts take the hassle out of shopping with its great selection of gifts, Books for Tea lovers, Chocolates for Chocolate lovers and heaps of new Kids and Baby gifts arriving all the time.

The specials page is getting chocka-block with some massive savings on some of our biggest hits.

The 'Gifts for Men' page is getting bigger all the time, and if you would like to see anything specific on there please feel free to contact us and let us know, we always welcome your feedback.

That's all for now, remember to check out www.freedomgifts.co.nz for all your gift needs, Freedom Gifts is 100% New Zealand owned and operated so we thank you for your on-going support each time you shop with us.

Cheers.

Better late than never.

2009-03-29T14:16:00.000-07:00

Ok, well so much for this being a MONTHLY blog, things have been going crazy round the Freedom Gifts office.
Easter is nearly here and the team have been busy organising chocolates galore to make this year one out of the box. As well as the Chocolaty favourite Devonport, Freedom as a mouth-watering range from Donovans and the new player this year The Seriously Good Chocolate Company. Ironically the Seriously Good Chocolate Company makes seriously good chocolate...seriously. One of the teams favourite picks for the big weekend this year is The Story of Wine as told by Chocolate, an amazingly unique box of chocolate containing some of the most famous wines in New Zealand!Allan Scott, Two Paddocks, Silene, Mud House, Church Road, Lindauer, Gibbston Valley and Seifried. These wine infused chocolate truffles are created with the finest natural ingredients, with time, with individual care and the passion!
As well as this whole new range of chocolate keep an eye out for a whole new line of children and Baby gear, after we went to the Gifts Fair a few weeks back and met some new companies with some fresh and funky new kids gear, we have found some things which we couldn't resist to grab up and pass on to you.
As well as all this happening at Freedom, our resident Bar Fly, The Bar Guy Todd Fletcher, has been busy "working" designing new and wonderful cocktails for Mindfood Magazine. You can check out his Cocktail of the Week to please your palate. Keep and eye out for his Dessert Cocktail recipes being posted over the next month, including a Lemon Meringue, Apple Pie and Black Forrest cocktails, a flavour sensation not to be missed.
That's all for now, don't forget Mothers Day coming up in May and we look forward to hearing from you all soon.
Till next time, Cheers

Todd 'The Bar Guy' Fletcher.

Oh 9

2009-01-01T17:33:00.000-08:00

Yep its here already 09...2009 how ever you want to say it its here and you can't stop it. I hope this year brings you all the happiness and success you could wish for and I would like to thank everyone for your support over December.
December was the craziest month Freedom Gifts has ever had and boy were we not ready for it. At one point we nearly shut the site down because we had nothing left to sell, but like the true professionals we are, we battled on and came out on top. Hundreds of gift baskets ordered in 25 days and with only two complaints (both of which where due to courier issues), the team here are on top of the world. There are still some Xmas gifts left if you are running late and of course there is the specials page for all the gifts we think deserve a special mention.
Keep an eye out for an up-coming promotion where we will be giving away a free box of Belgium Truffles with each order, I've tried these truffles and my lord they are something special.
Another thing we will be working on early this year is the gifts for guys page, at the moment it is a pretty boring page with not a lot to get the juices flowing, so if there is anything you would like to see us selling on there please feel free to contact us and ask.
This months "Cocktail of the Month" is a beautiful Sangria Blanca, so feel free to check that out and enjoy one while the weather is hot.
That's all for now, from all the team here at Freedom Gifts we hope you all have a safe and enjoyable holiday season and wish you all the best for the new year.

Till next time, Kia Kaha.

'tis the season

2008-12-03T15:01:00.000-08:00

Well, Christmas is fast approaching, and there are some things you need to remember:

1. Get your orders in early or they wont be there on the big day.

2. Spell names and addresses correctly or it wont get there for the big day.

3. and according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, while both male and female reindeer grow antlers in the summer each year, male reindeer drop their antlers at the beginning of winter, usually late November to mid-December. Female reindeer retain their antlers till after they give birth in the spring. Therefore, according to EVERY historical rendition depicting Santa's reindeer, EVERY single one of them, from Rudolph to Blitzen, had to be a girl. We should've known... ONLY women would be able to drag a fat-ass man in a red velvet suit all around the world in one night and not get lost.

On that note it just remains to be said, check out the range of great Christmas gifts we have available, and from the whole team here at Freedom Gifts, we hope you enjoy the festive season and have a wonderful New Year, we look forward to seeing or hearing from you all in 2009.

Stay safe, Kia Kaha.

Todd Fletcher

No Kidding

2008-10-01T14:06:00.000-07:00

Yep, we not kidding, Christmas is nearly here and its time to start thinking about what do get for the family. I know it still seems like its ages away, and believe me I haven't got anything for my family yet, but its never to early to start, it saves the stress nearer the day, and if you plan on posting your gift it needs to go before 9am on the 22nd of December to get there on time, which means you have even less time to get organised. As I mentioned in the last blog Freedom Gifts is helping you get organized with a great Christmas special. To make the silly season a little easier on you, all Christmas orders placed before the 1st December for Christmas Delivery in December will receive 50% OFF freight and wrapping, as our little gift to you. Simply insert the code on the checkout page. CODE: PS3T2Q . So keep an eye out for new Christmas gifts being added to the site all the time and make sure you get your order in before December.
Lastly The Bar Guy is adding a new page, Cocktail of the Month, will be a page dedicated to just that, the Bar Guys choice of what you should be drinking this month, check it out and if you have any suggestions, comments or questions feel free to email them to The Bar Guy or the Team at Freedom Gifts, we'll be only to happy to help.

Happy shopping and I'll write again soon.

When September ends...

2008-09-09T13:58:00.000-07:00

Well, well, it has been a while since I last checked in.
The Bar Guy has been busy training cocktail students for the National Culinary Fare, which was held in Auckland on the 1st and 2nd of September. My students did extremely well and one of them even won the much coveted title of Waiter of the Year. I also competed in a Mystery Box cocktail competition, where I was given a box of mystery ingredients and then given 15 minutes it invent a brand new cocktail. I came second.
Anyway enough about me, Freedom Gifts has just had a great run with Fathers Day, and we are (slowly but surly) building our range of Gifts for Guys. This page already contains things like Chocolate Cigars, Cocktail Books, Coffee Machines and Shaving Balm and we will be building it to include Games and Gadgets and Tools and Blokey Stuff.
Now, even though I hate to admit it, Christmas is on its way and now is the time to start getting prepared. I say I hate to admit it because I'm one of the ones you see running round on Christmas Eve trying to find great gifts out of what ever has been left behind by other more organized shoppers.
To give you a bit of an incentive to get your shopping started Freedom Gifts has a great special on at the moment, if you sign up for the free newsletter you will also get a special discount code. So here's the deal, if you order your Christmas gifts before the end of November for delivery in December you can use the code to receive 50% of all wrapping and delivery costs. And with the cost of petrol these days those delivery costs can be a hefty amount.
So that's enough of my Jibber-Jabber, go and check out http://www.freedomgifts.co.nz/ do some Christmas shopping, keep your friends and family happy and save yourself a bit of time and money.
Also don't forget to send us an email with any questions, comments or ideas for new products you'd like to see on the site, we would love to hear from you.
Cheers,

The Bar Guy

Long time, no see

2008-07-09T16:38:00.000-07:00

Well its been a while since my last blog and Freedom Gifts has been plodding along at quite a nice pace.
We are still having a massive sale on all our food, and having a look around for some men's gifts for our upcoming Men's Gifts section.
We are also adding a new function to the holidays page to let you know about the dates for Mothers Day and Fathers Day in other countries so you don't miss out.
There are to shows I'd like to draw your attention to coming up, the first is the Bar Show on the 5th and 6th of August down in the Viaduct Harbour in Auckland. This is the biggest bar show in Auckland with some great shows, displays, demos and samples. For more information contact me or check out the bar show website.
The next event is the National Culinary Fare, 31st Aug, 1st and 2nd Sept. This event will be at the ASB Showgrounds, I'll be there, as I'm on the judging panel making sure the competitions run smoothly and the judges are fair and unbiased. The Culinary Fare has over 65 competitions and has some of the best chefs waiters and bartenders from the best Hospitality schools, hotels, bars and restaurants from around New Zealand also the boys from the armed forces are usually there competing with the best of them. There is also the Wine New Zealand Show on at the same time, take this opportunity to sample the best wines New Zealand has to offer, as well as the Hospitality Show right next door showing off the latest from the biggest industry in the world.
If you would like for info or just ask me anything about the shows or competitions just email me.
Well that's enough about me, check out our great food specials and keep an eye on all the other great products arriving weekly and we will let you know when the Man's page is up and running.
Cheers and regards,

Todd

Come one, Come all

2008-06-13T19:27:00.000-07:00

Freedom Gifts is having a sale!

We are having a Winter Munchies sale on our range of food, come and check out what we have to offer to keep your belly full and warm over the winter months.
As well as having Altura Coffee's and T leaf Teas on special there is a large range of food from Wild Appetite, Herb and Spice Mill and Devonport Chocolates all at reduced prices.
We have also created a couple of new pre-made baskets, The Coffee Addicts 'Black Box' filled with goodies for that special person who has the hunger for premium coffee treats. And the Premium Choc Box, even if it's just a little vice, this box will satisfy the cravings, filled with chocolaty goodness.
The sale is for a limited time and remember you don't need a reason to get a special gift for a special person, any time is the right to to cheer someone up or remind them how much you care.
That's all for now, I'll keep you posted on any new developments as they come up.
Cheers, See you soon at Freedom Gifts.

Todd

Fara Accessories Finally Arrives

2008-06-01T20:20:00.000-07:00

Well its finally here, I know we have been talking about it for a few months now, but we have finally met with Fara and we have received a whole heap of new Necklaces, Earrings, Brooches and a whole lot more. We are in the process of photographing each piece, as Tryphena takes all the images of all the products at www.freedomgifts.co.nz. Its quite a tiring process as we are not professionals, but you have to admit she does a pretty awesome job of the images.
Anyway, there are a few images of the new jewellery available on the website and we will be putting more and more on everyday.
Fara Accessories offers a huge range of modern, antique style, funky and all occasion jewellery for women of all ages. The range is all at affordable prices and the pieces are perfect add-on's to Birthday Gifts or Romantic Presents for your loved ones.
I'm sure you will enjoy them as much as the team at Freedom Gifts enjoyed picking them out for you.
Stay tuned for more,

Todd

Beer is for breakfast, drink or be gone.

2008-05-26T17:32:00.000-07:00

Hi there,
If you have been to www.freedomgifts.co.nz and had a look around, some of you may be wondering why there is a page for Todd The Bar Guy Fletcher, whats that all about.
Well that's me.
The story begins a long, long time ago in a land, actually not that far away. After being inspired by a great movie I was certain that I was destined to follow in Flanagan's foot steps and become a famous Bar tender. Of course I was only 10 at the time, but I never let go of that dream.
As soon as I was old enough I became a bar-man, and well, to cut a long story short I spent the next 10 years bar tending all over the place and now I teach it to the next generation who have decided they want to party and drink instead of getting a real job.
As well as teaching hospitality I work as a freelance mixologist, which means that companies hire me to invent new and innovative cocktails for them. I have so far worked with Absolut, you can find some of my cocktails on their website, Cleo magazine (December 2007), Taste magazine (January 2008), not to mention the things that are in the works at the moment. I also judge the cocktail competitions at the National Culinary Fair and was head judge last year.
Anyway, what's all this got to do with anything, well, starting next month and exclusive to www.freedomgifts.co.nz I will be displaying a cocktail of the month. These cocktails will be seasonal and designed to be easily made at home.
I also fully encourage you to leave comments and ask questions. I am happy to do my best to answer any questions you might have regarding cocktails or in fact drinking of any sort, as well as any questions you may have from catering for a big party to what wine to serve at a small, important dinner party.
You can also email me at www.barguytodd@gmail.com or through the contact us page on the Freedom Gifts website.
I look forward to hearing from you, don't forget to keep checking www.freedomgifts.co.nz as some new and exciting things are happening very soon.

Take care, drink safe, chat to you again soon.

Todd

Freedom Gifts, Viva La Revolución

2008-05-17T18:27:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Freedom Gifts, (http://www.freedomgifts.co.nz/).
How it all began?
My partner and I were looking at starting our own online company, but what? and how? What would make it stand out from all the others. After spending some time researching various options we came up with an idea. There are many online gift stores selling gift baskets but none of them had that really personal touch, if the customer can choose the gift why shouldn't they be able to choose if it gets wrapped or put in a box? if they want it wrapped why can't they choose what wrapping paper and what colour ribbon?
Well, that's when we decided we could offer that, the name Freedom was an obvious choice, if we are to give our customers the freedom to choose we need to let them know they have that freedom, and as if from nowhere out of the mind-numbing, needle-in-a-haystack, jumble which is the internet Freedom Gifts rose like a Phoenix from the ashes.
So the idea behind Freedom Gifts is to offer the full service to our customers, find the gifts you want and have us wrap it, in the wrap of your choosing, and construct the Gift Basket for you. We wrap each gift basket with the care and attention to detail as if each one was for a personal friend or family member.
As we all know you can't just make a business from an idea, so we had to get moving and start organising products, well thanks to some advice from Devonport Chocolates and Herb and Spice Mill we slowly but surely began putting together a products list which we were happy with, and more importantly a list we thought our customers would like.
Now, starting a company with your partner is not always advisable, you both have different ideas and tastes. When it comes to choosing gifts this is not always a bad thing, I live off coffee and Tryphena drinks tea, as it happens this works out in your favour as Freedom Gifts now supplies coffee from Altura as well as Tea and Tea Gifts from both Tea Total and Tea Leaf Teas.
We both have a sweet spot for great chocolate and the two companies we needed to have on board Devonport Chocolates and Donovans Chocolates both agreed, the biggest problem we faced was keeping the chocolates in a safe place where Tryphena couldn't get to them.
The Herb and Spice Mill was another obvious choice, their range of Dips and Snacky delights are amongst the best we have ever tasted. Wild Appetite also offers an unsurpassable range of Sauces, such as Chocolate and Grand Marnier, Melanesian Mango, Smokey Capsicum, Kiwifruit and Cognac and some out-of -this-world jellies, Merlot, Riesling and Shiraz, my mouth is watering just typing about them.
The two of us also attended a Gift Fair late last year where we found some of the cutest baby gifts and funky modern photo frames and a great range of books. I'm a hospo guy from way back and in fact still teach Bar tending Skills as well as designing innovative cocktails for various international alcohol companies, so the range of books includes titles such as Gordon Ramsay's Cookery Cards, Hip Sips, The Party Cook Book and The Wine Party Kit, as well as an exciting range of Kids books. We are both Kids at heart hence you'll find Where the Wild Things Are, The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe, The BFG and many more.
We are also a bit A.D.H.D and find ourselves getting board, so our product range has slowly grown since November last year to over 400 different products and like an unwanted weed continues to grow as we speak.
Well I think I have ranted on enough for today, if you would like to know more about us or if you have any suggestions of products you would like to see on http://www.freedomgifts.co.nz/ please check out our site or email us at sales@freedomgifts.co.nz.
Keep checking in to the blog to find out whats new and the answers to all your gift giving occasions.
Cheers and Regards,

Todd Fletcher
Managing Director
Freedom Gifts Ltd.