Mothers truly are special, they gave us life, support us in our life journey, and teach us what it means to live a good life. They love us unconditionally, even at our worst, and sometimes don’t get the acknowledgement they deserve.

Mother's Day has been around for decades and is celebrated all over the world. This day shows our respect, honor, and love towards our mothers and acknowledges the efforts of a mother/child bond and the role of mothers in our lives. 

​​A mothers advice will never leave us and we pass on these pearls of wisdom to our children. As we grow into adults we have families of our own, so we take what we learned from our mothers and try to teach self-love and respect, and try to live a wholesome life.
Being a mother is priceless and should always be remembered. That is why we have Mother’s Day to celebrate the one how loved us so much- it’s time to show the acknowledgement that they deserve. 

Happy Mothers's Day!
​Gloria

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The more we know about what to do,  the more empowered we are to protect the planet.

​The concept of Earth Month is that we learn more about our planet for more than just a single day of the year. Focusing one month of the year on climate change and sustainability can help people to develop more eco-friendly lifestyles.

Go Organic- Most products that people buy in stores are processed and has been sprayed with chemicals- that is not good for the planet. Also, the packaging like plastic and Styrofoam don’t breakdown and creates waste. Reusable bags or glass jars are good alternatives. 

Pick up Litter- Everywhere you go you will see litter, this is very unfortunate. So for Earth Month (or any month for that matter) pick up and throw away any litter you see on the ground.

I usually use bags that I keep in my car. It’s very easy to do and just takes a second if everyone did it we would be in better shape.

Compost your food scrapes – Large amounts of food is thrown away everyday around the world. An alternative is composting. Most wasted food ends up in a landfill and releases a bunch of greenhouse gasses but if you composted they can be great for a rich fertilizer for your garden or your house plants.
Egg shells, fruit (even bananas) coffee grounds, breads etc can all be added to a compost, they have electric composter if you don’t have time to prepare in a barrel outside the home. 

Resuse your bags- The world has manufactured single-use disposable items, especially single-use plastics. Why not try to swap plastic bags with canvas bags, and plastic straws with metal or bamboo straws.

​Go ahead and carry a reusable cup with you to your favorite coffee shops and ask them to fill that up instead of one of their disposable cups.

Get involved with your community- Finding local communities is one of the best ways to get involved in climate solutions!  Local environmental groups can accomplish more than you probably think. 

Lastly, get others to celebrate Earth (Month) with you. Many people or organizations celebrate this day or month in different ways. Try giving a gift of nature in a basket for your new neighbors, friends and co-workers.

List of things to gather: 
Basket
Seedlings (flowers or vegatables)
Garden shovel or claw tools
Mini clay pots (environmentally friendly)
Stepping stone, or a garden/lawn decor

If you don't have time, just go to Kings Gift Baskets or call  Gloria to put something together for you to impress others and show them that you care and love your planet earth!

Happy Earth Month,

Gloria

Potty Training
When bringing a new puppy home, they need to be puppy/potty trained. Always reserve a spot for him and put down a training pee pad in a corner. This teaches them where it is appropriate where they should pee. There are different kinds of disposable or washable, come in different sizes and colors.
Snuggle Stuff
Puppies are very vulnerable and need to be kept warm and held with lots of love. But unfortunately, you can’t spend every waking minute with them. So, at nighttime you should have a snuggle blanket for them as well as and cushy stuffed animal. It makes them feel safe and think of their mommy dog.

A subscription for a baby/family magazine like Family Circle or Parents Inc. Moms will love the free tips, articles, recipes, and the new mom lifestyle. Moms will have some creative ideas for redecorating, scrapbooking, the newest safe baby products. 

A Baby Book is great for documenting milestones in the baby/toddler years. This will encourage the mom to start this baby keepsakes. First lock of hair, footprints, first photo & baby steps, and even the umbilical cord! Some parents will even buy a newspaper the day that they were born and just cut out the frontpage and slip it into the book. 

Cocoa Butter Cream- There are many lotions, and creams that women lather on for stretch marks. Buy a huge tub and make sure it is 100% cocoa butter which is proven to make those stretch marks less visible or even disappear. 

Bath and body wash set and when she finds the time to take a bath she will be thanking you with a luxirous bath to relax for awhile. 

A Food Delivery Service is great for the mom who has NO time to cook, her schedule will be different and going out to dinner with a new born can be virtually impossible. Why not have the meals come to her?  Fresh Start is a premium food service and basically all you have to do it heat it up- it's that fresh. Perhaps she has a favorite pizza place she likes, get a gift card and have them deliver it.  

​As they say, "Great gifts come in gift baskets" so if you want some unique ideas just call Gloria and she can personalize your gifts for you and check out her gift idea page – in case you are short on time.

Thanks, 
Gloria

​There are over 4,000 realtors in the Grand Strand. That is a lot of competition. So, how do you stand out from the crowd in an area saturated with realtors? We have a few ways to help you be a stand-out realtor. 

1. Specialize Yourself - Develop a specialty such as beach-front condos, vacation rentals, luxury homes, new builds, townhomes, etc. When you show a specialization in a certain area, you help differentiate yourself from your competitors. Having a niche gives you an edge and shows that you are a seasoned pro in your niche. 

2. Use Social Media to Your Advantage - Different social media platforms work best for different types of content. Use social media to your advantage by understanding the different platforms and using them accordingly. For example, posting about new listings on Facebook while also sharing a large set of pictures of your new listing on Instagram is a great way to use those two platforms. Provide video walk-throughs of your properties on YouTube or super short teasers about your properties on TikTok. Become a social media maven! 

3. Diversify Your Online Presence - Don't just stick to social media. There are a lot of other ways you can diversify your online presence to reach buyers. Post blogs on your website about neighborhoods you specialize in, talk about community events and provide other useful information for your audience or in your niche. But don't stop there, create a mailing list and send out newsletters. You can also offer an ebook about your specialization area or even just about the buying or selling process. Make it informative and useful to get the most out of this objective. 

4. Be Client-Focused - This sounds like a no-brainer but take your client focus a little deeper. Offer them options that they haven't considered. Be their guide for stepping outside the box. Make house shopping (a usually stressful process) fun and engaging. Go over the top to ensure your clients actually enjoy the process of looking for their dream home. 

5. Don't Forget to Gift - Gifting is a great way to stand out from the crowd as a realtor. A small gift basket at the beginning of the relationship says, "thank you for choosing me". A larger gift basket at closing is always a thoughtful surprise that clients really appreciate. Use gifting and gift baskets to mark milestones throughout the process to show your clients they are valued and appreciated. 

Standing out in a crowd of over 4,000 realtors is tough to do. We hope our suggestions help you see how to be a stand-out realtor here in the Myrtle Beach area. For your gifting needs, King's Gift Baskets is your partner for beautiful, thoughtful and customized gifts for your clients at any stage of the buying or selling process. We'll create a gifting strategy with you that helps you stand out from the crowd. 

Saint Patrick’s Day is a day when everyone is Irish. For decades this holiday is celebrated with the traditional corn beef & cabbage, parades , church services, and green beer.

It has a reputation for allowing extra indulgences with alcohol for many adults, and gives people a “pass” to take off work or school to watch the parade and continue to celebrate at  the local bar.  Others see it as a very holy day of remembering the patron Saint Partick. 

According to History, Saint Patrick was a fifth-century Christian missionary and bishop in Ireland. Known as the "Apostle of Ireland", he is the primary patron saint of Ireland, and turned many pagans toward Christianity. Regardless of how you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day it is always full of different traditions. 

The holiday is celebrated  in different ways around the globe, ranging from the preparation of corn beef, potatoes and Irish Soda Bread to decorating the home with shamrocks and gold coins. 

How did this little piece of greenery come into the Irish tradition of St. Patricks day?
 
According to Time, the shamrocks are a trefoil plant, and were worn by poorer Irish citizens to church ceremonies on St. Patrick's Day to look cleaner.
When the Irish started to move to America they wanted to pay tribute to their heritage and culture by sharing with everyone the symbol of the Shamrock also meaning the “rebirth of spring”. 

You know that little guy with the green hat?
This wee person called the leprechaun is another staple of Irish folkure, often described as a mythical mascot of St. Patrick's Day celebrations. He is always looking for his Lucky Charms! 

Traditional Valentine’s Day is for lovers, single or married, who go out to romantic dinners, give flowers or chocolates, and buy expensive gifts. This is a day to show how much you love and appreciate one another.

​Well, most married couples who have been together for 10 + years take a back step on Valentine’s day since life gets busy with paying bills and raising kids.

​What about trying something different that everyone can enjoy and doesn’t break the bank?
Perhaps it’s time to include the whole family, kids don’t like to feel left out and there are plenty of fun activities to do as a family.

Here are some fun things to do to celebrate this day of love, perhaps start some family traditions of your own. 

​​Hearts Be True
The day before Valentine’s Day have everyone cut out a red heart from construction paper, fold in half and tape to the bedroom door.
Each person writes about what they love them and for the toddlers “one a one -word phrase” with help from an adult. No Peeking!
The next morning, family should have multiple hearts with message of love in them!
Hearts for Breakfast
You and the kids can make heart shaped pancakes with strawberry topping. Some kids don’t like pancakes, but you can mix it up with waffles. If you want to go all out – put red food coloring in the batter. Yum!!

​

Hidden Love Notes
You could write inspirational notes for the kids & hubby- they would really appreciate this. Hide them in their lunch boxes, books or jacket pockets- it is sure to put a smile on their faces. You can download them from a computer in labeled format or just write them.

Secret Cupid
The day before Valentine’s Day or the day of (depending on the day it falls on). Start a secret cupid like the traditional “Secret Santa” at Christmas so that each child gets to pick a name out of a hat.
Send the kids into a Dollar General Store with two dollars each. Have them buy a little gift basket or red/pink box. If you have pink colored tissue paper or red ribbon that would be even better.
They can buy 1 gift for a sibling or a parent, have them write a mystery word or phrase, only that they would know. Make it a guessing game.

Valentine’s Sweet Treats
After dinner make a red velvet cake with white frosting and put edible sweet- heart candies on them. If they don’t like the red- velvet cake then you can make chocolate covered strawberries. Anything with red colored food.
This is a holiday that helps us reconnect with our loved ones, and gives a sense of security, admiration and love to one another. So have fun and enjoy this day- because you matter!!

​Gloria

Want to stand out from your competition? Use smaller holidays such as Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, Halloween, Earth Day and others as opportunities for corporate gifting. Everyone plans corporate gifts for the traditional holiday season but December can be hectic and your client or customer might not have the chance to enjoy your gift with all of the holiday events and parties. Do the unexpected and be memorable by using the smaller holidays as an occasion to show your appreciation. 

Why use smaller holidays for corporate gifting? 

• Stand out from the competition 
• Be memorable 
• Be unique 
• Surprise them 
• Give them time to actually enjoy your gift
• Build a year-round relationship
• Doing the unexpected leaves a lasting impression

One way you can use these smaller holidays for corporate gifting is to set up a monthly "Pop-By" gift program with King's Gift Baskets. Pop-By gifts can include your promo items, company colors and even custom logo ribbon. Each month, King's creates 12 Pop-By gifts for you to distribute to customers and clients. Each month has a new theme and can be completely customized to your preferences. Pop-By gifts can start as low as $5 each and go up from there depending on size and items included. You can drop off Pop-By gifts to customers or referral partners when you stop in their office, or you can use them when your clients or referral partners stop in at your office. Each month, you'll have 12 new opportunities to make a great lasting impression with your Pop-By gifting program. 

Pop-By gifting and using smaller holidays for your corporate gifting strategy give you the edge by being memorable and keeping your business top-of-mind with your customers, clients and referral partners. Thanking your customers never gets old, and you will surely bring smiles and joy to them all year round.