Lately we’ve read and heard a lot about the aging boomers, their effects on US society and their needs as they age.  USA Today said that almost 3.0 million boomers have passed over to the other side….”the other side of 60 that is”. Then there are the 75 million boomers still in their 40’s and 50’s. Many of us have a mother, father, aunt, uncle or friend in this age group. Or we might just be there ourselves!

These boomers are not ordinary people. They are post World War II children of privilege. Many are well educated, well traveled and have acquired significant material possessions in their life time. Which brings us to the point of this article. When it comes time for an occasion gift for these boomers…what do you give have someone who has it all?

Enter the era of experiential gifts. These gifts are exactly what they imply – an experience. For those gift recipients who have received every trinket imaginable over the years, consider an experiential gift. It might be a day at the spa, a day riding horse-back or even a ride in a hot air balloon. If your gift recipient has a taste for the gourmet side of life, consider a food gift.

Gourmet food gifts, specifically dinner gifts, can satisfy many gifting occasions, especially for those recipients who do not live nearby. If you want to say thank you with a dinner delivered, if you want to say congratulations with a gourmet meal, or if you want to let them know you are thinking of them, a gourmet dinner gift may suit your needs, and theirs.  There are several companies that specialize in this type of food gift including Atlanta based GourmetStation. Most companies deliver nationally and provide a wide variety of cuisine with a minimum of preparation time. The idea is provide your gift recipient with an evening of restaurant quality food delivered right to their home. An experience they will long remember.

Small town USA was not a particularly exciting place to grow up. But something special was going on in the midst of the consistent low-key life…the establishment of values. Everyone knew everyone while weddings, births and funerals were the big events. The families were not particularly wealthy in the ways of the material world. But in the ways that count, they were very rich. Tight knit families valued each other, relationships with neighbors and friends, and good cookin’.

And I do mean good cooking. I remember my mother and aunt sending me to neighbors with one of their delicious three layer cakes for one event or another. I would walk into the neighbor’s kitchen and food was everywhere. That’s the way these small town people expressed love.

The world has moved on since those days, but I assure you, small town or big town, people still express love through food gifts. We see it every day at GourmetStation. Our gourmet dinners are shipped all over the US for wedding gifts, welcome new baby gifts, and sympathy gifts. Oh I forgot get-well gifts, and simply thinking of you gifts. Food gifts say it all, but I’m partial to GourmetStation meals delivered. New customers ask every day, what’s your most popular food gift for this occasion or that occasion. To help you make your decision, below are my recommendations. You may not be able to walk down the street to your neighbors with your Mom’s best layered cake, but you can let GourmetStation do the good deed for you.

Congratulations Food Gifts for weddings, new baby gifts, promotions, or job well done.

Parisian Four-Curse Dinner For Two.

Thinking Of You Food Gifts for a sympathy gift, get well gift, or to let them know you care. Tuscan Four-Course Dinner For Two.

Thank You Food Gifts for a heart-warming way to say, “thanks for all you do”. Cajun Four-Course Dinner For Two.

Over the years I have watched thousands of GourmetStation gourmet meal gifts ship to every state in the US including Alaska, Hawaii & Puerto Rico.  Nine times out of ten the reason for the order is this - one person is seeking a way to express love and connect with another. It’s that simple. Many occasions drive the expression of sentiments – birthday, anniversary, get well, or welcome new baby. But my favorite reason to express gratitude with a meal gift is to say Thank You.

How many times has a friend, family member, or business associate done something nice for you? Maybe they’ve always been there when you needed a friend. You know, the kind of person you can always count on.  If that special person lives near you, you might do something nice like drop off a bouquet of flowers, bake a cake, or take them to dinner or lunch. But what if they live across the country? What then?

If you can’t take that special person to dinner, send dinner to them with a meal gift from GourmetStation. I assure you they will feel very special when they receive a four-course dinner for two. And you will have a halo for selecting the coolest Thank You gift ever.

Holiday shopping often means long lines, harried store clerks and customers who frequently are not in the most festive of moods. Today while I was at my neighborhood grocery store I noticed that although the lines moved slowly people were smiling.

I found out the reason when my groceries were bagged. The gentleman who was packing the butter and eggs, for the cheesecake I was planning to bake, was singing Christmas songs to each customer. As he handed over their bags he looked them in the eye and with a genuine smile said, "Thank you for shopping with us. Please come back soon." I left the store with a lighter step than when I entered.

Although he was thanking me, it seemed as thought he was getting as much as he was giving. At it's very best "thank you" is a reciprocal feeling. Whether it's making a special holiday dinner, singing a song or finding the perfect gourmet gift to express your appreciation, remember you're giving yourself a gift too.

Technorati Tags: Gourmet_Gift, Food_and_Drink, Feelings

Thank you is universal. Why? Because we all need each other. Sometimes when you least expect it, the least likely person will do something wonderful for you. Ah, the beauty of humanity. It feels good, doesn’t it? We want to experience it again, and we want to give that gift back to others. That’s why we say Thank You….in word & gift.

Saying Thank You is natural. Giving food as a Thank You Gift is natural. Think about it. Sharing the very thing that guarantees our existence is a powerful gesture. There are many gourmet food gift suppliers for you to choose from. GourmetStation believes we have the edge on heart. A little of ours goes out with each & ever order filled. Thank you for reading our blog!

Enjoy these sample translations of Thank You. We thank Jennifer at Jennifer’s Language Site for her hard work in gathering these translations:

Albania, Yugoslavia - Ju falem nderit

Alaska - Qaqaasakuq

Ethiopia, Israel, Egypt - Amesegunalhun

Morocco - Barak llahu fik

Bali - Matu suksama

Bosnia and Hercegovina - Hvala

Northern Pakistan- Juu na

Cantonese - Doh je

Netherlands, Belgium - Dank u

Egyptian - Dua Netjer en ek

Finland - Kiitti

Northern Italy - Graciis

German - Danke schön

Greek  - Efcharisto

Hawaiian  - Mahalo nui loa

Hebrew - Toda raba

Iceland - Takk

Nigeria - Dalu

Inuktitut (Canada) - Mutna

Japan - Arigato

Korea - Komapsumnida

Spain - Munchas gracias

Portugal - Obrigada

Scotland - Tapadh leat

Shanghai China - Sha ja non

Spain - Gracias

Sweden, Finland - Tack

Vietnam - Day fon

Turkey, Northern Cyprus -  Mersi

Vietnam - Cám ón

Wales - Diolch yn fawr

Zulu - Ngiyabonga

I always enjoy learning how other cultures express gratitude and say thank you with food gifts. Temiyage are gifts of appreciation given by Japanese. Teriyage is often a cake or Japanese sweet given as a thank you gift for an invitation, as example. Sake is another appropriate gift.

Say Thank You in style with GourmetStation's selection of extraordinary thank you food gifts. From sweets to soup to multi-course dinners, they are sure to please the palet.