Happy December! We’ve made it to the final month of the year – whew! The holiday season is officially in full swing. If you haven’t done it yet, now is the time to start making your list and checking it twice.
You may keep Ashley’s Pastries in mind for all of your treats for your holiday events and gatherings, but have you ever thought of the bakery as a one-stop-shop for your holiday shopping, too?
Food makes a fabulous gift. Think about it. Most people love food. During the holidays, when so much is going on, food is wanted and needed, especially if someone has a house full of guests or is hosting Christmas dinner.
Food is also a great option for those folks that may be hard to buy for, or for a hostess gift, or for those really great neighbors across the street that you don’t know very well yet.
Food is a gift that (usually) always fits. With our gluten free recipes and ability to do custom orders (great for anyone with a food allergy), we can help craft baked goods that work for anyone. Give us a call to place your order and we can have everything packaged and ready for an easy pick up. Or stop in and we’ll work together to create just what you’re looking for.
We put together a few ideas – a gift guide, of sorts – to provide some inspiration for those on your list.
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Teacher. As we all know, teachers certainly deserve to be spoiled, especially during the holidays. Bakery Bucks are great to tuck in a handwritten note. These gift certificates allow your favorite teacher to pick out her favorite treats. You could also fill a cute reusable tote with coffee or tea, a travel mug to keep beverages hot or cold, and a box of Ashley’s donuts. This would be a great way to start the holiday break. - Helpful neighbor. You know the neighbor that’s been there for you all year long, the one who gets the mail when you’re on vacation, shares the abundance of tomatoes in her garden, and helps rake leaves in the fall? Nothing says thank you and happy holidays like treats from Ashley’s. Freshly baked bread, seasonal cookies, glazed croissant donuts – any or all of these treats make a great gift! Place in a wicker basket, add in a pretty serving tray or seasonal paper plates and napkins, and you’ve got a great gift that’s useful and tasty.
- Hostess. As everyone starts traveling and gathering together again, there’s a chance you might be spending the holidays at a relative’s house this year. If any overnight travel is involved, we suggest taking a breakfast treat for the hostess. That takes pressure off in the morning for anyone to prepare food. Everyone can wake up at their own pace, relax and enjoy a cup of hot coffee while nibbling on cinnamon crumb coffee cake or cheese danish.
4.Bus driver. Bus drivers are in short supply right now, and those that are regularly driving the routes definitely deserve to be remembered this holiday. There’s a good chance you don’t know your student’s bus driver very well, but he or she is the kind soul that drives your child (or children) to and from school each day. You’d like to give something to show your appreciation and food makes the perfect gift here. We’d recommend a loaf of fresh cinnamon bread topped with a pretty bow or a holiday box filled with an assortment of gluten free muffins. - Piano Teacher. For the instructor teaching your little one to learn to play the piano, a box of assorted cookies makes the perfect gift. We suggest a variety of our favorites – sand tarts, seasonal decorated cookies, white chocolate macadamia nut, Mexican wedding cookies and tea cookies. Put them all on a festive holiday plate and you’ve got a gift to make anyone happy.
- Family and friends from afar. Most of us have at least some family or close friends that live out of town. We may not see them as much as we’d like, and a holiday visit may not be in the cards this year, but you’d like these important individuals to know you’re thinking of them during this festive time of year. Why not send them something sweet in the mail? That’s right – we ship our treats around the state and across the country. We can send cookies, cakes, breads – you name it, we can make it happen! If you’d like to put together a custom order to ship, please call us soon. With the heavy shipping volume this year, we need more time to ensure we can get our treats delivered on time.
December is known as the most wonderful time of the year. It can also be one of the most stressful times of the year. Let us help make this season merry by taking some of the work off your plate so you can enjoy all of the sights, sounds and fun of the season.