Buyagift blog

A glass and a half of relaxation

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 17:09:00 +0000

Legends tell of an ancient city hidden amongst the ruins of Quetzaltenango, in the southern provinces of Guatamala, a city that is composed entirely….of Cadbury’s Dairy-Milk Chocolate.

Despite Cadburys not being founded until 1824, and being founded in Birmingham, superstitious locals keep on whispering of the myth of El Delicioso – the Lost City of a Glass-and-a-Half of Milk.

The city was thought of as nothing more than folklore until, in 2012, the famous explorer and socio-political satirist Stewart Lee* returned from Quetzaltenango with the details of a pamper treatment so sensuous, so decadent, that it would turn a man’s back muscles into…slightly more supple and relaxed back muscles. The principal ingredient of which is none other than Cadbury’s Dairy Milk chocolate.

And here is that treatment, but for two and not administered by Stewart Lee. And it’s a special offer!

Here’s what you get:

Available at 7 Bannatyne’s locations (Bedfordshire, East Sussex, Essex, Kent, Oxfordshire, Somerset and… appropriately, the West Midlands).
Each person receives 55 minutes of a full body chocolate massage.
Choose from Mint, Orange or original Chocolate to suit your mood.
Full use of the spa and health club facilities for the day (incl. pool, Jacuzzi, steam rooms and sauna).

It makes the perfect Valentine’s gift for that chocoholic person in your life. Take a look here:

Bannatyne’s Lover’s Chocolate Package for 2

* this comment about Stewart Lee is in no way true.

Buyagift Secret Santa 2011

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 11:30:00 +0000

Like lots of places up and down the UK, Buyagift has it’s own set of Secret Santa traditions. No more than around £5, present wrapped up under the tree beforehand and… wild panic the day before when everyone who hasn’t got organised is desperately trying to find a gift in time. Ahh… Christmas!

Here’s how Secret Santa 2011 went down at Buyagift HQ…

Carol takes control of the unruly mob with her invisible wand.

CEO Dan Mountain surveys the troops. With mounting horror.

Rob receives the best gift of all time (an edible Personalised Nicolas Cage cake topper. £5 well spent, I reckon).

Lee can’t quite believe the scale of her gift.

Amy ponders the mystery of what’s in the bag. It was a bag.

Lorna: Santa’s cheerleader.

David’s Hello Kitty collection is finally complete.

~~Organised~~ chaos.

Tania demonstrating the benefits of edible wrapping paper.

Mark’s new year resolutions start here.

Spirits. Always a good choice.

Zoe and Lee inspect Chris’s secret.

Buyagift on TV: Million Pound Drop :-(

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 14:58:00 +0000

This was the moment last night when Gareth and Alex bet a million pounds (a million pounds!) on their first question on Channel 4’s Million Pound Drop….

And then lost the lot for not paying enough attention to Justin Timberlake.

Ouch.

Their consolation prize was a Buyagift Indulgent Escape for 2, but even we think that’s probably not a huge comfort when you’ve just lost the chance to win a million quid.

Sorry guys! We hope you enjoy the break anyway…

For sale: One Ferrari Enzo, slightly used

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 11:08:12 +0000

Would you buy a used Ferrari from this man? You might if “this” man turned out to be racing superstar Jenson Button.

The Ferrari Enzo (capable of hitting 212mph… although not on the M25) has only got 725 miles on the clock. Which kind of makes sense if you spend all day driving some of the most advanced cars on the planet. Surely you want to come home, slip into some comfortable slippers and drive a Mondeo. Possibly a Volvo.

In any event, Jenson has offered to sign the dashboard of the supercar for the lucky punter who ponies up for the car. But as the going rate is at least £695,000, we happen to think that a Ferrari driving experience is the more Age-of-Austerity friendly way to get your Ferrari thrills in.

Maybe that’s just us though?

Picture: Cascade

Zombie bootcamp experienARGH!

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 11:21:00 +0100

There comes a time, when you are alone and waiting to be attacked by zombies in an abandoned warehouse, that you wonder if you’ve made a wise decision by volunteering to be the one who’ll “guard the rear”.

With the gloom making it difficult to say whether that shape I just saw is friend or shuffling undead I wait… until a zombie crashes over the boxes to my right and I’ve got less than a second to get that crucial headshot.

But let’s back up a second, shall we. How did I get into this situation in the first place?

The Zombie Bootcamp experience starts as I pull up at an industrial estate in some peaceful Worcestershire countryside. The news reports are grim: zombie outbreaks continuing throughout the country and special assault squads being dispatched to try and contain the situation.

As a volunteer member of a new squad I get myself decontaminated, kitted up with weapons, armor and boots, meet up with other volunteers (a hardy bunch, by the look of them), and get debriefed on what’s going on. Then the training starts.

My previous combat experience consists mainly of watching Die Hard over and over again as an impressionable youth (I still can’t get in a lift without looking for a hatch in the roof)… so this a whole new deal for me, and no-one is impressed with my suggestion that we all wear grubby vests. Oh well.

We get a short, sharp lesson in working as a team when bursting into a room that might be filled with hordes of the undead. Let’s just say this: checking behind you is a necessary survival skill! Weapons training, moving by vehicle (harder than you might think) and patrolling are all drilled into us. As night draws in the news comes in: the outbreak is here. Zombies have broken through the perimeter and Milla Jojovich is nowhere to be seen.

She’s never around when you need her.

Our new-found squad tactics are tested in clearing out rooms with actual honest-to-god Zombies in them. Two hits in the head and move on. Don’t leave any of them behind of you. Work as a team. Your training, which seems like it was only minutes ago - mainly because it was - really kicks in.

As the facility falls apart, with flames and smoke kicking up everywhere, you get the order to move inside the main plant and clear it out. This is close-quarters stuff, in the gloom (with only scattered lights and the torches slung underneath your weapons to light the way), with zombies. Trying to eat you.

Which, I think, is where we came in. As the zombie clears the boxes I line up my shot and send him on his way. Joining up with the rest of the squad we clear out the rest of the building. It’s tiring stuff and the zombies just seem to keep coming.. almost as if they knew shortcuts through the building. Suspicious.

When the job is done we regroup at HQ with a cup of tea - we are British after all - and a debriefing session. What worked, what didn’t, and who, unfortunately, got eaten. Happily, our squad made it through the operation unscathed. This time. Will you be so lucky? Don’t wait for the inevitable zombie apocalypse to find out - join up today!

Zombie Bootcamp experience for 2 is available now from Buyagift.co.uk for £108. It’s definitely not for the faint-hearted.

It's Chocolate Week...Nom nom nom!

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 18:16:00 +0100

Calling all Chocoholics! It’s not often you are given an excuse to devote a whole week in your calendar to indulge in chocolate heaven, so make sure you take full advantage of Chocolate Week!

From 10th – 16th October, all things chocolate are to be celebrated up and down the country. From workshops, to tastings, demonstrations and serious debates on where exactly chocolate is headed into our near and distant future, there’s quite a lot scheduled. Click here to find out more about Chocolate week and the events happening near you.

To help you celebrate this mouth-watering occasion, we’ve selected our top 5 most deliciously ‘chocolate’ gifts and experiences…

1. Mychocolate Workshop with Green and Black’s for Two - £110

You and a guest can enjoy a fun and fascinating experience in the kitchen with a Chocolate Making Workshop using Green and Black’s chocolate. You’ll learn all about the chocolate making process, before having the opportunity to make your very own chocolates using the finest Green & Black’s organic chocolate. From piping truffles to decorating praline, tasting cocoa nibs, this really is the ultimate sweet treat for chocolate lovers.

Click here to see our full range of chocolate making experiences

2. Champneys Chocolate Wrapper £40

The guilt-free way to experience chocolate indulgence! This delicious Champneys treatment begins with a body exfoliation to perfectly prepare your skin for the warm chocolate body wrap. Inhale the sumptuous aroma of chocolate and enjoy a scalp massage as the nutrients in the wrap begin to work their magic. Body butter is massaged into the skin to finish off your pampering treat, which will leave you feeling relaxed, intensively moisturised and smelling good enough to eat!

3. One Night Break at The Chocolate Boutique Hotel £159

Upon arrival at The Chocolate Boutique Hotel, you and your guest will be shown to your beautiful Aztec or Trinitario room where, of course, you will find delicious chocolates to enjoy! You can also choose to make your stay that little bit extra special by purchasing additional features such as a chocolate fountain for your room or various holistic therapy treatments, such as a Swedish back massage, which will be enjoyed from the comfort of your room. Bournemouth is a large coastal resort town in the county of Dorset. Stroll along the seven miles of sandy beaches, enjoy shopping in the town centre, and perhaps visit the aquarium or the attractions by the pier. On the morning of your departure you will each be treated to breakfast before venturing home from this chocolate haven.

4. Chocolate Afternoon Tea for Two at Rowhill Grange £38

You can enjoy a unique twist on one of the finest English traditions with this delightful chocolate afternoon tea for two. Indulge yourself and a friend at Rowhill Grange – a charming 18th century country house set in the beautiful and tranquil Kent countryside. Your afternoon tea will include hot chocolate, hand-made white chocolate éclairs, delicious chocolate brownies and crunchy macaroons plus milk chocolate marquise; Mmmm, the perfect treat for chocoholics!

5. Thorntons I Love Chocolate Hamper £30

Our best-selling chocolate hamper is every chocoholics dream! Spoil someone special with a bumper box of treats including; Milk, White and Dark chocolate, along with chocolate covered toffee & caramels!

Click here to see our full range of chocolates and sweets

An alternative way to take part in Chocolate Week is to sponsor a Cacao tree with our friends over at Cool Earth. This is an amazing charity, who protects the most endangered rainforest’s around the world. This in turn, combats global warming, protects ecosystems and provides sustainable jobs for local people.

Let us know how you are celebrating Chocolate Week over on the Buyagift Facebook page

Enjoy! Nom nom nom :)

Skydiving with a 4x5 camera strapped to your head? Perfectly...

Fri, 22 Jul 2011 09:27:50 +0100

Skydiving with a 4x5 camera strapped to your head? Perfectly normal thing to do.

Well, it is if your name is Aaron Gustafson. Take a look at his photos here:

http://www.aarongustafson.net

If your name is not Aaron Gustafson (and we’re guessing it’s not) you might be able to do similar on one of our skydiving experiences - although you’re probably better off waiting until you’re not strapped to a burly instructor.

The Buying Team's visit to Paradise Park

Fri, 15 Jul 2011 17:34:00 +0100

Our Buying team recently returned from a crazy whirlwind adventure to Paradise Wildlife Park. They knew that they were going to get to see all kinds of amazing animals, but what they didn’t know was that this day would change them all forever…

Let’s get one thing straight about animals: they’re awesome and the best thing about our visit to the zoo was the chance to learn about the animals, whilst tickling their tummies or feeding them grapes!

Steve told us all about the preservation work the ‘Park was doing, took us on a gentle stroll around the animal habitats, and dropped a couple of absolutely cracking cat related jokes. He fed a massive tiger called Rocky right in front of us, showed us the actual tiger from the first episode of Jonathan Creek and was generally incredible; if you do get the chance to go on one of our Big Cat Keeper experiences, request him by name because he is hilarious, and he had a pretty rugged kind of survivalist “vibe” going on which was outstanding.

We also got to tickle tapirs, which was adorable. You kind of pat them on the tummy and then they flop onto the ground and grin while you scratch and rub and generally sort them out. Alex and Clem were well into it, and I’m pretty sure we have photo evidence of that, so even if both of them wish to renege on their “I don’t care, take a picture of me sprawled across a prehistoric cross between a horse and a pig” chat: too late – it’s been blogged.

Everyone was desperate to meet the red pandas by this point, not that the rest of the ‘Park wasn’t amazing, but Tim had been mouthing off about how cute they were (gosh, as if we didn’t know Tim). Barry ushered us all into their little enclosure and we fed grapes to them and it WAS THE BEST. THING. EVER.

And that was our day at Paradise Wildlife Park. We laughed, we cried, we found some mind-blowing wolf related merchandise in the gift shop, and everyone had a ruddy-bloody good time. Thanks a bunch to all the people who showed us around, stuffed our brains full of knowledge and our stomachs full of delicious blueberry muffins.

Harriet and Paul’s visit to The SEA LIFE London Aquarium...

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 11:18:00 +0100

Harriet making friends with a turtle

Paul's elephant seal impression!

Take note!

Gentoos 'chillin' out

Harriet and Paul’s visit to The SEA LIFE London Aquarium to meet the Penguins!

The SEA LIFE London Aquarium has recently become home to a family of Gentoo Penguins and Harriet & Paul from our Customer Service team got the chance to go along and meet them…

Paul and I were invited to an open evening to meet the penguins and we soon found ourselves VERY excited and mimicking characteristics of five year olds at the thought!

I’ve been to the Aquarium before, but not for a good few years and it’s way more exciting than I remember…loads of unusual fish, friendly looking turtles, and not so friendly looking sharks, but now there’s the added bonus of penguins too!

The whole section leading up to the penguins is a good few degrees colder than the rest of the place, adding to the fun and creating an exciting build up. There’s also lots of ice and facts along the way, with the chance to pose for a photo like you’re trekking in the Artic!

With a climb through some ice, and then round the final corner…there they were! Sadly they weren’t very lively; obviously tired from entertaining the crowds earlier in the day! They were just merrily minding their own business, but nonetheless they are beautiful little creatures, super cute and I’d have snuck one in my bag if I’d had the chance :)

We finished our trip venturing over the “shark walk”… not for the faint hearted as the Aquarium states… but we were brave!

This week’s fact is for all you Man Utd fans getting...

Fri, 27 May 2011 15:48:00 +0100

This week’s fact is for all you Man Utd fans getting excited for the big match tomorrow!

The first European Cup Final to be held at Wembley Stadium was won by Manchester United in 1968. The last time this stadium held the competition was in 1992 with the champions being Barcelona.
Tomorrow the two teams meet at the first European Cup Final to be held at the new Wembley Stadium!

To see all our football gifts click here > http://bit.ly/football_gifts

It’s Fact time again! Male Gentoo Penguins must find the...

Fri, 20 May 2011 17:24:49 +0100

It’s Fact time again!

Male Gentoo Penguins must find the perfect pebble to p-p-p-pick up a penguin!…They carefully sift through the pebbles looking for the smoothest to present as a love token to their chosen female. If she takes the pebble and places it on her nest then she has accepted that penguin as her mate!

This Friday’s fact: The world’s longest kebab was...

Fri, 13 May 2011 16:10:37 +0100

This Friday’s fact:

The world’s longest kebab was made in South Africa and measured a mouthwatering 2.1km!

It consisted of 3,100kg of beef, 3,600 onions, 24,500 dried peaches and 4,500 green peppers.

The kebab had to be cooked as 1 continuous piece. The total of 2,047 metres was divided into 50-metre lengths. 41 groups of 11 ‘kebab assemblers’ threaded the meat, vegetables and peaches on to steel rods. These were then joined and cooked over 15,000 kg of charcoal.

Woo hoo!…It’s Friday :) and that means it is time for a...

Fri, 06 May 2011 16:14:50 +0100

Woo hoo!…It’s Friday :) and that means it is time for a fun fact from our Fact-master!

This week:

Lego is the largest manufacturer of tyres in the world! The toy company makes more than 300 million a year, while Michelin produces around 180 million.

Celebrity birthday: George Takei

Thu, 21 Apr 2011 17:16:00 +0100

An even wiser man than Jon Bon Jovi once said “to infinity, and beyond”. That man…was not George Takei. But it is George Takei’s birthday this week! Famously known for playing someone who wasn’t Spock or Bones on Star Trek, George also popped up in now-cancelled superhero angst-fest Heroes.

Most importantly though, Takei was in the greatest space-based programme of all time: Futurama. And hey, while we can’t speak for the Sulu, partly because he’s not real and partly because that’d be a massive copyright infringement, we’re pretty sure spending all that time in space would make him really enthusiastic about space. So, take our advice, and send him a ‘Name a Star Package‘

(We’re pretty sure when Star Trek was based all stars everywhere had been discovered because of warp-drive and stuff so this is clearly an amazing gift-opportunity), or maybe a ‘Venus Estate’.

(I imagine this would be a bit like owning part of the water-cooler in his office - pretty neat!)? Regardless, here’s George’s audition tape for ‘Spiderman: the Musical’ for some reason. Enjoy!

Congratulations to our very own Hayley, who won our easter...

Thu, 21 Apr 2011 16:45:23 +0100

Congratulations to our very own Hayley, who won our easter raffle and 2 feet worth of Thorntons chocolate bunny! (containing 225 weight watchers points and 8,000 calories fact fans)

If you thought Segways were pretty nifty machines then check out...

Wed, 23 Mar 2011 14:11:00 +0000

If you thought Segways were pretty nifty machines then check out Solowheel.

As the inventors say themselves, the Solowheel is the smallest, greenest, most convenient People Mover ever invented.

Keep an eye out on the BAG site for possible Solowheel experiences coming your way. But for now, Segways are definitely here to stay.

Freegard’s Friday Facts!

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:45:09 +0000

This Friday’s fact:

Chocolate is toxic. A lethal dose for humans is about 11kg while a small bird can be killed by an M&M

It’s Comic Relief and we’ve got plenty of Red Nose...

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 09:50:36 +0000

It’s Comic Relief and we’ve got plenty of Red Nose fun planned here at BAG Towers.

But to kick the day off, here’s how the greatest minds in advertising…EVER…did it way back in 2009!

Celebrity Birthday: Jon Bon Jovi!

Thu, 03 Mar 2011 16:45:00 +0000

A wise man once said “you’ve got to keep the faith.” That man was Jon Bon Jovi.

And what with it being his birthday and everything we thought…Top 5 Bon Jovi videos!

Love him, hate him, want to be him, don’t want to be him…he’s Bon Jovi and he’s turned 49 years of age. Happy birthday JBJ!

1# It’s My Life

2# Living On A Prayer

3# You Give Love A Bad Name

4# Blaze Of Glory

5# Keep The Faith

Freegard’s Friday Facts!

Fri, 25 Feb 2011 17:01:41 +0000

It’s Friday and Pay Day! Can today get any better?! Yes, it can.

This week’s Friday Fact is:

Blu-Tack was originally white but its colour was changed so that it didn’t look edible to kids.

Pretty fascinating!