PEOPLE ALWAYS ASK ME IF TWIGS MEANS ANYTHING. SO HERE'S THE STORY OF OUR NAME. A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, I DECIDED THAT I WANTED TO MOVE INTO A STOREFRONT. AT THE TIME, I WASN'T STRICTLY DOING HOSTESS PACKAGING. I INVITED ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS TO JOIN ME AND WE COINED THE NAME T.W.I.G.S. FOR TWO WOMEN IN A GIFT SHOP. WE KIND OF THOUGHT IT WAS A PRETTY GOOD NAME. WORD GOT AROUND AS TO WHAT WE WERE DOING, AND BEING THAT MOST OF US ARE ALL OF THE AGE WHERE OUR KIDS ARE MARRYING AND MOVING OUT, BEFORE WE KNEW IT, WE WERE BEING ASKED BY MANY MORE FRIENDS IF THEY COULD JOIN. SO WE WENT TO "THREE WOMEN IN A GIFT SHOP" AND SO ON. WHEN WE GOT TO "TEN WOMEN IN A GIFT SHOP" WE SAID THIS IS NOOOOT GOING TO WORK. WELL, WE INCORPORATED AS TWO WOMEN AND THEN THE WHOLE SHOP THING SORT OF FELL THROUGH. MY FRIEND IS NOW WORKING AS A VICE PRINCIPAL AND I AM STILL WORKING OUT OF MY HOUSE. WE KEPT THE NAME AND MY DAUGHTERS HAVE JOINED ME ON OCCASION SO IT ALL WORKED OUT IN THE END. AND THE STORY IS A GOOD CONVERSATION OPENER.

SOME OF OUR OTHER SERVICES INCLUDE BREAKFAST BASKETS

FOR THE BRIDE AND GROOM OR FOR YOUR HOTEL GUESTS. I

USUALLY INCLUDE ENOUGH FOOD FOR THE BRIDE AND GROOM

TO LAST A COUPLE OF DAYS. I HAVE FOUND THAT IT IS BETTER

TO DELIVER THE BASKET TO THE WEDDING HALL OR HOTEL ROOM

BEFORE THE WEDDING. THIS WAY, THE COUPLE CAN ENJOY IT

AT THEIR LEISURE. I HAVE EVEN HAD SOME BRIDES TELL ME

THAT THEY WERE SO HUNGRY AFTER THE WEDDING, THEY

STARTED IN ON THE BASKET RIGHT THEN AND THERE.

MANY HOSTESSES, WITH OUT OF TOWN GUESTS STAYING IN

HOTELS, WOULD RATHER NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT BREAKFAST

THE MORNING OF OR AFTER THEIR AFFAIR. A SMALL INDIVIDUAL

BREAKFAST BOX GOES A LONG WAY IN SAYING WE ARE THINKING OF

YOU. THEY CAN EVEN BE BROUGHT TO THE WEDDING AND HANDED

OUT TO YOUR GUESTS ON THEIR WAY HOME. IT'S A KIND AND

MUCH APPRECIATED GESTURE.

THE OOT BAG

I RECENTLY LEARNED OF A NEW TERM FOR WHAT I DO. I HAVE
BEEN TOLD THAT THESE PACKAGES ARE CALLED OOT BAGS.
IT STANDS FOR "OUT OF TOWN" BAGS. PEOPLE SOMETIMES
ASK ME IF IT IS REALLY NECESSARY FOR THEM TO PROVIDE
THEIR GUESTS WITH FOOD AND DRINKS IN THEIR ROOMS. OF
COURSE IT'S NOT ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY BUT IT IS A LOVELY
WAY TO WELCOME YOUR GUESTS. MANY PEOPLE WILL ADMIT
THAT THE FIRST THING THEY DO ON ENTERING THEIR ROOM
IS TO CHECK OUT THE OOT BAG OR BOX. SO NOW YOU KNOW.

WHEN YOU REALLY LOVE WHAT YOU ARE DOING, IT MAKES IT SO MUCH NICER TO BE DOING IT. I LOVE DESIGNING THESE PACKAGES. I LOVE THE CHALLENGE OF COMING UP WITH NEW IDEAS OR INTERPRETING WHAT MY CUSTOMERS ENVISION. I FIND MY CUSTOMERS ARE SPLIT INTO TWO GROUPS. THE ONES WHO WILL CALL SEVERAL WEEKS OR EVEN MONTHS BEFORE THEIR AFFAIR AND THE ONES WHO CALL THREE DAYS BEFORE. THE FORMER WILL INVARIABLY ASK TO MEET WITH ME AND WILL REQUEST SAMPLES AND HAVE LOTS OF CONCERNS WHILE THE LATTER WILL USUALLY SAY "DO WHATEVER YOU THINK IS BEST." I DO TRY.