Party Flavors
At Jelly Belly's new microwebsite, choose one or two flavors of jelly bean -- perhaps in colors that match an event's theme -- then design the bag or tin with your own artwork and a personal message. Prices range from $1.25 each for 1/2-ounce bags to $14.99 for a 10-ounce barrel. (800) 522-3267; myjellybelly.com
Blanket Statement
These delightfully patterned picnic blankets fold together into an easy-to-carry, easy-to-store tote and are sure to be kept at the ready for all kinds of outdoor activities. Sunshine Blanket Totes start at just $17 for an order of 10, including a one-color silk-screened logo. Call to find a distributor. (888) 742-6429; picnictime.com
Go With the Faux
Nothing can compare to fresh flowers, but for the right event, these bright, cheerful plastic ones can make a bigger splash. Bouquets range from $18 to $60 -- less than you might pay for real flowers. Shop by color at popflowershop.com.
Hue Genius
Not every event planner is blessed with a flair for matching colors, and sometimes even true talents need inspiration. Visit colourlovers.com, a site that lets users design and share their own color palettes. Naturally, the highest-rated combinations rise to the top. Pick some favorites and download them to your computer. You can also buy note cards, postcards, and business cards featuring top palettes here. Thanks to Cindy Y. Lo of Austin, Texas-based Red Velvet Events (512-380-9688; redvelvetevents.com) for the idea.
Caramel Delight
Send sophisticated palates into orbit by giving them Amella caramels, made with cocoa butter and other natural ingredients. Flavors include Black Forest, Passion Fruit and Carrot Cake. They cost $4.99 for a three-piece pack ($2.49 per package for large orders) -- perfect for a pillow gift or party favor -- and $47.90 for a box of 12 packs. (310) 542-5900; amellacaramels.com
Sweet Relief
Feel good about buying chocolate for a VIP. Travel Chocolate's "The Vagabond" gift box contains nine half-ounce organic, fair-trade chocolate cups, and the box is made in Nepal from a renewable bush. The company donates to Children's Rescue Mission, helping educate and feed children in a village in Honduras, and the Wildlife Alliance, which works to protect endangered animals and forests. (718) 841-7030 ext.1; travelchocolate.com
Tea's Company
Believe it or not, the flavor of chocolate blends sublimely with a host of tea flavors. The Tea Room makes chocolate bars and truffles mixed with eight teas, including Earl Grey, Bedouin's Mint and Jasmine. As a gift, send a whole bar of each of the eight flavors in a lacquered box ($35.99). In a gift bag, include five truffles in a bamboo steamer ($11). Or, as a table favor or pillow gift, drop two truffles in a pyramid-shaped box ($4.50). Wholesale prices are available. (866) 515-8866; thetearoom.biz
Dip Stick
Be-Bop Biscotti adds a sweet kick (and a drizzle of chocolate) to your typical twice-baked cookie. The individually wrapped biscotti, in flavors like grasshopper mint, lemon almond and pumpkin spice, go well with coffee but are soft enough to be eaten as a cookie, too. The biscotti cost about $1.50 each at retail, or $10.20 per dozen when purchased in bulk. (888) 545-7487; be-bop.net
Your Daily Chocolate Allowance
TCHO-A-DAY is a cheeky twist on medicine: jars of 30, 60, or 90 potent mini-bars from San Francisco chocolatier TCHO. They're great for handing out to attendees or as a gift to chocolate-lovers who need to limit their intake. Be careful, though: Chances of overdosing are high. The packs start at $20. (415) 981-0189; tcho.com
Privacy Please
A chair massage might be just the thing to counteract a day of conference-induced stress, but it it loses some appeal when colleagues are watching. Ocean Spa and Fitness, the new spa at the Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel (310-458-6700; loewshotels.com), offers massage stations behind a shoji screen during breaks. Two massage recipients at a time enter a calmer area of the ballroom dimly lit by aromatherapy candles and enhanced with soft music.
Spread the Joy
A traditional gift basket can easily cost $50 or more. Instead, check out this six-jar sampler of Sarabeth's to-die-for jams, for just $26. Everyone has a favorite flavor, whether it be the original Orange Apricot Marmalade or Strawberry Raspberry (but trust us, the Plum Cherry is hands-down the most addictive). (800) 773-7378; sarabeth.com
Common Scents
Demeter Fragrance Library specializes in replicating real-world smells in its inexpensive fragrances. They would work well to enhance brand identity at an event. Or, for a fun team-building exercise, make a few different blends, like Grass plus Dirt, Lavender plus Patchouli, or Laundromat plus Christmas Tree, and challenge teams to decipher the scents. A half-ounce bottle costs only $6. (800) 482-0422; demeterfragrance.com