The Administrative Professionals Week is observed annually during the last full week of April, from Sunday through Saturday. For 2009, Administrative Professional Week is from April 19 – 25. The Administrative Professionals Day is on the Wednesday of Administrative Professionals Week, and falls on April 22nd this year. This article presents the origin of this special day and provides some ideas for administrative professionals day gifts.

The Administrative Professionals Day was originally established in 1952 as "National Secretaries Day" by the National Secretaries Association (now known as the International Association of Administrative Professionals, IAAP) to recognize secretaries for their contributions in the workplace. IAAP announced a name change for Professional Secretaries Week and Professional Secretaries Day into Adinistrative Professionals Week and Administrative Professionals Day to better reflect the changing roles and growing responsibilities of the administrative staff in the workplace.

This annual event has grown over the years to be one of the most widely observed celebrations in the workplace. Corporations and organizations recognize the contributions of administrative staff with gifts of gratitude. Common gift selections for administrative professionals include flowers, container garden, chocolates, gourmet cookies, spa gift basket, candy bouquet, cheesecake, and thank you gift basket. Some of these gift ideas are discussed below.

The most popular flower bouquet to be sent to administrative professionals is red rose bouquet. Chocolates and cookies are also popular, as sweet treats are welcomed by most women. Gourmet cookies are packaged in containers of different sizes to suit your budget. In addition, delicious cheesecakes and dessert cakes also offer convenient ways to celebrate and share in the office. For individuals who are on calorie restriction, sugar free cheesecakes can be sent instead.

Another great gift idea is Thank You gift basket, which is a gourmet gift basket with a clear message of gratitude, and filled with chocolates, cookies, cheese, gourmet coffee, and other savory treats. For example, you can send a thank you gift box which has "Thanks a Million" imprinted on the gift box, decorative ribbon, as well as on the boxes for cookies and caramel corn. Your message of appreciation will be clearly presented in your gift.

Another gift to recognize the contribution of your administrative professionals is to send them a gift basket with a glittering star gift container filled with scrumptious treats. You can certainly make them feel like a shining star with this unique gift.

For individuals who are health conscious, dried fruit and nuts offer great choices. You can find a wide varieties of fruit and nut trays for your health conscious recipients.

Spa gift baskets are great non-food gift choices. These spa gifts come with bath salts, body gels, fine lotions, spa towels and slippers; and will help your administrative staff to relax and rejuvenate from the stress of the office routine. Alternatively, container gardens are inexpensive and convenient gifts that can bloom and grow in the office with only minimal care. The seeds, soil and nutrients are all included in the container. All the recipients have to do is to plant and water the container, and enjoy the flowers bloom. For individuals whose hobby is in gardening, a gardening gift basket will be the perfect gift.

Finally, regardless of what you send to your administrative professionals, your gifts represent your acts of kindness and gratitude, and will plant the seeds for a cooperative and harmonious environment in the workplace.