2006-04-02T14:59:00.000-07:00

Make Your Own Gourmet Gift Baskets

Everyone loves to receive a gift basket. Corporate gift baskets are often given by businesses to their customers as a token of their appreciation. However, most gift baskets are person to person expressions of love and friendship.

You can find a great selection of online gift baskets from the very expensive to the cheap. Or, you can come up with your own unique gift basket idea and surprise a cherished friend or loved one.

It’s not difficult to make your own personalized gift baskets. Most gift baskets involve a theme.

Here are some sample ideas to get you started:

* Cookie Gift Basket – bake up some homemade cookies and enclose them in colorful plastic wrap, include a personal card or poem.

* Chocolate Lovers Gift Basket – include individual fancy chocolates, boxed chocolates, or the person’s favorite chocolate bars along with hot chocolate mix.

* Holiday Gift Basket #1 – a Christmas holiday gift basket idea could include small stocking stuffers, candy canes and homemade Christmas cookies.

* Holiday Gift Basket #2 – a Halloween holiday gift basket can be stuffed with candy, throw in some plastic skulls, spiders, cob webs and assorted creepy items.

* Wine Country Gift Basket – wine and cheese baskets are favorites, include two bottles of choice wine from your favorite winery or wine shop, add cheese and crackers.

* Coffee Gift Basket – Your favorite coffee lover will enjoy fresh gourmet ground roasted coffee (or their favorite brand), flavored creamer, cookies and a fun coffee mug.

* Italian Gift Basket – include a variety of dried gourmet pasta like spinach, whole wheat, or dried tomato, two jars of pasta sauce, fresh mozzarella and parmesan cheese, garlic bread and fancy olive oil.

* Tea Lovers Gift Basket – you can include several varieties of black tea, green tea and herbal teas, a mug and homemade butter cookies adds a nice finishing touch.

* Champagne or Beer Gift Basket - the champagne basket would be elegant: includes a bottle of fine champagne, cheese and crackers, and fancy chocolates; the beer basket includes several domestic and/or imported beers, lagers, or ales, chips, pretzels and nuts.

* Pet Gift Basket – dog and cat gift baskets are the most popular. For a dog you can include: homemade doggie biscuits or cookies, a doggie collar, doggie toys. For a cat you can include: cat treats, cat nip and cat toys.

Now you know that all it takes to make a unique gift basket that will be treasured is a little ingenuity and your personal touch.

About The Author
Donna Monday

2006-04-02T14:54:00.000-07:00

Choosing a Wine Gift Basket

During the holiday season, most of us are in a frantic search for presents for loved ones and friends. Next time, instead of the usual hassle of selecting a gift which will suit him or her, try sending a wine gift basket instead. Wine gift basketsare a perfect present for both men and women and suit every occasion e.g. Birthdays, Weddings etc. The information below will help you select an appropriate wine gift for that special occasion.

Who will be receiving the wine gift basket?

Men will prefer a bottle of wine, which they can open and drink immediately or store in their own wine cabinet (The smile when he or she unwraps the present to discover a 1990 Bordeaux is priceless) whereas women are usually more delighted with a wine accessory e.g. Corkscrew, Crystal Wine glasses or a decanter. Below are the four basic questions you need to ask yourself before you shop for a wine gift.

What is the occasion?

Different wine gift baskets are suitable for various occasions. Wine gift baskets are a favorite for parties. The numerous items within will allow everyone to enjoy the gift and enjoy the wine with delicious tidbits as well. Wine merchants also have wine gift baskets for special occasions such as Valentine's Day, Christmas etc.

What is your budget?

Most nifty wine gift baskets can be had for $25-$50 although fine wines will be more expensive. Wine gifts often include cheese and chocolates (a favorite with children). Just remember it is the thought that counts!

What is their knowledge of Wine?

If the wine gift is for a beginning wine enthusiast, then a well-written book on enjoying wine will be an excellent gift whereas an expert wine enthusiast might enjoy having a stopper for the half empty bottle of wine. Try to find a wine gadget that he does not already own, most people will be touched by the thoughtfulness of your gift. The wine gadget will also remind him/her of your friendship each time he enjoys a bottle of fine wine.

About The Author
Peter is an wine enthusiast who has created his own website which offers information on Wine Cabinets and fine wine.

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