Monday, December 15, 2014

Chocolate Gift Baskets For Holidays And More

By Lucia Weeks


Everyone has faced this dilemma--shopping for a present for someone who already has everything, or perhaps you just don't know what they would like. Perhaps you ordered a gift online and it went out of stock or got lost in the mail. Instead of panicking and sending a gift card or IOU, consider chocolate gift baskets instead of traditional ones.

These gift baskets come in a wide variety of sizes, shapes and contents. Some feature just chocolate items such as candy bars and cocoa mixes just to name a few. Some may feature only milk or dark chocolate, or perhaps even white chocolate for recipients with very specific likes. Some might mix up all three types for variety and a little bit of fun.

Some selections may offer more than just plain chocolate. Among the many choices available are chocolate-dipped foods such as pretzels, marshmallows, puffed rice treats, cake pops and other sweet and salty treats. Still others may include non-food items that are related to this treat or its consumption. For example, a basket with cocoa might include mini marshmallows or a ceramic mug to put the cocoa in.

The holidays are a very busy time for gift baskets, so these should be available all over the place in many retailers both local and national. It's easy if you buy one and give it in person to the recipient, but gift giving is not always that easy. The person you wish to give it to may live out of the city, or maybe on the other side of the country. Thankfully, there is an easy solution to this--delivery. Many companies offer delivery either as a part of the price of the basket, or for an extra charge. They could be either hand delivered or sent via mail.

There is a caveat for those who wish to use delivery, especially if it is through the mail. In the summer, chocolate could easily melt if left on a doorstep even for a few minutes, much less hours that it may take the recipient to get home and bring the package inside. In states where the weather is warm even in spring and fall, this could still be an issue. Be sure to chose hand delivery only if the recipient lives in one of these areas so they don't end up with a melted mess.

The holiday season is a great time to consider this as a present, because it lets you send things to people far away and doesn't take hours or days to shop for. But there are other big holidays like Easter where a chocolate-filled present would be a wonderful treat. There is also Valentine's Day, because why give a box of chocolates when you can send an entire basket?

Christmas and Easter aren't the only time when a food item like this would be welcome. Birthdays are great for this because everyone deserves a sweet treat on their big day. If a person has recently been sick and needs an emotional lift, baskets could be just the ticket. Anniversaries and other occasions are all appropriate times as well.

With so many occasions for buying this type of gift, there is no reason not to buy and send one to someone in your life. From close family members to work colleagues, these baskets are always much appreciated.




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