Tuesday 6 December 2016

Food for Christmas - A Universally Festive Gift

Giving the gift of food for Christmas is popular all over the world.
Picture this scenario: Snow is gently falling on the already frosted landscape. All is quiet and peaceful. You're busy at work and the FedEx delivery person is ringing your doorbell. You come to the door, and he hands you a beautiful box containing a decorative basket, chock full of your favourite gastronomic treats that are all tied up in red and gold ribbons. You see the card and open it. The gift is from one of your dearest friends. It might even be from a business associate. Now, how do you feel? Pretty good, huh? You are feeling loved, pampered, and altogether SPECIAL.
Food never goes out of style. You can never have too much food at Christmas. It's the time of year that we give way to indulgence. Temptation and dieting just do not figure in to the spirit of the season. Friends and family visit and you proudly share the food that was sent to you as a gift. There's no such thing as a chocolate taboo at Christmas. You indulge in truffles, chocolate covered orange peel, almond clusters, sugar plums and pastries, pate, cheeses, nuts, cookies, all sorts of delicacies. We all over indulge. It's Christmas! It's supposed to be Bacchanalian. Giving friends food for Christmas just adds more joy to their celebration.
One of the reasons I like to give food gifts is because food is something that everybody likes. You don't have to worry about sizes, or if the person already owns one. He or she will always have a use for food. Food is joy. Can you tell I'm a "foodie"? A lovely food gift is glamorous and practical. You consume it and it needs to be replenished. Giving food for Christmas is particularly fun when you can assemble the contents of a basket yourself. Many gift basket companies will allow you to choose the items you put into your gift. This is a great way to personalise your gift and design a little of yourself and a little of your giftee into the package. I suggest making a customised basket. Another advantage of customising your gift is that it also allows you to manage cost.


Gourmet chocolate is one of the most enthusiastically received gifts. I don't know too many people who don't love chocolate. There may be some who are allergic and it's cruel to tantalize an allergic person. You'll have to give that person fruit.
Chocolates are an excellent choice for business associates because they can be opened and shared in the office, thus adding to the joy of the season. Of course, a good brandy will make your attorney happy.
If you are visiting friends or family for the holidays, bring them a bottle or two of fine Extra Virgin Olive Oil. It's both practical and festive. It's also healthy. When considering food for Christmas gifting, another greatly appreciated gift is a basket of herbs and spices. If your friend, or your host and hostess like to cook, then this is a gift they will simply love. I enjoy cooking, so one year my cousin gave me a big box of special herbs, spices, extracts, sesame seeds and oil. It was a lovely luxurious gift.
Think about the person you are gifting and design a gift that really suits them.
Gourmet fruit is a spectacular gift, and healthy. Fruit of the month clubs are very popular, with good reason. I was once given a big box of ruby red grapefruits by a client. Those grapefruits were the best I ever tasted. That client got an A+ and special treatment the entire year from me. So you see, choosing the right gift has built in advantages for the giver.
Whatever you choose to give, choose it thoughtfully. Make it as festive as you can within your budget. The gift of food for Christmas is an all round winner! Happy holidays
-Joan S
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