| Making your own gourmet gift baskets is not only | | | | choice for them all. The basket choice for each |
| fun but also an affordable alternative to purchasing | | | | recipient can be just as personal as what you choose |
| them ready made. Before picking out the gift basket | | | | to put inside. Consider what they might do with the |
| itself, decide what candy you will be placing inside and | | | | basket once the contents are removed. And also |
| how many you will want for each basket. For every | | | | don't limit yourself to just baskets! For a child a fun |
| holiday, you have the opportunity to show off your | | | | lunch box or backpack might be just the thing. A lady |
| talent - Valentine's gift basket, Mother's day gift | | | | can always use another cosmetic bag or handbag. A |
| baskets and Christmas gift baskets.A trip to your | | | | gentleman would no doubt find a use for a metal tin |
| local candy store will give you a huge assortment of | | | | or a small travel bag. Consider filling a beautiful vase, |
| choices. Individual candies are available wrapped in | | | | a large coffee mug or something as unusual & |
| very pretty and elegant wrappings. Many other | | | | unexpected as a Chinese take out box for that |
| themed candy wrappings are commonly available. | | | | friend whose favorite lunch is moo goo gai panWith |
| Sports themed wrapping, holiday and birthday | | | | just a little thought to the recipients likes and |
| themes are popular.Another alternative is to buy bulk | | | | interests you can make a gourmet gift basket really |
| candy and create small individual packages for your | | | | special. Personalization is the key. We all love |
| baskets using small cloth bags or squares of | | | | chocolate candy, but as we grow older some of us |
| transparent wrap or tissue paper filled with the | | | | begin to consider it a forbidden fruit. How did |
| candies. The corners are then gathered up and tied | | | | something that ancient civilizations considered the |
| with a bow. This is not only another cost cutting idea, | | | | food of the gods become so strife with controversy |
| but also helps to add a personal feeling to the gift | | | | today?Isn't that the reason you've decided to create |
| basket. Consider the recipient when wrapping your | | | | your own?Natalie Aranda writes about food and |
| own candies. Is she a teenage girl? Replace the bow | | | | family. Gourmet gift baskets are perfect choices for |
| with a clip or pretty scrunchie for her hair. Is it a male | | | | birthday gifts, anniversary gifts or wedding gifts. |
| friend? Ask yourself what his interests are and what | | | | Making your own gourmet gift baskets is not only |
| activities he enjoys. Perhaps you tie a golf tee under | | | | fun but also an affordable alternative to purchasing |
| the bow of a candy assortment, or the bow atop | | | | them ready made. A trip to your local candy store |
| the basket itself could be created from a necktie.For | | | | will give you a huge assortment of choices. Individual |
| a larger variety of candy choices than you have | | | | candies are available wrapped in very pretty and |
| locally, consider the option to buy candy online. A | | | | elegant wrappings. Many other themed candy |
| quick entry into a search engine for a candy online | | | | wrappings are commonly available. Sports themed |
| store will bring you many more choices to consider | | | | wrapping, holiday and birthday themes are popular. |
| for your baskets.Once you have decided what will go | | | | Another alternative is to buy bulk candy and create |
| into your gourmet gift baskets, you can then choose | | | | small individual packages for your baskets using small |
| a style and size of basket. When making several | | | | cloth bags or squares of transparent wrap or tissue |
| different baskets, don't limit yourself to the same | | | | paper filled with the candies. |