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I believe that food is the ultimate gift because it is one of the most personal gifts you can give to someone. Sure, you can buy a prepackaged gift pack or basket of food, but there is nothing personal about this. You should only give such a gift to a business associate or donate it to a charity to be given away. But, for friends and family, it's best if you create individualized packages for each person based on their tastes.

Buying the food your friend or family member likes best means you have to really take the time to get to know what that person likes. You can find out by offering them a taste of what you are eating or getting into discussions about food likes and dislikes, or just watch them and what they eat for a while. Most people like chocolate, but take the time to find out what chocolate is their favorite. It may turn out to be a plain Hershey bar, or it may turn out to be the finest Belgian chocolate. If they like cheese, don't just put a stick of your basic cheddar in there. If cheddar is their favorite, get a high-end cheddar. If the person you are putting the package together for drinks alcohol, adding a good bottle of wine to your basket makes it extra special. If you are on a tight budget, make it a smaller gift. It should be quality that counts, not quantity. Don't buy the food in a dollar store unless you know that the person you are giving the gift to will appreciate receiving chocolates made from a waxy chocolate substitute or chocolate that is past its expiry date.

Putting together your gift basket is easy. You can find some very attractive wicker baskets at the dollar store; make sure you wash the baskets thoroughly and give them time to try completely. You can also buy cellophane wrap and stuffing for the basket at the dollar store. First place the stuffing in the basket, I find that paper shreds are great and you can buy packages of them in different colors. Next, place the items attractively in the basket; putting the taller packages at the back and the smaller ones at the front works best. I also find that standing the food packages on end looks best. Then, add something other than food to the basket. For example, if you are giving the gift for Christmas place a couple of Christmas ornaments in amongst the food and drink. If you are including wine, add a couple of wine glasses. Finally, wrap the entire basket and contents in the cellophane (which also comes tinted in different colors). Tie it all off with a ribbon and a gift card and you are all set.

If you do all this, I can guarantee that the person who receives this gift will be touched by your thoughtfulness.

Learn more about this author, Susan Keeping.
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