Preparing a Food Basket as the Perfect Gift

<h1>Preparing a Food Basket as the Perfect Gift</h1>

by Bill Healey

<div align=justify>You need to buy a gift for someone but have no idea in the world what to buy them. What are you gonna do? There is a good chance a homemade gift basket is the perfect choice. A homemade gift basket allows you to add a few different small things to one gift and add your own personal, creative signature touch to show how much you really do care, even if you don’t. Gift baskets can popular gifts for birthdays, Christmas time, or for any other occasion. Think about it. You can fill it up with foods, wines, or anything else you think that the recipient will enjoy and the best part is you can control the cost. When designing a gift basket yourself, include foods that are nonperishable or foods that don't go bad quickly. Choose a basket and filler that are attractive and look nice together. Most important, choose things the recipient likes. Here are some instructions on how to put together your own gift basket. Preparing the basket 
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<LI>The first thing you’ll want to do is to select a basket. Have some fun and be creative while keeping in mind the size you’ll need in order to fit everything in. Themed baskets like a golf bag for someone who golf’s as an example, are popular with many people. 
<LI>Place the basket you picked out on a table and add some filler or straw to it. 
<LI>Try to arrange the filler around to create a mound in the center of the basket and also near the handles. Make a dip or nest on the top of the center mound. 
<LI>Next, set a table cloth over the filler. Your basket should have the cloth draping out a little bit over the rim of the basket. If by chance you have some extra cloth left over, pull some of that fabric back and form pockets in it. They should look like nests of fabric in several places, including that top mound. </LI></UL> Filling the Basket 
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<LI>Buy a bottle of wine or some flavored oil or vinegars and put them on the top of the center mound. Work it down good in to the shredded filler to secure the bottle so it stays in place and doesn’t shift around the basket on you. 
<LI>As an added touch, arrange books or magazines on a subject they are interested in on the back side of the basket. If they are into specialty subjects like wines, choose a magazine that is an expert in the wine field. You also have the choice of filling it with DVD’s for the movie buff or maybe mugs for a coffee aficionado. 
<LI>Place a colorful variety of herbs or whatever your theme is in the front of the basket. Identify them individually with handwritten tags. Place them all of in a row. Have some cheeses on either side of the basket, near the handles. 
<LI>For a colorful and overflowing look, arrange the outer portions of the basket with some clean, dry fruit. You can also add things like pastries, muffins and breads too if you like. 
<LI>Place cellophane on the back side of the basket covering part of the sides. Take the front and overlap the sides toward the back. Now, using some curling ribbon, firmly tie up the cellophane, double-knotting on front side. Tape the overlapping sides downward under the basket. 
<LI>Tie a bow with two long tails for the back of the basket. Attach it with curling ribbon. Clip the curling ribbon or use the edge of a pair of scissors to curl them. Place the bow at the top of the handle and place a card under it, taping it in place. </LI></UL></div>

Article source: <a href="http://www.ArticlePros.com/holidays-special-occasions/Gift-Ideas/article-87190.html">ArticlePros.com</a>
 
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		About the author
		The Fruit Company offers fruit harvested right from the orchards, reserving only the freshest fruit for your gifts. The Fruit Company offers a selection of products consists of <a href="http://www.fruitcompany.com">fruit baskets</a>, gift towers, <a href="http://www.fruitcompany.com">fresh fruit</a>, premium fruit gifts, cheesecake, and our monthly fruit clubs. Visit them at <a href="http://www.fruitcompany.com">www.fruitcompany.com</a>.
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