Christmas Calendar 14

I'm always thinking of what to give people as a Christmas present. This year I will give a few gift baskets with food as Christmas presents. It's something I would like to get myself. As I usually don't get them the next best thing is to give one away. It's fun to fill a basket with all kinds of delicacies you know the recipient will like.

You can buy a ready filled gift basket (many shops sell them) or you can buy a basket (e.g. from Pentik) and fill it yourself. It's handier to fill it yourself if there are things in the ready filled baskets which you know the recipient won't eat (e.g. meat, alcoholic beverages, gluten and/or nuts).

I have found really nice gift baskets on www.giftgourmet.fi. The baskets are filled with things I would like to eat and the baskets are so pretty. Here are some pictures:

Tea gift basket.

Christmas gift basket.

Pikkumeri gift basket.

A coffee gift basket for the coffee loving Finns.

Herkkusuun Haave gift basket.

Metsämiehen joulu gift basket.

Herkku gift basket.

If you are filling your own basket I would recommend putting at least one of the following items in it as they are pretty and delicious.

Belgian biscuits. My mother-in-law loves them. I sometimes give them to her as a thank you for babysitting Isabella. I get them from Stockmann but I have also seen them at large supermarkets.

Ah, Mrs. Bridges. I first found these gorgeous candy jars in Ireland. I gave two of them as presents to my mother-in-law as they are just so irresistible and make great gifts. I then found them in Finland (at a Christmas market, Anttila, and on www.giftgourmet.fi).

There are also Mrs. Bridges preserves which I have found at Liike 51 (a local shop in Helsinki which sells local and/or organic produce and French delicacies) and (again!) on www.giftgourmet.fi. I swear I don't get money for mentioning them!! Here is a picture of a Mrs. Bridges preserves gift package:

I am sure I will make some people happy with a gift basket full of yummy goodies. Maybe you will too!