Things to Put in Holiday Fruit Baskets

Holiday fruit baskets should cater to the recipient's tastes.

Holiday fruit baskets are traditional and perennial gifts that are appropriate for both loved ones and professional contacts. These gift baskets should consist of a mix of seasonal fruits. To make your fruit basket more personal, add homemade items or ones that cater to the particular tastes of the recipient. Brightly colored bows on basket handles and personal cards are essential finishing touches to any gift basket. The following items are classic accompaniments to holiday fruit baskets.

Pomander

The pomander is a festive fruit decoration that originates from the middle ages. In medieval times, the pomander commonly functioned as an air freshener and was thought to ward away illness. Today, the pomander is largely used for decorative purposes and is valued because of its sweet and spicy holiday scent. Pomanders are easily made at home by sticking an orange or an apple with whole cloves and rolling the fruit in a mix of nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger. After hanging the fruit to dry for four to six weeks, the pomander is a long-lasting homemade addition to a holiday fruit basket.

Sugarplums

Sugarplums have been popular holiday treats since Clement C. Moore's famous poem "The Night Before Christmas." Though sugarplums do contain fruit, they are generally not made with their namesake, the plum. Instead, dried fruit such as apricots and dates are used to create the classic dessert. Sugarplums are available for purchase during the Christmas season, though they are easily made at home. Sugarplums usually are comprised of toasted nuts and dried fruit mixed with allspice, cinnamon, and nutmeg. The mixture is formed into balls and later dusted with confectioner's sugar. Sugarplums last for a month and become more flavorful with time, making them a perfect item for a holiday basket.

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Strawberries dipped in chocolate are a delicious holiday treat enjoyed year-round. Strawberries are more widely available during spring and early summer months, making chocolate covered strawberries an ideal part of an Easter or Mother's Day basket. The treats can be purchased or homemade. To make, dip washed and dried strawberries in melted chocolate, preserving the stem at the top of the strawberry. Store the chocolate-covered berries in a cool place for 24 hours until the chocolate is dry. Artfully arrange strawberries in the holiday fruit basket.

Nuts and nutcrackers

A traditional nutcracker adds charm to a fruit basket during the Christmas season.

Holiday fruit baskets are not only about fruit --- other treats that complement fruit are equally appropriate to include in the basket. Bags containing the recipient's preferred nut mixes will add variety to the arrangement. Consider purchasing nut medleys mixed in varying spices. Alternatively, health enthusiasts may enjoy raw or shelled nuts. If the holiday basket is prepared during the Christmas season, include a decorative nutcracker.

References

• Emory University: The History of the Spice Trade in India; Louise Marie M. Cornillez; 1999
• Organic: Orange Pomander Balls; Holly Funk
• Going Strawberry: Chocolate Bitter, Sweet or Powdered, Equivalents and Emergency Recipe Substitutions Helps Chocoholic Cooks
• Saveur: Sugar Plums Recipe
• School of the Seasons: Pomanders: Golden Apples of the Sun; Waverly Fitzgerald
• Gallow Glass; Scents of the Middle Ages; Jadwiga Zajaczkowa

Resources

• "The Night Before Christmas"; Clement Clark Moore; 1822
• University of Illinois Extension: Fruits an Vegetables for the Holidays
• The Food Timeline: Christmas foods