Unique Gift Baskets

When a friend or family, coworker or acquaintance loses someone they love it’s hard not to feel helpless. You may or may not know the pain they are going through, but it doesn’t really matter because you cannot do much to make them feel significantly better. Something you can do, however, is to free them of some burdens by offering to do errands for them, cooking meals, or by even just lending an open ear. I also like to send along a gift basket as a special touch. This is also a great option if you cannot personally see the bereaved and/or live a great distance away.

Giving Something Sweet/Useful to the Bereaved

If you would rather send them or give them a gift, sympathy gift baskets are perfect for the occasion. The key with sympathy gifts is to find something classy, useful and tactful. You can depend on most gift baskets designed for this occasion to do all of the above.

You must be careful while choosing one, however, that you choose a high quality product. You do not want to give something cheap. Wolferman’s Deluxe Sympathy Gift Basket will offer the perfect gift to help someone through this hard time.

1. Wolferman’s Sympathy Gift Basket

Wolferman’s Deluxe Sympathy Breakfast Basket, pictured above, is the perfect gift for someone who has just lost someone they loved. It’s classy, unique, and it takes care of breakfast for a few days if not weeks. The basket includes the following items:

• 1910 Original Recipe Signature English Muffins, 1 pkg. (4 muffins, 14.5 oz.);
• Cinnamon and Raisin Signature English Muffins, 1 pkg. (4 muffins, 14.5 oz.);
• 1910 Original Recipe English Muffin Bread (17 oz.);
• Classic Crumpets, 1 pkg. (4 crumpets, 5.5 oz.);
• 2 Classic Currant Scones (3 oz. each);
• Strawberry Preserves (5 oz.);
• Spiced Honey Creme [Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cloves] (11.8 oz.);
• 3 bags Tiffin Blend Coffee (2 oz. each);
• Muffin Master Splitting Tool.

If you would like more information on each of these products, see below:

Wolferman’s Signature English Muffins

One reviewer on Wolferman’s website calls the Original Signature English Muffins, “the best English muffins he’s had in his life.” They certainly bring a little extra over the tiny English muffins you can buy at the super market.

Both packages in this gift basket, the original and cinnamon raisin, come with four thick (about 2 inches) and tasty muffins that melt in your mouth. With minimal fat and cholesterol, these English muffins can make your breakfast truly special.

The English Muffin Bread comes in a pre-sliced loaf with thick and filling slices. One slice is enough to satisfy you, trust me. This bread does not taste like any other bread either. Even the original non-flavored variety is bursting with flavor in every bite. Although it lacks the nooks and crannies of a regular English muffin and is slightly less dense, this is a great bread to accompany your morning eggs.

Classic Crumpets

Wolferman’s crumpets are thin, with a hard bottom and an English muffin-like top. They are GREAT toasted with a little jam or butter on top and also make a good bread base for French toast. The classic crumpets have a sweet, vanilla-like flavor, so they are also good without a topping.

Of course, they are also good along with tea or coffee, as is the custom. At only 70 calories each, these substantial scones are a filling snack to tide you over until the next meal.

Classic Currant Scones

This gift basket comes with two individually wrapped scones, making them easy to take on the road. This item is the only item in the basket that some people do not like. Although personally, I think that is a matter of whether or not you like scones in general.

Strawberry Preserves & Spiced Honey Creme

Wolferman’s Strawberry Preserves are a great addition to all of the bread items above. The preserves taste fresh, but not too sickly sweet. Just note that at 5 oz the jar is just a little larger than a votive candle, offering just 7 servings of the stuff. Paired with the Spiced Honey Creme, this should be plenty for the muffin and scones.

The decadent Honey Creme is one of the most exotic and unique toppings you’ll ever taste. Great on any of the breads above, it also makes a good addition to tea. This jar is about twice the size of the preserves, still not huge, but enough to enjoy. It has a whipped consistency and this flavor is spiced with nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon.

Tiffin Blend Coffee

The coffee completes the breakfast, and brings it together. Without it, you would not have a complete breakfast basket. At only 2 oz, you’ll have just a taste of Wolferman’s coffee, enough to keep you going.

Master Muffin Splitter

This little invention from Wolferman’s takes the struggle and stress out of splitting an English muffin (which, if you’ve tried to split one while half-asleep, is quite the battle). It does not slice the muffin, but splits it, preserving the nooks and crannies that make an English muffin an English muffin. Once you’ve been exposed to this kitchen gadget, you’ll never want to give it up.

Extra Details on this Gift Basket

The basket measures 13 inches long, 10 inches wide and 7 inches high and weighs in at 4 lbs 12 oz.

Wolferman’s offers a deal for this basket in that you get expedited shipping for the price of standard shipping. This is key for a gift for someone who is grieving. Just take one look at the emphatic reviews for this basket and you’ll see you really can’t go wrong sending it to anybody you care about. The combination of its usefulness and presentability will show thoughtfulness on your part. For the bereaved, it will be something nice that he or she can focus on without too much extra effort.

2. Harry and David’s Deluxe Sympathy Basket

Harry & David is a well-known high-quality gourmet food company. When you send one of their gift baskets you can be sure that you are sending quality. The company began in 1910 when Samuel Rosenberg purchased 260 acres of pear trees. In 1914 his sons, Harry and David, took over the company. It became the first company to really use direct order marketing, and still has an excellent track record today.

The company’s Deluxe Sympathy Basket comes with:

• 11 Royal Riviera Pears
• Havarti Cheese (7 oz.)
• Rogue Creamery TouVelle Smokey Cheese (4 oz.)
• Deluxe Mixed Nuts (4 oz.)
• Black Pepper-encrusted Dry Salami (8 oz.)
• Caramel Moose Munch Snack (6 oz.)
• Three Seed Crackers (4 oz.)
• Mesa Verde Trail Mix (11 oz.)
• Petite Orchard Fruit Candies (6 oz.)

11 Royal Riviera Pears

These pairs are a signature Harry & David item, and the best pairs I have ever tasted. They are large and juicy, and literally melt in your mouth as you eat them. The sweet flavor is better than anything you’ll taste from the grocery store. The pears in this basket are a healthy option for your recipient and a quick and easy snack when they need an extra boost. ($30)

Havarti Cheese (7 oz.)

Havarti cheese, named after the farm on which it was first made in Denmark, is a mild, buttery cheese made from cow’s milk. It is a semi-soft creamy cheese. You will be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn’t enjoy its flavor.

Rogue Creamery TouVelle Smokey Cheese (4 oz.)

This is a semi–hard cheese, made in Oregon. Its flavor is more herbal than the Harvarti cheese but it is just as creamy. The Touvelle Smokey Cheese has a mild smokey flavor that is great for snacking and sandwiches. It is also made from cow’s milk.

Deluxe Mixed Nuts

Harry & David’s Deluxe Mixed Nuts package include cashews, almonds, peanuts, and walnuts that are lightly roasted and salted for flavor. This protein-filled snack will help fill your recipient up and keep them going during long days.

Black Pepper-encrusted Dry Salami (8 oz.)

This salami is slowly air dried and seasoned with pepper to perfection. With the mild cheeses above, it can make a high quality meal. Its packaging also makes it easy to take with you on the go and just have a few slices when you need it.

Caramel Moose Munch Snack (6 oz.)

Harry & David’s Moose Munch is made with fluffy popcorn coated with buttery caramel and tossed with fresh nuts. This is the sugary treat in the basket that your gift basket recipient won’t be able to put down after having a bite.

Three Seed Crackers (4 oz.)

The three seed cracker are a perfect base for the cheeses listed above as well as the salami. THere’s not much else to say about these crunchy crackers.

Mesa Verde Trail Mix (11 oz.)

The Mesa Verde Trail Mix is made of giant roasted corn, peanuts, pepitas (pumpkin seeds) and southwestern seasonings. It goes well sprinkled over cottage cheese or on green salads, but also functions well as a snack.

Petite Orchard Fruit Candies (6 oz.)

These are just little candies that are shaped and taste like the fruits they’re supposed to represent. Pears, apples, and oranges are all featured in this package.

More Details

The Deluxe Sympathy Basket serves 8-10 people, is 15 in L x 11 in W x 10 in H, with a net weight of 8 lbs. Harry & David’s offers free overnight delivery. Be sure to select “Standard Delivery” to get the upgrade during checkout. Orders placed after Thursday 1pm ET will arrive the following week.

The items in the basket are all individually wrapped for freshness and each basket has a sympathy bow attached.

This basket is priced at $104.95. If that’s got you gawking, there are less expensive options too. The
6-Star Sympathy Gift Basket comes in at $74.95 while the 4-Star Sympathy Basket comes in at $54.95. These options may also be a better choice if you are sending this basket to only one person or a small family. Whatever you choose, Harry and David is a good option for almost any occasion, but works especially well as a sympathy gift for those about whom you truly care.