Christmas is the time of year when we fight off the dark and cold of winter by allowing ourselves the little luxuries that we try (successfully or not) to avoid through the rest of the year. Of course, what we do for ourselves during the holiday season goes double for others. There's nothing better than treating a friend or loved one to life's more sophisticated pleasures. And what pleasure is more sophisticated -- or more welcome during the holidays -- than chocolate?
If you're looking to give a luxury chocolate gift this Christmas, the first place to turn is Hotel Chocolat. They have a wide range of great luxury Christmas gifts, ranging from the merely decadent to the completely outrageous.
To begin at the outrageous end of the spectrum, consider the Hotel Chocolat Christmas Gift Hamper. This stylish traditional wicker hamper contains everything you need to create a memorable Christmas for a couple or family, from alternative mince pies to white chocolate penguins, mulled wine spices, ice cream treats, lots of different kinds of chocolates, Christmas decorations, red wine and even port. There's even a hefty slab of delicious milk chocolate to top it all off. If this isn't luxurious enough for you, consider the Ultimate Christmas Hamper, which contains all of these plus Prosecco, sparkling rose, a festive wreath, lots more goodies including penguins in several different flavours, and even a box of Christmas crackers. It's a complete holiday celebration in a single present.
Not every Christmas gift exchange calls for a hamper of chocolate the size of a small bear, however. Smaller Christmas gifts include the Christmas Bliss or Festive Feast baskets. The Festive Feast basket contains a delicious ginger and hazelnut yule log, together with a range of other winter treats such as caramel drops, orange chocolate puddles and milk chocolate reindeer. The Christmas Bliss basket is a little more decadent, with ruby port chosen especially for combining with milk chocolate, as well as a little bottle of sparkling rose, pleasantly spicy chilli chocolate penguins, a mini festive chocolate wreath, and much more.
Other festive gifts include chocolate wreaths, available in either milk or dark chocolate and filled with nuts, caramel, biscuit and raisins. The Hotel Chocolat christmas stocking includes a selection of holiday delicacies in a cool blue-and-white stocking. And the Rather Large Cracker is big enough for a whole table. Over a foot and a half long, this mighty cracker contains 40 delicious Hotel Chocolat confections, as well as enough paper hats and bad jokes for 12 people.
Gift-givers who need to give something a little smaller, whether as a stocking filler or for a regulated gift exchange such as an office Secret Santa, can still find lots of options among Hotel Chocolat's offerings. Icicle decorations are both sleek Christmas-tree ornaments and little boxes of delicious chocolates, while small festive wreaths are the perfect size for sharing. Advent calendars are a great gift for children and adults alike, and the Truffles for Two advent calendar is the perfect romantic Christmas gift for a couple.
No matter who you're shopping for this Christmas, the gift of chocolate never goes unappreciated. The gift of luxurious Hotel Chocolate chocolate turns an ordinary Christmas gift into a moment of self-indulgent luxury.
