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Let me tell you about a terrific surprise my aunt sent to me.  I was attending Band Camp in late summer.  Band Camp consists of a week of uninterrupted sessions where performances are choreographed, Music is memorized, and logistics are fine-tuned for the half-time performances for the upcoming fall football season.  Shows for band competitions are also learned during this time.  It is a week of structured activity and, frankly, hard work.

Band Camp is located in an isolated rural place, far from comfortable amenities and distractions. The camping cabins are rustic, smell of mildew, and are spider-ridden.  Not only did we have to adjust to sharing personal space with fellow band members and their annoying habits, we had to sleep on lumpy, musty mattresses.  Even though sleeping arrangements were uncomfortable, exhaustion from each day’s activity made these conditions a welcome respite.

Meals were shared in a cafeteria setting; campers sitting shoulder-to-shoulder on hard benches.  The food consisted of bland-tasting, fattening choices.  Nothing was fresh; everything tasted like it came from a can…and it probably did.  Because we were so active, by the time meals were served, we were so hungry that we really didn’t care what we ate, as long as it was filling.

The week I attended Band Camp, the weather was uncomfortably hot and humid.  Seasonal allergies prevailed as pollen counts elevated.  Being at Band Camp was both stressful and strenuous.  Practices were brutal and the pressure of living in this kind of environment, as well as the mental and physical demands, made me miss the ordinary comforts of home. 

One day, about mid-week, I was particularly frustrated.  The rigorous activity and the living conditions were getting to me.  I was hot and tired.  My muscles were sore and I was probably slightly dehydrated.  During a short rest break, my fellow campers and I heard the roar of a UPS truck coming down the lane.  “Oh great”, I said.  “Probably some more of that fattening food being delivered”, added my friend.  Imagine my surprise (and delight) when the Band Director called out my name with his megaphone to inform me that it was I who had the delivery.

As I hurriedly tore the heavy box open, while fellow campers stood around and watched, I found a hand-written note from my sweet aunt, whose own daughter attended Band Camp a few years before.  “I know how you need to keep up your energy.  Enjoy!” 

Inside the box was a colorful basket FULL of fresh, juicy fruit.  There were red and yellow delicious apples, green Bartlett pears, red grapes, and bright oranges.  Juicy nectarines and peaches were also included.  Sealed packages of raisins, dried cherries, and banana chips were thrown in, as well.  It was a bushel-full, so there was enough fruit to share with everyone!  The colorful arrangement was so enticing, we began enjoying it immediately.  The basket of fresh fruit was the Healthiest we had eaten all week.  We savored each nutritious mouthful.  It gave us the boost we needed to make it through the week…physically and mentally.

My aunt’s note said to share; so share, I did.  There was enough fruit for everyone to enjoy.  This basket of fresh fruit was the healthiest we had eaten all week.  We savored each nutritious bite.  It gave us the energy we needed to make it through the week.  It refreshed us enough to calm our nerves.  It gave us the nutrition we were lacking so we could focus and concentrate on what we needed to learn.

Due to my aunt’s thoughtfulness, my band-mates and I can look back at our Band Camp experience with fondness.  It was one of the more memorable highlights of the week.  Sending me the Fruit Basket turned out to be the encouragement (and nourishment) I needed to see me through to the end.  It arrived at one of the more difficult times in my life and turned it into a positive experience.  It was such a great idea; I will never forget how much I appreciated it.  In fact, I plan to send a deliciously fresh Fruit Basket to other band campers in years to come.  I’m sure they will appreciate it as much as I did.

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Everyone loves a basket of fruit so giving a fruit basket is just a great idea and perfect for just about any time of the year and for any person. This is a gift that is good for the kids teachers, neighbors, family and friends, Christmas, Valentine’s Day and event the Forth of July. Creating your own basket is pretty simple.

To create your gift basket you will need some shredded paper, a wicker basket, scissors, bows, blow dryer, flowers, ribbons, heat-sealable plastic gift-wrapping and of course fruit.

The fruit needs to be very colorful and of course as perfect as possible. No big blemishes or bruises. Traditional things go well in the basket like oranges, bananas, and apples but more unusual fruit gives the basket more interest like pineapple, mangoes and kiwi.

Now it is time to put your gift together. Whatever you have chosen for your container needs to be lined with the colored shredded paper for a nice nesting place for the fruit. Put the biggest fruit on the bottom layer or to the side and then build up the rest of the fruit around the biggest pieces in layers. Keep in mind the colors and make them pleasing to the eye as well.

To seal the gift basket and protect the fruit you need to use a heat-sealable plastic. This comes in a variety of patterns and colors but it needs to say that it is okay to use with perishable foods. The gift wrap should be cut three times larger than the basket.

With the wrapping paper laying out flat put the basket in the center and then raise the sides to meet at the middle and seal it at the top. Use a blow dryer to heat the plastic wrapping and seal it together making a kind of gift bag.

Now it is time to decorate your gift with anything you think the person receiving the gift will enjoy. You can add candies, flowers, bows, ribbons, or anything that is decorative. Gift baskets with fruit a yummy and Healthy and always something that lights up the face of the person who receives the gift. In fact, it is so good that giving the same gift to the same person more than once is a good thing. The will actually begin to anticipate your special gift of fruit which is always an enjoyable thing.

If you are giving fruit to the same person you can change it up by adding chocolates or a special gift that is not edible but something the person would enjoy. Or you could simply add beautiful flowers.

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There are times when we pass the vitamin store in the mall, we recognize a friend browsing the shelves with their basket already half full of supplements.  They are the health freak; that friend of ours who is always trying out the latest diet or newest exercise fad.  Or, perhaps they’re new to the whole health scene.  Or maybe they represent those among us who are trying to lose those extra pounds…for the third year in a row.  No matter what, we all know someone who is “carb conscious.”  So, when their birthday comes around, it can be challenging to get them a gift that meets their healthy living. In fact, this give you a good starting point in deciding upon a gift.  Get your friend something that they’ll actually use and appreciate, or support your newly dieting friend by helping them along their way to a Healthier and leaner lifestyle.

One unique gift idea might be to get them an introductory membership to a health or athletic club.  Here you can find up to date work-out equipment that your friend can choose from.  Some of the equipment can be intimidating or tricky looking, and the staff is always willing to demonstrate how to work them.  Many health clubs will also offer trainers to guide customers in a work out regime that best suits them.  Getting a friend a membership is a great way to motivate someone to get out of the house and get started on shedding the pounds.  Even if your friend already has a membership to such a club, you can still give them a free month, or even a gift certificate to be used at the club for additional services or products.

If a gift of a club membership is a bit more than you planned to spend, there are other gifts in the same spirit.  A stop at your local sports shop is always a great place to find loads of gift ideas for your health conscious friend.  Health stores offer loads of ideas that can suit almost anyone’s interests.  You might get them a health guide on the latest exercise trend.  

Just because they want to lose weight doesn’t mean they can’t eat.  There are a lot of books that can be found in sports shops or even health clubs with recipe guides and nutritional Information.    The sports shop has new ideas at every turn including pedometers and heart rate monitors making your gift hunt much easier.

If you want your gift to express more of a personal touch, try sending a gourmet fruit basket. Fruit can become an extremely healthy habit.  We’ve been learning it since grade school when we first saw the food pyramid.  Fruit is healthy.  Fruit is one of the healthiest foods around; it provides essential vitamins and energy not to mention is cholesterol-free.    Fruit baskets can come in several different assortments that will provide your friend with his favorite treats.  However, if your friend has just begun a low carb diet, he or she will not be permitted fruit until later in the diet’s progression.

So whether they’re just starting into Fitness or have been working out for years, be certain your gift is supportive of their decision to get healthy or stay healthy.

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