Customized Confections Add 'Taste' to Holiday Giving

Sweet nothings this season will come in many homemade and store-bought varieties. From pastries and pies to cakes and cookies, holiday giving for neighbors, colleagues and friends often consists of ethereal edibles.
Gwen Willhite, founder of Cookies by Design, the originator of the hand-decorated Cookie Bouquet, says food gifts shouldn't be limited to a plate of cookies or pan of brownies. Gwen's mission is to personalize her treats with finishing touches that add sparkle and emotion. She offers the following guidelines for those who want to do the same.

1. "Eat"-ertain: Instead of insisting on picture-perfect cookies, involve your children in the decorating process. Make cookies at home, or buy ready-to-decorate ones from companies like Cookies by Design in various shapes, and let your children find their inner artist. The time spent together is priceless, as will be the resulting art. You can always augment their creations with your own or with professionally decorated holiday selections.

2. Give for the recipient: Shoppers often select designs based on their own preferences without considering who is getting the gift. Account for the particulars of your recipient - gender, religious affiliation, hobbies, allergies, age and occupation - to determine the most appropriate food gift. A gardener might enjoy an arrangement featuring plants and seed packets more than a themed holiday selection.

3. Find the right level: Sometimes, a food gift is not enough, but may perfectly complement another gift. For example, an individually decorated cookie makes a perfect gift topper and adds to the overall value of the gift. Or, if paper greeting cards aren't quite enough, consider giving cookies with messages on them instead.

4. Host with the most: For the host or hostess, planning a party, decking the halls and getting through the gift list can be overwhelming. Consider using food as decorations to cut preparation time in half. Cookie bouquets (homemade or from Cookies by Design) are ideal for centerpieces, and individual cookies can be used as ornaments or even place cards. Other table decorations could include a cheesecake on a cake stand with some fruit, and there's nothing better than a gingerbread house to decor-"eat."

5. Shop for ideas: Each year, new gift ideas are abundant. Whether you buy the latest and greatest or let them inspire you to create your own, it's good to know what's out there.
For ideas on creative confections, or to share your own with others, visit www.cookiesbydesign.com. Whether you're having caricatures of friends and family drawn on cookies in icing, or staging decorating parties for your daughter's class at school, all ideas are welcome. Remember, it's not the dough you spend, but the thought that counts!