Corporate Christmas gift baskets filled with fresh fruits and gourmet chocolates sent to customers or employees are a great way to say "thank you". The question is, what types of fruits of fruits should you include? Which fruits are the freshest this time of year and most popular to send in holiday gift Christmas baskets?

Holiday gift fruit baskets are especially popular during the winter months, because people in many regions are not getting the freshest, highest quality fruits in the winter. Fruit sometimes needs to be transported great distances and by the time the fruit makes it to our local markets, it may not be as fresh as we would like.

The best fruit for holiday gift food baskets, therefore, is seasonal fruit. What kinds of fruit are in season for the holidays? Generally speaking, in North America, apples and pears are at their peak. Apples and pears from California, Washington and Oregon are going to be your freshest choices, along with citrus fruits high in vitamin C, like juicy navel oranges, grapefruit, and tangerines from Florida.

To make your holiday gift food basket really stand out from the crowd and get noticed, it pays to do some research. No matter what you end up paying for your gift basket, you want to give the most exotic, gourmet, luxurious impression possible. You can even add a bit of gourmet. Gourmet chocolates like, chocolate covered cherries and blueberries or chocolate covered almonds add to the mix. Other items you can add to a fruit basket include gourmet cheeses, gourmet crackers, sausages, or mixed nuts.

Apples and pears add festive Christmas colors to your gift basket. There are several autumn and winter varieties of red, green and golden pears that are grown in Northwestern United States this time of year like, Anjou, Starcrimson, Seckel, Webster Comice, and Forelle. Apples varieties include: royal gala, granny smith, golden supreme, among others. All of these are good picks. Adding a golden pineapple or other exotic fruits can spice things up as well, adding a splash of tropical color and flair during the darker winter months.

Because you only want the best tasting, unblemished, and high quality fruit for your holiday gift food baskets, it's important to double check a company's freshness guarantee. You also want a company who can deliver an artistic presentation with a variety of interesting handpicked fruits and items in all colors, shapes and sizes. And remember, a "gift basket" doesn't necessarily have to literally mean a "basket". Many companies offer stylish, festive packaging and artistic boxes as well.

You can easily find high quality corporate Christmas gift baskets online which can save you time and money. Online merchants make it easy to choose something that will impress at any budget. And corporate Christmas gift baskets will make your customers and employees think fondly of you long after the goodies are gone.