I have an aunt who is one of the most thoughtful, giving persons I know.  She sent a package to me that truly helped me through a very trying time in my life.  I was at Band Camp late in the summer.  Her own daughter had attended this same one a few years earlier.  Band Camp is a week of rigorous instruction in which performances for football half-time shows, as well as week-end competitions are learned.  It is an extremely strenuous activity, as choreography, music memorization, and fine-tuning skills are perfected.

The location of Band Camp is at a rather isolated, rural setting.  Comfort is non-existent.  The cabins in which we stayed are old, dilapidated structures which house spider-ridden, musty-smelling cots.  They are arranged side-by-side and in bunks, accommodating as many campers as possible.  Talk about living in “close quarters”.  There is no other furniture in the cabin.  Even though these living and sleeping arrangements seemed undesirable and lacked privacy, we were so exhausted after our daily routines, we quickly adapted.

Meals were shared in a cafeteria setting.  The food, although filling, consisted of high-calorie, bland-tasting fare.  Nothing was fresh; everything tasted like it came from a can…and it probably did.

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.  My allergies were making me even more uncomfortable, depriving me of much-needed sleep.  My muscles were sore and I was probably on the verge of dehydration.    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 opened the large cardboard box, my fellow campers eagerly watched.  Inside the wrapping, I found a hand-written note from my thoughtful aunt and read it aloud to the growing crowd.  “I know you and your band-mates need to keep up your energy.  Band Camp is a time for learning and sharing; a time for loving and caring; a time to make lasting memories.  Enjoy!” 

Inside the huge box was a beautiful bushel basket brimming with a variety of delicious, fresh fruit.  Sweet and juicy peaches, plums, and nectarines were abundant.  There was an assortment of McIntosh and Granny Smith apples; Bartlett and Bosc pears; red and green seedless grapes.  Colorful oranges and tangy tangerines were also attractively placed to make an enticing arrangement.  Best of all, was a gigantic, ripe watermelon.  Sealed packages of dried cherries, banana chips, and boxes of raisins were thrown in; to be enjoyed after the fresh assortment was gone.

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.

Because of my aunt’s thoughtfulness, I look back at my Band Camp experience with fondness.  Sending me the Fruit Basket turned out to be the encouragement I needed to keep me going…to keep me focused…to see me through to the end.  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.

In recent years, why you needed to give a gift to a loved one or friend, you first thought of sending a bunch of flowers. Flowers are beautiful but they are not very functional. They are very nice to look at for a few days but will eventually begin to wither away and end up in the trash bin. There is another choice that more and more people are turning to these days, the fruit basket.

Unlike the flower bouquet, a gift basket of fruit can be used and shared by many people. Fruit baskets can be designed specifically for the person that you are purchasing it for. If you know for certain that they really like to eat grapefruit or kiwi, why not order the fruit basket with these two fruits in it.

Not only will putting their favorite fruits in the basket make it person, you could also add splashes of their favorite colors. This can be accomplished easily with ribbons or strips of fabric in their favorite colors. Or even adding a bow that says congratulations or happy birthday can make it that much more personal.

The recipients of a fruit gift basket are usually very thrilled and excited about their gift. They are eager to show it off to friends and coworkers. Unlike a flower bouquet, a fruit basket can be shared by the whole office or household. Each person in the office could take and eat an orange or apple from the fruit basket.

We have all been assigned at one time or another to get a gift for someone that we are not that familiar with. We are not sure what they like or what the collect. A fruit basket can be the answer that you are looking for.

When you get assigned as the person to pick out the gift, the
others are relying on you to get something that the person will enjoy. If you make a mistake and purchase wine or clothing that is not in the taste of the person that you are purchasing for, the others could be upset with you.

A fruit basket is the perfect gift for anyone that you are wanting to surprise. They are usually less expensive when compared to the soaring prices of a flower pot and they can just as easily be made into a basket filled with things that the person loves. Try it today. The person that you are gifting to will surely be surprised and happy.