Gourmet gift baskets are a hot item this holiday season, and they sure make a great gift. Who does not like to indulge on some delicious chocolates, cheeses or wines? That's especially true when, given their price tags, the recipients might not typically pamper themselves with such items.

That said, there is a basket for every budget. To make your holiday shopping a tasty experience, we have compiled some of the best -- and yummiest -- offers out there:

GourmetGiftBaskets.com is a site that specializes in the delicious boxes and has deals for every taste and wallet. If you sign up for the GourmetGiftBaskets.com newsletter, you can get a 15 percent discount on all of the site's offers. The site even offers more than a hundred Christmas-themed versions.

You could opt for the $34.99 Taste Of Christmas Gift Basket, for example, which contains cinnamon and brown-sugar popcorn, chocolate wafer, double-dipped peanuts and Ghirardelli chocolate squares, among other things.

Or, if you are looking for a very special item, there is the Ultimate Dom Perignon Gift, which combines the famous bubbly with delicious sweets and sells for $399.99.

Quality ingredients, meanwhile, mark the gift baskets offered by the upscale New York grocery chain Dean & DeLuca.

The Fresh From the Country Gift, for example, contains the "best artisanal foods from the world's countrysides"; that means, among other things, chocolate and cinnamon babka bread; onion mini flatbread; organic raspberry fruit spread; and seasonal vintage honey. For the $135 price tag, you also get a Dean & DeLuca tote bag.

You can never go wrong with Italian food, and the $140 Taste of Italy Gourmet Gift is sure to be a hit, as well. Dean & DeLuca has stuffed this basket with a "collection of some of the finest foods Italy has to offer," including parmigiano, grilled antipasti, rustic artichokes, truffle grissin, salami and crackers.

Finally, if you would prefer something fruity, Harry & David is where you need to head. The food retailer offers a Deluxe Orchard Gift Basket, for example, which is filled with premium pears, apples, granola, almonds, cashews and dried mixed fruit. This healthy goodness will set you back $79.95.

Bon appetit!

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