I like a nice cup of tea in the morning and at many intervals through the day. Brewing and drinking tea is a pleasurable rite that provides me with all the water I need to live, that stimulates my taste buds and that revives my spirit. Gift tea baskets let you give all this to friends and family too.

You can buy tea baskets already made into gifts but it is much more fulfilling to put them together yourself. It demonstrates so much more care and thoughtfulness. By personalising the gift tea basket to the person you have in mind you will add far more than the pure monetary value of the gift. The recipient will be overwhelmed.

My most recent tea gift basket idea was to a good friend who is obsessed with fitness and healthy diet. The centrepiece was a special pack of green chai which aids digestion and diet at the same time as being very refreshing and therapeutic. There was also a book about the tea's history and health value alongside a selection of the richest chocolates. All this served to remind her of the need for moderation all things except moderation.

This unique fun tea basket had everything. Information in the form of testimonials regarding the benefits of green tea for weight control, several green tea varieties, and lots of cookies and treats. It proved to be a gift for the mind, the body and the spirit and above all, said to my friend how well I thought of her and wished her everything good.

Another great tea gift basket idea is to work with flavors. If you know someone who loves fresh fruit why not combine some of her favorite fruits with some fruit flavored teas. This makes a wonderfully healthy present that any fruit lover would appreciate. Some fruity cookies wouldn't hurt in this arrangement, either.

For a friend who is a young geography teacher I used the very popular chai teas, some maps and information on the points of origin of the teas to make his tea experience an intellectually challenging pleasurable rite. It was avery oriental looking gift that gave him a great lesson idea for sharing with his students.

Or how about helping a 'non-morning' person that you know, with a gift basket of all the breakfast blends and some breakfast breads for toasting and covering in different marmalades. All done up in sunshine yellow gift wrapping. At the other end of the day someone who struggles to relax would benefit from a lavender theme.

Gift tea baskets are only lmited by the extent of your imagination but they all have one thing in common; they are put together with love and given with consideration.