In life, every situation requires a certain amount of tact and etiquette. When you have guests in your home, you tend to behave differently to when you are home alone or with your family. This is usually because our manners kick in as soon as we are around those who are not necessarily in our very inner circle. Sure, you may have been friends for years or even decades but there will always be some kind of line to determine the degree of etiquette. The same goes for gifts and gift hampers. When you send a gift basket to somebody, it’s important to do so in the right manner.
The first thing to remember is the occasion. If it is a happy occasion, your gift hamper should express joy. Also, you should avoid sending a gift with a Christmas theme to somebody for their birthday, for example. It could come across as strange or the recipient might think that you got it at a discounted price because Christmas was six months ago. Either way, make sure that you always check the theme and contents of the hamper before sending it.
Put the recipient’s preferences first at all times. Even if you share a home or office space with them, you should never think about what you might like to snag from the hamper. So, if they do not like nuts or if they are allergic to nuts, for instance, you should make sure that the hamper does not contain anything with nuts. Just because you enjoy them does not mean that everyone else does and if you send a hamper full of goodies that the recipient does not like, it will be a pretty pointless gift.
If you plan on sending a gift basket to somebody in the hospital or who is recovering at home, make sure that they are able to receive it. Some hospital wards do not allow any gifts due to health concerns. Ask their partner or caregiver before having anything delivered to their home. If they are not allowed to consume certain foods or beverages, you don’t want to tempt them by sending a hamper that contains all the things they are not allowed to enjoy at the moment.
Finally, make sure that the recipient does indeed drink before sending a wine, beer, or other hamper that contains alcohol. Some people do not drink due to health, religious, and other personal reasons. It is up to the sender to understand and respect this.