Have Fun With Gourmet Coffee Beans!

Being a total gourmet coffee addict, I truly can not think of a better Christmas gift than gourmet coffee beans! OK, well maybe a gourmet coffee basket, but of course the beans would be the star. Choosing to give gourmet coffee as holiday gifts is a great idea for any coffee-loving friend, relative or even boss! I know my boss loved the coffee I gave her on Boss's Day, and I scored big points that day!

Another great thing about giving this gift is the number of choices you have at your fingertips. If you go to your local mom and pop coffee shop, Starbucks, Java Dave's, Whole Foods or Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf you are sure to find a plethora of delicious blends and beans right at your fingertips. Even at the local grocery store I am able to choose from over 50 different kinds and varieties of coffees! Everything from a robust, dark coffee bean to a light flavored blend is simply an aisle away.

The last few times I have been invited to a friend's house for a dinner party or get together, I have stopped by the local mom & pop coffee shop and picked up a bag of delicious beans. It is always a great hostess gift! Even if the host or hostess does not drink coffee themselves it makes a great gift for when guests come over. It is also a great idea to get some decaf gourmet beans as some people cannot handle the caffeine of a normal cup of Joe.

This year, as Christmas is right around the corner, I'm making small gourmet coffee gift baskets for my friends and some close co-workers. I went to the dollar store and found some great wicker baskets. I fill the baskets with a pound of coffee, some sweet treats such as biscotti or caramel candles, and include a $5 gift card to a local coffee shop. It makes a great gift wrapped up with pretty paper and a bow on top! It also looks like a I spent a lot of money and time to make these, and that makes me feel good.

In the world of coffee, you truly cannot go wrong going with a gift of gourmet coffee beans! I'm hoping that I get lucky this year and will be on the receiving end of one of those gifts. Oh well, if not, I can always make my own!

Christine Rankin is a professional writer who provides information on gourmet coffee beans for Gourmet Coffee Guide - your premiere online resource for fine coffee!