My Grandpa Joe always sent my family gift baskets for Christmas. My Mom said it was because he didn't know what to get us. I don't think so, though. I really, truly, believe that he thought we loved them. And I did. I loved the pretty shiny boxes, beautiful ribbons tied into bows, and of course, the bevy of treats that could be found inside.

Every time one of those packages would arrive, there was always an argument about who would get to open it. My Mom never understood the excitement, but for us kids, the excitement was tangible. Maybe it was all the little packages that came in these wonderful boxes and baskets. Maybe it was because the baskets would be filled with things that we never got at any other time during the year. Maybe it was simply because it was a present from our Grandpa who we never got to see more than once every one or two years.

Usually, after the gift basket was opened, my mother would place it in the refrigerator so that it could be saved for Christmas Eve or New Years Eve. Maybe she thought it would make those days more special by having extra-special treats, or perhaps she thought it was the only way to keep us kids from eating the contents on the spot! Needless to say, once that special day arrived, the first thing we went for was the goodies from that gift.

My Grandpa Joe passed away almost 7 years ago. There haven't been many gift baskets showing up at our house since then. Of course, his real legacy was far more than an elegant gift basket, but those gift baskets are an integral part of my memory of him. So, Grandpa (hello, Universe!), if you’re listening, we sure would appreciate this spiral sliced honey glazed boneless ham from DelightfulDeliveries.com.

Press Release:

DelightfulDeliveries.com Recognized as Hot 100 Retail Website

Internet Retailer Ranks Website Among Best in Nation for 2008

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--DelightfulDeliveries.com, the premiere Internet Gift Retailer and America’s #1 Gift Basket Website, today announced it has been named one of The Hot 100 Retail Websites for 2008 by leading industry magazine, Internet Retailer. The Hot 100 list represents the best of what retailers are doing online, highlighting innovation and setting the standards in online for what the rest of the industry should be doing.

DelightfulDeliveries.com, a privately-held company, with one of the largest and most unique selections of gourmet gifts, ranked alongside larger sites such as Dell, Nike and Amazon.com, by building its award-winning site on selection, functionality, speed and the complete customer experience. A recent re-design has improved the customer’s shopping experience to make holiday gift-giving easy and enjoyable, including rating and reviews, behavioral recommendations and free shipping offers.

“We are extremely honored to be recognized as a pacesetter in online retailing,” said Eric Lituchy, Founder and CEO of DelightfulDeliveries.com. “We pride ourselves on using the latest technology to make gift-giving fun and easy. Being named among the best in the nation validates we are succeeding in our efforts to deliver the best possible customer experience.”

In addition to making Internet Retailer’s The Hot 100 list for 2008, DelightfulDeliveries.com was recently recognized by Inc. Magazine as part of its Inc. 5000, which highlights the fastest growing private companies.

DelightfulDeliveries.com offers over 2000 unique and delicious gifts from America’s best brands to the finest boutique shops. Consumers can easily shop the site by gift or food category, occasion, type and best-seller. Corporate gift-givers can choose from hundreds of customized gourmet treats.

For additional information, and to see a complete selection of gifts available, visit www.DelightfulDeliveries.com.

About Delightful Deliveries

DelightfulDeliveries.com is an award-winning website that began in 1998 and quickly established itself as one of the premier Internet gift retailers. Its mission is to bring great products to gift-givers, while providing world-class service. The company selects its offerings from a broad variety of fine food gift products for consumers and for corporate gifts, and gathers them in one place to make the selection process quick and simple.