Styling and Photography By Laurie Mosco

When you want to gift a little luxury, but your budget is tight, chocolate and candy gift boxes are always great solution. They serve up a 5-star gourmet food experience — minus major price tag. And who doesn’t love having that “kid in a candy store” feeling?

It’s not surprising that, this year, when everyone’s feeling the budget crunch, sales of chocolate gift boxes got an 8.3% boost, totaling $342.9 million (Candy Industry).

Grandma’s samplers aren’t the ONLY option for chocolate and candy gifting. Today’s candy and chocolate gifts sets have moved beyond tradition AND aren’t reserved for holidays either. 

Inspired to gift gift boxes? We’ve wrapped up the best gourmet chocolate and candy gift box ideas for any occasion and tied them in a little bow just for you! Think of it as our little gift to you.

Everyday Celebrations

Not a holiday, but you still want to make a grand statement? There are many ways to mark everyday celebrations with chocolate and candy.  

Instead of the traditional assortment of filled chocolate pieces, appeal to their sweet AND savory side with Nancy Adams Assorted Chocolate Pretzels Gift Box.  Three ring pretzels in dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and white chocolate ring in the praise for a job promotion, a new house, even an engagement.

If you need something that screams “celebration,” add some multi-colored nonpareils, Mini M&M’S®, and chocolate chips with Nancy Adams Premier Pretzel Rods. The colors and textures scream ‘let’s get the party started’ and look great in the box or added to a champagne flute or wine glass as a last-minute centerpiece.

For milestone birthday’s, think outside the traditional chocolate box and opt for a box of nostalgic candy favorites with Nancy Adams Decades Boxes. Each box comes filled with the top candies from the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s, 80’s or 90’s. No need for giftwrap — each Decades Box is decorated with imagery relevant to that decade creating a fun conversation piece.

Party time = time to break out the spirits. Instead of bringing a bottle, present them with Anthon Berg Assorted Dark Chocolate Liqueurs. Each dark chocolate bottle is filled with a liquid center, featuring popular spirit brands like Cointreau®, Grand Marnier® and Remy Martin.® And their shiny foil wrappers really pop!

Holiday Celebrations

Chocolate and candy holiday gifts are all about presentation and flavor. Nancy Adams Truffle Cups and White Peppermint Sandwich Cookies are the perfect example. You can immediately see the seasonal flavor, peppermint, from crushed peppermint pieces peeking through the elegant acetate sleeves with a snowflake-like theme.  

If caramel is more their thing, there’s Nancy Adams renowned Milk and Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramels also in the snowflake-inspired sleeve too.

Seasonal shapes are another way to bring the holiday spirit. One way is through chocolate shapes like the trees in Nancy Adams Peppermint Bark Trees Gable Box. 

Packaging can set the holiday tone too. Looking to amp up the romance, opt for Italy’s iconic Perugina Baci 8 Piece Classic Dark Chocolate Christmas Tree box. Not only is the Christmas tree shape holly and jolly, love notes on every foil wrapper of the dark chocolate truffles with hazelnut adds an extra surprise.

Speaking of hearts, if you’re looking to win their hearts this Valentine’s Day, think chocolates ADD coffee. Like Dunkin Donuts Chocolate Heart Box.  Chocolates with Dunkin-inspired flavor combinations and Dunkin branded heart shaped box will cause quite a BREW-haha. 

Want to make their hearts beat double time? Pair a classic like Ghirardelli chocolate in a heart shaped box AND heart shaped chocolates filled with caramel with Ghirardelli Caramel Duet Heart Box.

And sometimes its shiny packaging that gets them all a twitter. Like the classic golden sheen of a Godiva Ballotin box. It’s not surprising that Godiva is one of the top 5 chocolate giftbox brands  (Candy Industry). Add a red ribbon and Godiva’s Ballotin is all decked out for Valentine’s Day.

“Just Because” Celebration

A bad day. A breakup. Getting out of the doghouse. To say ‘I love You.’ Spur-of-the-moment gifts can be special too — you just need to know what to look for.

Chasing away the blues requires a big statement. Like mega versions of their candy favorites.  Think Hershey’s® Giant Kisses, Reese’s® Peanut Butter Cup Giant Bar, or classic Hershey’s® Giant Milk Chocolate Bar.

Looking to give a virtual hug through candy? Nostalgic candies like Nancy Adams’ line of brown bag chocolates are a great place to start. The elegant, old-fashioned brown bags are a grand statement. And chocolate classics like Milk and Dark Chocolate Graham Crackers and Sea Salt Caramels are always a favorite.

Don’t let budget hold you back from grand gifting. Chocolate and candy gift boxes give a feeling of luxury with little investment. And with the variety of different options available, there’s a gift box to for any occasion.

Sometimes square – always cool.  Our chocolate and candy gift boxes can’t be beat!