The Fruit Company

Everyone has received or given a fruit basket at least once in their life, but have you ever given a $75,000 dollar little basket of goodies? We were interested in the over the top fruit basket out there and we compiled a list of what we thought were the most interesting.

Japanese Fruit Baskets- $100+

In Japan, the act of fruit giving is an important tradition practiced between families, businesses and communities. The fruits given as gifts can’t be any ordinary fruit—they . Gifted fruits are usually grown in closely monitored green houses, and only beautiful, blemish-free and uniformly sized specimens are wrapped as gifts. In Japan, a single flawless cantaloupe decorated with a ribbon and placed in a wicker basket sells for anywhere between $100 and $250 dollars—it’s hard to imagine how much a large fruit basket goes for!

Marks and Spencer Christmas fruit basket- $1,500

For the 2007 Christmas season, the British department store Marks and Spencer put out one of the most expensive Christmas gift baskets in history. The basket contained three bottles of champagne, six bottles of wine and an expansivelarge variety of gourmet snacks. Although it was called a “fruit basket”, the items were so numerous they had to be delivered in a leather trunk.

The Chocolate Picnic Steamer Trunk- $15,000

Marie Belle New York makes some of the finest chocolates in the world. With the cost of two chocolates at $7.50, it’s not hard to believe that a chest full of the stuff goes for $15,000. This gift “basket” comes with 500 pieces of Marie Belle chocolate ganache, five pounds of dark and milk chocolate bark and croquettes, four 20-ounce tins of Aztec hot chocolate, one 20-ounce tin of Aztec Iced Chocolate, eight Aztec Hot Chocolate Bars, one Freiling stainless steel teapot with tea infuser, two elegant Rosenthal china tea cups, one leather bound journal, and a collection of books on chocolate and style.

Van’s Gift Cadeau Collection Gift Basket- $75,000

This fruit basket is perfect for someone with a sophisticated palate. Contained within the beautiful leather trunk is a magnum bottle of 1996 Dom Perignon Rose, 1996 Krug Clos de Mesnil, gold-plated Armand de Brignac Brut Champagne, 2001 Chateau d’Yquem Sauternes, 2001 Chateau Lafite Rothschild, 2004 Opus One, 2005 Caymus Special Select Cabernet Sauvignon, a year long supply of Godiva chocolates, gourmet coffee, a Francis! Francis! X1 Trio Espresso Machine, and luxury stationary and pens. Just in case you run out of anything, the gift comes with a monthly delivery of additional chocolates, cookies, coffees, teas, sweets and nuts, for a year. Additionally, since food and wine is never as good as in its natural setting, the gift comes with two first-class tickets to Paris, France and Napa Valley, first class accommodations in both locations, private tours, champagne tasting, and a special banquet.

2006 Golden Globefruit basket- $40,000компютри

Since the late 1990′s, all of Hollywood’s award shows have been increasing the swag as. Each year Golden Globe hosts, and presenters are given bigger and better gift baskets. In 2006 the bags were valued at $40,000 and included a $2,000 gym membership, a $1,200 diamond pendant, a $475 camera phone, several handbags, an MP3 player and various gift certificates. Unfortunately for future globe presenters (and those of 2006), 2006 was the last year these gift bags were given out due to the fact that the IRS began to tax the recipients.

2007 Grammy Awards Gift Basket- $53,000

Unlike the Golden Globes, the Grammys are still giving away lavish fruit basket to their presenters and performers. Some of the items that might actually fit into a basket (albeit a big basket) are body butter, designer eyewear from Solstice Sunglass Boutique, jean jackets from joluka, nail care products, and a Gibson guitar. Baskets also come with a year-long membership to The Sports Club/LA, a six-month online membership to Netflix, and two deluxe getaways to Morongo Casino Resort Spa in Cabazon, California, and the Hilton Whistler Resort & Spa in Canada. Due to recent IRS regulations, the presenters and performers must sign an agreement to pay taxes on the value of the basket before they receive the gift.

2006 Oscar Gift Basket- $100,000+

The 2006 Academy Award Ceremony reached the peak of Hollywood swag. The fruit basket given out to the host, presenters and winners were valued at over $100,000. A few of the things including in the basket were cashmere PJs, expensive cosmetics and mink eyelashes, expensive cooking oils and spices, a Krups kitchen set, an iPod, a vintage Kay Unger silk kimono, a two-night stay at The Carlyle hotel in New York ($2,300), a three-night stay at Palmetto Bluff in South Carolina ($3,600), a three-night stay for two (plus a “personal surf-butler”) at St. Regis Monarch Beach & Spa in Dana Point, California ($5,900), an unlimited day of services at Cornelia Day Resort in New York ($3,500), and a three-night stay at San Ysido Ranch in Montecito, California ($3,000). After facing scrutiny from the IRS and a New York Magazine interview where Edward Norton called the 2006 Oscar gift bags “disgusting and shameful” and called for their demise, the Academy decided to put an axe to the tradition. Like the 2006 Golden Globe fruit basket recipients, those who were given 2006 Oscarfruit basket were taxed on their full value.