Holiday Gift Guide: Lindt Chocolate Bear Gift Baskets {Review & Giveaway}

{This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations, Jaclyn!}

There's something special about enjoying chocolate all year long, but when the holidays roll around, it just doesn't seem right to let the season pass without enjoying something a little extra special. It's just tradition, you know?

Although there is no shortage of chocolate found in the stores, I always find it to be a little risky to pick something up because I never know how good it is going to taste. Whether I'm purchasing a sweet treat for myself or crossing a name off of my holiday gift list, the last thing I want is to be dealing with is cheap chocolate - the horrors!

Instead, on the opposite end of the spectrum, I always know that I can turn to the brand of chocolate that is in a category all its own when it comes to being delicious and luscious: Lindt.

First created in 1845 when a father and son manufactured solid chocolate in their small confectionery, Lindt's entrepreneurial spirit and passion for making chocolate is still strong today. In the past 160+ years, it has become known as one of the most innovative and creative companies making premium chocolate, with six production sites in Europe, two in the USA and distribution and sales companies on four continents.

For 2011, Lindt has introduced a wide variety of festive gifts and indulgent treats to their holiday collection, making it easy to celebrate the season with something delicious. The cutest of the bunch? The new Lindt Bear. Look at this sweet guy!

Bringing excitement, joy and a heartwarming smile to the holiday season, the Lindt Bear is made with premium Lindt milk chocolate, dressed in gold foil, and finished with a red ribbon. When he arrived at our house, I could tell right away that this hollow, 3½ oz bear would be great for decorating a table or topping off a stocking.

Although I felt a little guilty eating him, the Lindt Bear is another example of their chocolate expertise - he's delicious! I love milk chocolate and this happy fella was smooth and rich from his ears down to his toes. Retailing for $4.50, this is a great way to surprise just about anyone on your list. Standing 5" tall, this isn't a tiny bear, he's just right!

So what are you waiting for? This holiday season and New Year, don't show up empty-handed at your next social occasion, head to your nearest Lindt retail location and become the hit of the party when you arrive with something tasty. Featuring premium chocolate products to satisfy every holiday need – gift giving, stocking stuffers, entertaining, personal indulgence, and home décor – the Lindt holiday collection has something for everyone!

Whether you need something small like a Truffle-filled ornament or something large like a gift box, chocolate is a gift that will always be well-received! And, thanks to their generosity, one person will be prepared to celebrate with something mouth-watering and sweet, because...

One lucky person will win a Lindt Bear Gift Basket*!

*Gift basket will contain a 3.5 oz Lindt Bear, a 5-pack of milk chocolate Mini Bears,

and a package of Lindt Bear & Friends

To enter to win: Visit Lindt and tell me another of their delicious items that you would like to give or receive as a gift.

Extra Entries (available after the mandatory entry above is completed; please leave a separate comment for each entry in order for them to be counted).

1 Extra Entry if you enter the Lindt giveaway at A Nut in a Nutshell!
1 Extra Entry (per method) if you follow Lindt on Twitter and/or Like them on Facebook.
1 Extra Entry (per giveaway entered) - Enter any (or all) of the giveaways running on Thanks, Mail Carrier for the duration of this giveaway.
1 Extra Entry if you follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway by copying and pasting the tweet below and leaving me the link. Tweet daily for an extra entry every day!

YUM! I want to WIN a Lindt Chocolate Bear Gift Basket, the tastiest holiday gift! http://bit.ly/uFmNG5 @thxmailcarrier #giveaway #win

1 Extra Entry (per follow method) if you follow me with Google Friend Connect, subscribe to my RSS feed, subscribe to Thanks, Mail Carrier by email, become a fan on Facebook or add Thanks, Mail Carrier to your blogroll.
2 Extra Entries if you put my cute button up on your blog. Please leave an address where it can be found.
2 Extra Entries if you have our Holiday Gift Guide button posted on your blog. Please leave an address where it can be found.

Giveaway will end on December 12th at 11:59pm CST. By entering this sweepstakes, you are agreeing to these official rules. No purchase necessary, void where prohibited by law. Do me the favor of leaving an email address or making absolutely sure it is visible in your profile, I have to have a way to contact the winner. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. This giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. only and must be 18 years of age or older.

A big thank you to Lindt for providing a Lindt Bear for me to review as well as a Lindt Bear Gift Basket for one lucky giveaway winner. The opinions shared are my own and honest and if you really need to see more, click here to see how I roll.