I've always liked both giving and receiving chocolates as gifts. Now I find it's hardly worth it. The price has gone too far up while the size of the boxes has gone too far down. Very disappointing, all in all. I still like receiving chocolates, but I tend not to choose giving them anymore.
I like chocolate way to much for my own good. I started to switch to organic dark chocolate because I heard it was better for you. I have changed my diet considerably and since I have so few sins, I need at least one thing to look forward to once and awhile. I have found since I eat more nuts I crave less chocolate. Now being a chocolate snob I can no longer eat the cheap stuff that is waxy. Good chocolate is worth the cost, you don't have to eat the whole box in one sitting, but man is it great to have a few pieces every so often. If you like hot chocolate switch to cocoa and make it from the raw cooking cocoa. It might take a bit to get used too- it is not as sickly sweet but it is delicious. I love the Hershey brand cocoa. A small can goes a long way. Tastes better with organic milk.
The sizes of the boxes have gone down while they have kept the prices about the same. I have to say in the US chocolate is more expensive for the quality and will only buy on special. I tend to only get Lindor truffles as I know they are good and many places do offers on the boxes. In the UK chocolate has gone up in price, but people still buy it but I've noticed even the bars have shrunk in size in a bid to keep the costs down to a level where people won't be put off buying them. I love chocolate, but will now bulk buy when they are on offer.
I think good chocolates have never been cheap. When we say good, we no longer talk about the taste, we also take into consideration how it's going to do with our health. Cheap ones, though affordable, most are really not healthy. They are pleasure to the sense, but not to our healthy. This prevalence is not only common to chocolates, but in everything which includes technology. But going back to the chocolate, there are cheap ones out there you could pick for immediate pleasure, but you're not sure how it's going to affect your body in the long run. I am not saying that all expensive chocolates are health. What I only just want to stress here is that good stuff isn't laid immediately available. We all have to work for them.
I do believe that prices have gone quite up. But nothing can be done about it. I guess it is the part and parcel of one's life. I buy them only on special occasions. It has never occurred to me to buy it otherwise.
I'm lucky I'm not all that into chocolate. However I do like to give posh chocolate brands as a gift. I have also noticed the price going up and the size going down with it too. What I now try to do is look in TK Maxx, as they often have some very unique but posh looking chocolate. The price there's never too high, or even if it's slightly higher than what I'd normally pay, it's still worth it as it's very unique stuff.
Chocolate used to be a nice affordable gift but not anymore. Luckily I don't eat much chocolate myself and have stopped giving it as a gift. I still put out some good chocolate on occasions like Christmas and Easter for guests to nibble but that's about it.
Yeah, they did get too expensive. However there are other sweets one could give, unless you're willing to buy cheaper (and therefore of less quality) chocolate.
I'm not the biggest fan of chocolate either, and never really have been, to be honest. I am more of a sweets person - candy, for those who hail from the US, and other countries that that say candy instead of sweeties. But sometimes I will eat chocolate, however I am not willing to pay an excessive amount for chocolate, unless they are a gift for somebody that I care about. I do believe that the price has risen, especially with Belgium chocolates, which are the kind of chocolates that I like best, if I am going to eat chocolate in the first place.
I'm also not fond of chocolates as much as I am fond of pastries, so I won't really consider giving chocolate as a gift. But yes, chocolates have always been expensive, especially if they're imported. Some are affordable though, like KitKat and Snickers.
I think chocolate can be a very cliche gift, but 'special' chocolate might be different. e.g. a box of Thornton's... yawn. But Fair Trade chocolate with chilli that you have to go to a special store for? That can be a special gift. It might not be in a pretty bow-wrapped box, but it probably would mean more to your giftee (if they are a chocolate-holic) and you'll get much better quality for the price you pay.
