Gift Basket Ideas

Creating your own gift basket is a great way to personalize your gift and control the cost. You can make the basket as inexpensive or elaborate as your budget requires. Generally a basket that you put together yourself will be less expensive than a purchased one. At times, you simply may just have to go for the convenience of a purchased basket.

Many times people think that gift baskets are just containers of home baked good, jellies or jams, fruit baskets or handcrafted items. But a gift basket is only limited to your imagination! Browse the web for ideas to create that special gift for someone. We like to add collectible Christmas ornaments to the gift basket for a memorable keepsake. All through the following ideas we will give you suggestion of ornaments and decorations that can add a special touch to your basket.

Supplies

Containers

Your container can be disposable or something that can be used later or a part of the gift - wicker basket, decorative box with lid, cooking pot or bowl, bucket or pail, toy buckets or wagons, small trunks, flower pots, hat boxes, small wooden crates, plates or platters and more!

Filler

Fillers help to secure your items, add color and fill in the gaps. Filler can be made of crumpled tissue or foil paper and purchased paper shreds. Wood wool or spanish moss for baskets with a gardening theme. You can make your own paper shreds with colored paper or gift wrap and a paper shredder (not the crosscut kind, and don't try foil paper, it doesn't work well). Raffia works well for small projects and looks great with small kitchen items or natural soaps and lotions. Straw is great for outdoor type gifts packaged in flower pots, metal containers or pails. Small loose candies, wrapped or unwrapped work well for mugs, cups or small containers. Easter grass in all colors can be purchased at a discount after Easter - stock up on all colors to be used later in birthday, baby and other baskets.

Wrapper

 

Cellophane is the typical wrapping used for gift baskets. It's available in sheets, roll, clear, colored and printed. Large cellophane bags are also available that you can just place your basket in, gather the top and tie with ribbon. For wedding gifts and baby, tulle is an inexpensive wrapping material that comes in many colors. Bold purples and pinks are great for teenager gifts. School colors add to gifts for the school age child or collegiate and pro colors for the sports fan. Inexpensive scarves or bandannas work for small containers. 

Ribbon or Ties

Ribbon is available in all sorts of sizes and color. Wire edge ribbon is very easy to work with if you're not too good at tying bows. Raffia and curling ribbons are great for streamers. The closure doesn't have to be ribbon. Colorful elastic hair bands and bows will work. Also cotton string may look great on a basket filled with outdoor items such as gardening tools or items for a mechanic. Use a jump rope on a child's basket (for an age appropriate gift of course). Balloons filled with helium are also a nice way to finish off your basket especially for kids. When in a pinch and can't get the helium, or to cut down on expense, tie your balloon to a slender plastic rod or stick found in the craft section or fasten the balloons to the bag with pipe cleaners.

Putting Your Basket Together

Decide if you want your basket to have a front only or to be viewed from all sides. Start with some filler in the bottom of the container. Depending on the dept of the container and the height of your tallest item, you may want to use crumpled paper first, then a layer of your filler. Position the tallest item in the center and small items around that. Use double-sided tape, rubber bands or twist ties to help hold items in place, just cover your handiwork with a clump of filler. Ribbons can also be used to hold items together.

If using a large cellophane bag, just put your basket in, gather the top and tie with a ribbon. If using roll cellophane or sheets, you may need to put two pieces together to make a large square. Tape the pieces together, place the container in the center and bring up the edges, secure with a rubber band, twist tie or ribbon, then tie on your decorative ribbon. If you're using clear cellophane, you might want to wrap the items individually in colorful gift wrap before putting in your container.

Basket Themes

Baby

  • Containers: Small bathtub; tubbies; small bassinet; wicker basket, diaper pail, box of diapers (cut 1/4 to 1/2 off the top of the box exposing diapers and position items above and within the diapers)
  • Filler: Paper shreds, crumpled tissue, rolled receiving blankets or towels, fill in gaps with wash cloths, rolled bibs
  • Gifts: Soap, lotion, shampoo, wipes, diapers, bottles, pacifiers, comb and brush, clothing, blankets, toys, towels, wash cloths, burp cloths, bibs, soft cover books
  • Ornaments: Rubber Ducky, Baby Bottle, Pacifier, Baby Shoe, Baby Giraffe, Cottontail Bunny, Baby Chick, Rocking Horse Teddy, Rocking Horse with Toys, Toy Wagon, Trains. Clip on style ornaments like the Baby Chick would also hold your gift card.

Preschool

  • Containers: Plastic or metal toys - wheelbarrow, truck, pails; doll buggy, wicker basket, boxes, tubbies, pop-up containers; plastic flower pots
  • Filler: Paper shreds, crumpled tissue
  • Gifts: Toys, clothing, books, colors, coloring books, clay or playdough, flashlights, balls, dress up items, soaps, bubble bath, snacks, juice boxes, plastic gardening tools, butterfly nets, bug container, music cd, movie dvd, plush toys
  • Ornaments: Based on theme of basket - Ladybug, Sunflower, Frog or Bumblebee for a flower pot filled with gloves, seeds, gardening tools. Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, Three Little Pigs, Puss N Boots, Snow White and Dwarfs, Hansel and Gretel for baskets containing a classic story book.

School Age

  • Containers: Plastic "milk style" crate; wicker basket, boxes, small trunk, wooden crates, pop-up containers; flower pots; metal containers, buckets, tubbies; backpacks, fishing tackle boxes, tool boxes
  • Filler: Paper shreds, crumpled tissue, wood wool
  • Gifts: School supplies, music cd; movie dvd, clothing, soaps, shampoo, bubble bath, perfume, lotion, lip gloss, hair bows, clips and bands, caps, toys, jewelry, sports equipment, balls, games, sunglasses, books, note pads, journals
  • Ornaments: The school age child has a lot of "firsts" to be celebrated. School Bus, School House, Pencil, Red Apple, Books for the first day of school; David, Moses, Holy Family, Fish and Bread Loaves, Bible, Baby Jesus for Sunday School or Easter. Circus Clowns, Elephants, Tiger, Chimpanzee, Alligator for zoo and circus trips or party themes. An ornament that suits the theme of the birthday party makes a great keepsake memory. The Princess, Carriage, Glass Slipper, Ruby Slipper is perfect for little girls receiving a basket full of dress-up goodies. Crescent Wrench, Screwdriver, Hammer, Pipe Wrench is great for a little boy receiving a wooden crate or metal container with a real hammer, gloves, and wire pliers. Wood wool or raffia works well with this type of gift basket or a tackle box and fishing supplies.

Pre-Teen and Teenager

  • Containers: Mugs, ceramics, wicker basket, crates, small trunks. Containers can usually be smaller since it doesn't take much to fill up a small container with $50 of makeup! Ceramic plates, frames or items that would display on an easel can be used for the base of your gift and pile softer or smaller gifts on top. Mugs or drink containers can be filled with their favorite candy and will also hold taller, slim items.
  • Filler: paper shreds, the more glitter the better, raffia, tissue, wood wool
  • Gifts: Clothing, caps, hats, gloves, sunglasses, electronics, movies, cosmetics, toiletries, GIFT CARDS. This age becomes increasing more difficult to buy for it seems, but they all like cash - either cold cash or in the form of a gift card. Movie tickets or passes, coupons to favorite restaurants.T-shirts can be rolled and stuffed into mugs making your gift taller and more attractive. School, collegiate and pro team items. Now is a great time to package your gift and use ribbons in spirit colors. Tickets to games or season passes to theme parks.
  • Ornaments: Lipsticks, Teeny Bopper, French Fries, Pretzel, Ice Cream, Juke Box, Baseball, Tennis Racket, Golf Ball, Basketball, Soccer ball, Horses, Pizza, Popcorn, Bottled Water, Cake, Cookies, Cheerleader, Megaphone, Flip Flops, all are great ornaments to include in your gift or use as tie-ons. Dated or personalized ornaments are nice. Example: Baseball ornament commemorating a special game or home run.

 

More Ideas!

Halloween

  • Containers: Trick or Treat container; black plastic kettle, flower pot painted black, wooden box or crate
  • Filler: Spanish moss, raffia, wood wool (found in craft sections)
  • Gifts: Flashlights, face paints, costume items, t-shirts
  • Ornaments: Witch, Bat, Skull, Pumpkin, Ghost - ornaments matched to their costume.

Movie Night

  • Container: 6-pack of bottled drinks - Cokes - Dr. Pepper - etc.
  • Filler: None needed. 
  • Gifts: Use the carton of drinks as your base, add in packages of Nabs or peanuts, microwave popcorn and a DVD. Uses double sided tape to hold items if needed.Great for all ages.
  • Ornaments: Popcorn, Pizza, Peanut, Pretzel

old world christmas popcorn ornament

 

 

tiara christmas ornament

    Little Diva

     

     

      Tool Time

      • Container: Metal or plastic bucket, tool box, small plastic crate, plastic oil pan. Small containers can be wrapped in burlap or bright bandanna
      • Filler: Wood wool, raffia, shop rags
      • Gifts: Toy or real tools, depending on age, work gloves, mechanic hand soap, shop rags, wrenches, screw drivers, pliers, plastic container of nuts and bolts, tape measure, flash light, small level, glue, hammer, tool apron
      • Ornaments: Tractor, Truck, Crescent Wrench, Screwdriver, Pipewrench, Pliers, Claw Hammer

      inge-glas screwdriver christmas ornament

       

       

        Pizzaold world christmas pizza slice

        • Container: Pizza pan or baking stone  

         

         

          Favorite Pie Recipe

          • Container: Pie plate, plain or decorative
          • Filler: Wood wool, raffia, paper shreds
          • Gifts: Add packaged non-perishable ingredients (canned blueberries, cherries, fruit filling), special flavorings, pie crust mix, rolling pin and pastry cloth, measursing spoons, cups, lattice maker, recipe cards (write your own favorite pie recipe and use as the gift card)
          • Ornaments: Blueberry Pie, Cherry Pie, Lemon Meringue, Pumpkin Pie

          old owrld christmas blueberry pie slice ornament