There are many themes you can use when crafting your own holiday gift baskets. However, the list below contains some traditional gift basket ideas as well as a few for special friends on your gift list. You can get most of your crafting supplies at local stores like Hobby Lobby, or if you shop on the Internet, simply type "gift basket supplies".
Let's start with one of my favorites to share with your inner family and close friends.
1) The Traditional Christmas Gift Basket:
Fill your basket with hot apple cider mix large mugs, homemade Christmas ornaments, a letter or poem on why Christmas is important to you, matching mittens, hat and scarf (or, depending on your climate you could substitute sunglasses, sun block lotion, a cool destination theme cap) some mistletoe and or other fragrant scents. You could even include a popular Christmas music CD, and for a super nice touch... some home made Christmas cookies - with the recipe included.
2) Christmas Decorating Gift Basket
Fill a basket with nativity set, assorted Christmas ornaments (store bought, but better if hand-made by you,) decorative lights, homemade candles or seasonal candles from your local craft store and a little traditional mistletoe and holly
3) Coffee Lovers Gift basket
Fill a basket with gourmet coffees, coffee mugs, novels, or books on coffee regions and making processes, dark chocolates, and a decorative bookmark that you make yourself)
4) Chocolate Lover's Gift Basket
Fill a basket with, chocolate cookies (home baked is best,) chocolate bonbons, chocolate sauces, chocolate syrup, chocolate dipped coffee spoons and for a special touch wrap them in cellophane with a bow, hot chocolate mix, chocolate covered coffee beans, chocolate flavored coffee beans and some chocolate recipes from around the world
5) Christmas Survival Kit
Spray paint a basket white, then stencil the International Red Cross symbol on each side. Fill the basket with Tylenol - to take away the headache of overdoing, Tea - to calm, relax, and soothe away the tension, peppermints - to settle the tummy from overindulging, Slimfast - to kick off the diet you will need to start, pocket date book - to track all of the 'to do's, CD that includes soothing quiet music to listen to while wrapping gifts, tape - to use to wrap the gifts because you forgot to buy any, a package of gift tags that you made, your favorite quick and easy yummy cookie cookie recipe and last, but not least include some nice bath oil or bubble bath to soothe the weary body
6) Faraway Grandparent (or relative) Gift basket
Fill a basket with children's artwork, gifts made by the kids, frames for family pictures (let the kids buy plain wooden frames and decorate them with stickers,) videos of the family, a long-distance calling card. Extras: fill out the basket with candy, coffee, tea, biscuits, Christmas ornaments, candles, etc. Include printed notes from the kids with "why I love you Grandma/Pa sentiments)
7) Golf Lover's Gift Basket
For the golfer, fill a basket or a golf bag with golf tees, golf balls, a baseball cap, sunscreen, score cards, a small towel, a can cooler to keep a can of pop or beer cold. A nice touch is to personalize the towel or baseball cap (you can stitch on them, use fabric paints, etc.)
8) Fisherman's Gift Basket
Find a large basket or, use a tackle box and fill with assorted lures, leaders, long nose fishing pliers, gloves, guide to local fishing, DVD's on fishing tournaments, and gift certificate for a rod or reel
9) Baby Boomer's Gift Basket
Fill a basket with books and magazines on men or women's health issues, a variety of herbal teas, skin care lotions for maturing skin, hair care products with herbal scents, skin care accessories such as exotic sponges, brushes and loofahs, humorous coffee mugs, 60's CD's of great groups like the Beatles and of course... humorous articles on aging
10) Father/ Mother Gift basket
Fill a basket with subscription to his/her favorite magazine, favorite cologne/perfume, comfy warm slippers, a handmade coupon book... i.e., (take the day off Dad/Mom...I'll mow the lawn this time, wash the car, run errands, paint a room, etc.,) a gift certificate to his favorite sports shop favorite cookies or treat, a personal letter (in your own handwriting) telling him why you love and what you admire about him/her, favorite popcorn spices, favorite movie, a nice picture frame (with the picture of the family in it)
OK! There you have it. But Wait! Here's your bonus! Just kidding... I guess I'm watching too many infomercials. Your going to get several more great gift basket ideas, just because the Holiday season is all about giving. Here are two more great homemade Christmas gift basket ideas.
Idea #1 Executive Gift basket
Fill a briefcase with a Daytimer, business card holder (one for the wallet, one for the desktop,) pen and pencil set, business newspaper subscription, emergency shoe polish travel kit, reference books like a new updated dictionary, CD of business forms, coffee mug with gift certificate to Starbucks, etc.
Idea #2! Exerciser's Gift basket
Fill a tote bag or backpack with microfiber towels, water bottle, workout DVD or magazines, power bars, sports drinks, sports socks, headband, and for a really good boss... a trial spa or gym membership
Take these Christmas gift basket ideas, mix them up and use them any way that makes sense to you. Just remember one thing. Everyone loves to receive a personalized gift basket. You don't have to wait for Christmas or any other holiday. Just sit down and organize your ideas for each person you'll be giving a basket to. Many times you'll get a break by purchasing in bulk. Use this to your advantage and don't go shopping and buy on impulse. You'll end up spending more than you planned; become a smart shopper this season.
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