The gift basket is a simple, personal way of letting someone know that you love them and you’re thinking about them. The key is finding useful, yet thoughtful items to fill it, without breaking the bank. Here are 12 gift basket ideas for men, women and anyone else on your list.
1. Start somewhere. Whether it’s an item you already bought, something you found in your gifts closet, or the basket itself, start with one thing and go from there. It’s easy to get overwhelmed if you start buying and assembling without thinking it through.
2. Get creative with the receptacle. Think outside of the box! (Literally.) If you’re making a basket for a beach-lover, put it all in a sand bucket. If it’s a frequent traveler, let a monogrammed toiletries bag be the “basket.” The sky’s the limit, and the more creative you are, the more fun it will be to unwrap.
3. Make it personal. Of course, the whole point of putting together a gift basket is to individualize it for the person you’re giving it to. If they’re a coffee-lover, add some monogrammed mugs, a Starbucks gift card and some homemade cookies. If they’re entertainers, fill the basket with wine, cocktail coasters, a hostess towel and a themed movie.
4. Make it a double gift. If you’re buying for the person who has everything, consider making the gift basket an actual donation to their favorite charity. Something awesome that Sevenly offers is a quarterly gift basket that’s filled with tons of socially-conscious products (think TOMS shoes or Krochet Kids knit hats), and the added bonus is that, for each box, a donation is made to one of several charities, including Autism Speaks, Freedom Firm and Stand For the Silent. (And, did I mention all the cool stuff inside?!?)
I love that it’s a feel-good gift that has double benefit, for both the recipient and their charity. Wait, scratch that. Triple benefit. ‘Cause the kids love opening the package, checking out what’s inside and then, wait for it… playing with the box for hours afterward. #mamawin
5. Stray from theme. It’s fun to have a theme, but don’t stress about staying with it for the whole gift. Have a few things that are theme-y, and then just get whatever you think the person would like. For this gardener’s gift, the soap and beer aren’t directly gardening-related, but I know my recipient will use them.
6. Buy used! When it comes to baskets, they can get expensive fast. A great way to save a few pennies is to buy your baskets used! Thrift stores sell them for about $1, compared to $8 or so at a popular craft store. (Who cares if it’s used? It’s just a basket!) I’ve even used one of my kids’ old plastic toy bins (after thoroughly washing it) to stow a gift. The key is: have fun with it, and let your creativity be your guide.
7. Size matters. When you’re choosing items, make sure there’s a good combination of large, medium and small items to fill up the basket. Otherwise, you’ve got a bunch of big, bulky things or too many little trinkets that can get lost in the bottom. On the flip side, you can do only small trinkets (like brow liner, mints and a small notepad) inside a smaller receptacle to change it up.
8. Change up the textures. Have some soft things, some hard things. Some metal, glass, fabric, food. (I love that my seashell jar is not only handmade, but has a pop of texture on the lid, which I added by simply hot-gluing shells I found at the beach!) The more different textures you add, the more depth your gift will have, and the more visually stunning. Have fun with it!
9. If you can, add something homemade. This just adds another layer of ‘I’m thinking about you’ to the gift. Whether it’s a monogrammed hankie, or a handmade Christmas ornament made of corks, the extra thought will kick it up a notch.
For more handmade gift ideas, check out these posts:
8 Expensive-looking DIY gifts (all under $8) DIY seashell bracelet (& 4 other beachy gifts)
6 Father’s Day gifts (all under $20) Mother’s Day: The 5 things she really wants
10. Bulk it up. If you find you’re spending a lot, but only have small items, don’t be afraid to bulk it up. (This happens to me all the time.) Some great, inexpensive ways to add bulk to your basket could include: lotion, a scarf, festive condiments and even baked goods like cookies or home-baked bread.
11. Don’t forget the filler. Even if you have lots of stuff, chances are you’ll still need some sort of filler to keep it all in place. Again, get creative with it. Try newspaper (especially for the coffee-lovers gift!), Easter basket grass, a fleece blanket, even sand.
12. If you still need ideas, hop on Pinterest! You can find some great basket themes, including 25 easy, inexpensive and tasteful gift basket ideas and recipes; 101 Christmas basket ideas; and 24 gift basket ideas for everyone on your list.
Have fun and happy giving!
Thanks to Causebox by Sevenly for sponsoring this post!
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