Holiday gift basket ideas
If you’re looking for a gift idea that requires just a little effort and can be customized to meet the interests of each and every gift recipient, try personalized gift baskets. Relate the basket to your chosen theme. For a fisherman, put hooks, lures and line in a tackle box. A football helmet can be filled with tickets to a game or apparel for a football fan. Hit garage sales or thrift stores for inexpensive wicker baskets or other containers that can be filled with crafts for a creative person, or food-related items for a baker.
When putting items in your basket of choice, wrap in cellophane and tie with a ribbon to give gifts a homemade touch. The possibilities are endless. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
Food for Thought
Breakfast in a Basket: Homemade bread; bagels; gourmet jam or marmalade; canned fruit; special-blend coffee or herb tea; coffee mugs.
Dinner by the Fire: Canned chili or canned soup; corn-bread mix; gourmet salad dressing; cocoa mix; CD of dinner music.
Tossed Salad: Jars of olives; herbed or balsamic vinegar; olive oil; garlic bulbs; wedge of Parmesan cheese and a grater; salad tongs; pepper grinder (toss it all in a big salad bowl and you’ll be giving one complete present).
Mexican Mania: Canned salsa; bag of tortilla chips; flavored tortillas; CD of salsa music.
Recipe Wrap-Up: Measuring cups and spoons; wooden spoon; potholders; tongs; knives; cutting board; cookbook (looks great gathered in a large kitchen towel held together by a handy kitchen clip).
Baking Bonanza: Cake mixes; muffin mixes; nuts; measuring cups; cookbook (put everything in a bundt pan or large mixing bowl for added appeal).
Caffeine Craver: Flavored coffee; flavored powdered creamer; coffee mug; coffee beans.
I-Scream: Ice cream scoop; nuts; hot fudge sauce; sprinkles; butterscotch sauce; ice cream cones; chocolate syrup; Maraschino cherries.
Souper Duper: Soup mugs; crackers; canned soup; dried soup; corn bread mix; soup ladle (use a new stock pot to hold all ingredients).
Chocoholic: Brownie mix; chocolate chip cookie mix; chocolate candy; cocoa mix.
More Fun Ideas
Beauty Queen: Perfume; lip balm; special shampoo; hand cream; nail polish and file; bath oil; aromatic candle; bubble bath; scented soaps (give this gift the royal treatment by wrapping it in a fun make-up case).
School Daze: Pens; pencils; index cards; calculator; date book (wrapped in a backpack this gift is sure to please).
Flicks Fun: Gift certificate to movie theater or video store; DVD or video of favorite movie; microwave popcorn; box or bag of favorite candy; bottles or cans of favorite soda.
Golfer’s Green: Tees; visor; collared shirt; water bottles; towel; club covers.
Automobile Enthusiast: Air freshener; car wax; key ring; ice scraper; fuzzy dice.
New Mom: bibs; Baby wipes; diapers; baby lotion; pacifier; bottle; baby powder; rattle; teething ring (this one looks great wrapped in a receiving blanket, or put all the gifts in a bright and sturdy tote – moms always need a handy bag to lug around).
Football Frenzy: Microwave popcorn; football; team pennant; chips; dips; soda; team cap; game days calendar.
Gone Fishing: Hooks; trail mix; fishing magazine; fishing hat; lures (fill up the tackle box with all these goodies).