Gift baskets are a good way to put together a variety of small items to make one large gift. Many gift shops and other stores sell ready-made gift baskets, but there is no reason you can't make a gift basket yourself. That way, you can make sure all of the items are tailored to the interests of the recipient. Simply fill a container -- it doesn't have to be an actual basket -- and use cellophane and a ribbon to secure everything.
Kitchen Gift Basket
A kitchen gift basket is a smart idea when you are shopping for someone who enjoys cooking, is moving into a new home or is getting married. Use a large kitchen item as the base of the gift basket, such as a mixing bowl, a casserole dish or a soup pot. Fill the container with all sorts of kitchen items, such as a set of wooden spoons, a meat thermometer, ceramic measuring spoons, an apron, a cookbook or a set of pot holders.
Meal Gift Basket
Consider creating a gift basket that has all the items someone would need to make a meal. For the base of the gift basket, choose a simple basket or one of the cooking vessels needed to make the meal. Then, place all of the nonperishable items needed for the meal into the basket. For example, if you are creating a pasta night meal basket, add a package of dried pasta, canned tomatoes for sauce, dried herbs, the ingredients for a Caesar salad and a loaf of bread. You could also give them a gift card to a local grocery store so that they can purchase the ingredients needed to round out the meal.
Gardening Gift Basket
Use a large flower pot as the base of a gift basket when you want to create one for someone who enjoys gardening. Place all sorts of gardening and lawn care items inside the basket, such as seed packets, gardening gloves, a hose nozzle, a spade, a trowel, decorative plant markers, wind chimes and a book about gardening in your region. You could also include a tube of sun block, a sun hat and moisturizing hand lotion.
Spa Gift Basket
Another type of gift basket that you can easily make yourself is a spa basket. Consider using a foot massager as the base of the gift, although an attractive storage basket would also work well. That way, she can keep the items in the gift basket. Fill the spa gift basket with things like bubble bath, body lotion, shower gel, bath salts, an aromatherapy candle, massage oil, a bath pillow and a loofah.
