Nothing says “Merry Christmas” quite like a basket full of homemade cookies, brownies, chocolate sauce and pound cake. My neighbor outdoes herself each December and this year is no exception. Yesterday she dropped off a huge gift basket filled with my daughter’s favorite sweet treats, lovingly prepared in her own kitchen.
I love the idea of getting and giving gift baskets during the holiday season. Even if you are working on a tight budget, homemade gift baskets are a great option for neighbors, co-workers, family and close friends.
The best way to save when putting together a gift basket is to shop early. Start looking for supplies at end-of-the-season sales. For example, you can purchase a huge array of baskets at deeply discounted prices at post-Easter sales. You can also score inexpensive baskets in all shapes and sizes at summer yard sales and at dollar stores. Likewise, you can snag super sales on ribbons, bows and other embellishments at after Christmas sales.
Once you have the baskets and embellishments, collect the items you want to place in each basket. One way to make shopping fast and easy is to think in terms of themes. Making a theme basket is a smart way to save time and money.
Some popular theme gift baskets include:
Candles: This basket is particularly good for teachers, neighbors and ladies you do lunch with or fellow members of your Bunco or scrapbooking group. Look for candles that feature holiday colors or the gift basket recipient’s favorite shades and scents. Be sure to vary the size of the candles and consider adding in a selection of different types, such as aromatherapy, soy, and mosaic.
Handmade: Fill the basket with items you have hand sewn, stitched, embroidered or quilted, such as kitchen towels, mittens, scarves, blankets, needlepoint pillows or blankets.
Food: This is by far the most popular theme and probably the easiest to put together. Top picks to include in the basket include cookies, breads, wine, cheese and crackers. If you are including homemade goodies, consider including a copy of the recipes and some of the ingredients, so the gift recipient can enjoy the delicacies year-round.
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