Easy Ideas How to Make Gift Baskets

Instructions for Making a Beautiful Homemade Holiday Gift-Basket

Dec 3, 2007 Janienne Jennrich

Using easy themes & ideas, learn to make a fun or pretty handcrafted Christmas gift basket as a present for families, adults, senior citizens, teens, kids & pets.

Learn to make lovely gifts baskets for Christmas, birthdays, holidays, or get well presents. Also ideas for crafting gourmet and other food baskets, themes for gift present baskets, and filling ideas for beautiful unique gift baskets.

Start with a Container

A basket with or without a handle is nice. Pick an appropriate style, size and color, with enough depth for filling in the bottom.
Other containers for adults include metal buckets, big bowls, sturdy decorative boxes, pretty pottery, and ice buckets.
Containers for children include plastic sand buckets and other brightly colored toys, like dump trucks.

Great Glitzy, Gourmet and Fun Themes for Gift Baskets

For any recipient, consider his or her hobbies and interests.
Some adult themes for baskets are a gourmet gift basket, gardening, romance, tea party, wine gift baskets, Easter baskets, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Christmas Gift Baskets, Hanukkah, New Year's, fruits, cookies, senior citizens, wedding baskets, or kitchen food baskets.
Teens might enjoy gift baskets centered around a favorite book, band, movie, or movie star, chocolates, beauty supplies, sleepover items, "hope chest" items, cool school or art supplies, or scrap-booking goodies.
Younger girls might like a pink-themed basket, Barbie or Bratz themed items, baking goodies, Easter baskets, craft items, games or many of the above ideas.
For a boy, a video game related gift-pack would be great, as would a gift basket centered around sports, cars, a favorite book series, spy items, etc.

Once a Theme is Picked, Choose Items to Fill the Gift Basket

Brainstorm items to go with the theme. For instance, a Pirates of the Caribbean themed basket could contain pirate "gold" (chocolate coins), a DVD, a Pirates notebook, a Johnny Depp poster, etc.
Gift baskets can be as small or large as one likes. Go sweet and simple or huge and glamorous. The sky (and maybe the budget) is the limit.

Tips on How to Make a Beautiful Basket

One trick of the trade is to fill the bottom of the basket with packing peanuts. This will give the illusion of a fuller basket and make the gifts easier to see. Think about safety when making a basket for a child.
Over the 'peanuts', place a thick layer of gift-bag or basket filler, shiny shred, or tissue paper. Overfill the basket as it will be weighted down as gift items are added.
Begin adding the biggest and tallest items toward the middle or back. Aim for balance in weight and arrangement.
To hold some items in place, use tape to attach them to each other, to the basket handle, or to the container. The deep filling makes it easier to keep things still by "sinking" them in a bit.
Continue arranging gifts and then "fill out" the look of the basket. Make sure the paper or shred shows through. Fill in with more, if necessary. Add little items such as wrapped candies, silk flowers, Christmas ornaments, pine cones or whatever works with the theme. Gift cards are a good small-space addition.

When the Arrangement Looks Pleasing, the Gift is Ready to be Completed

Clear cellophane bags made for baskets are usually available at craft shops or dollar stores near the wrapping paper. If using a bag, gather at the top of the basket and tie with a ribbon. Leave some of the plastic fluffed out above the ribbon. Add a pretty bow or a matching trinket. Tape the bottom of the bag tight to the basket if it tends to stick out.
If preferred, simply add a bow and skip the covering.
Add a gift tag and deliver!

Other Tips:

Fruit will decay quickly once wrapped. Deliver quickly after the basket is made and inform the recipient.
For great cookies to include, see Easy 4 Ingredient Holiday Cookies, and Old-Fashioned Ginger Snaps Recipe.
Another article of interest may be Sweet Love Words and Quotations for words to go in your notecard.
For more ideas, see the websites: Birthday Party Themes and Ideas and Entertaining All Year.
Remember pets!

The copyright of the article Easy Ideas How to Make Gift Baskets in Crafts is owned by Janienne Jennrich. Permission to republish Easy Ideas How to Make Gift Baskets in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.