Ideas for Christmas Baskets

by Maria

Christmas baskets sold as-is in the seasonal aisles of stores are much like pre-packaged food – they are quick, convenient, don’t require much thought, but they are rarely very satisfying. You’re also paying far more than the value of the product, because you’re paying for the convenience of it. You can procure a far more personalized Christmas gift basket, for a far better value, if you put it together yourself. Here are some ideas for Christmas baskets you may like.

Stores like Dollar Tree are brimming with baskets of all sizes, shapes and styles, cellophane and all kinds of ribbons and bows to wrap them with – not to mention a surprising number of the same kinds of filler items that cost five times as much at a standard retail store. The clearance aisles after Christmas are always fabulous places to shop for the people whose taste is not going to change drastically by the next Christmas. Other items can be gathered frugally if you bear in mind that not everything given at Christmas has to be marketed for Christmas…or even sold, instead of made.

Ideas for Christmas baskets are easier to come by if you stop thinking about, ‘ideas for Christmas baskets’ and start thinking about, “What kind of stuff would this person / family / group like?” After all, a gift basket inherently involves a number of small items, generally themed together….and that’s about it for the requirements.

So if you know some cocoa drinkers, you could make a number of cocoa mixes and chocolate-dipped stirring spoons, and then fill each person’s basket with the flavors you think they’d like best, some spoons, some cinnamon sticks, a miniature can of whipped cream, and a mug or mugs chosen from Dollar Tree to suit them (or chosen and then decorated yourself or by the kids, using dishwasher-proof paint pens from a craft store).

If you are friends with a diabetic or someone else on a special kind of diet, you could fill the basket with treats carefully chosen to cater to their special dietary needs. If you know someone who has moved into a new house, you could put together some style-themed decorative items, like frames, candles and holders, a special ornament, and some seasonal table linens. For a child you could think of a particular passion of theirs, and find a book, a stuffed toy, a shirt, and some other random little things that revolve around it.

The options are as endless as the recipients. I hope you enjoy these ideas for Christmas baskets!