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Easy Holiday Gift Baskets 
Browsing malls, department stores, country gift shops,
we’ve all seen the beautiful array of holiday gift
baskets available. While elegantly done, prices can
range from $15 to over $100. Gift baskets are easily
made and though not inexpensive to make are
certainly way less costly than those pre-made and
purchased retail. In addition to cost, another advantage
to making your own holiday gift baskets is the ability
to personalize the basket for the recipient or just to
add your own creative touch or to utilize your homemade
gifts.
What you will need:
Basket (which may also be selected based on the
recipient, i.e., colorful pails for children, wire
wastebasket for men, or a basket in a woman’s favorite
color) Watch thrift stores and yard sales for basket,
you can pick them up for next to nothing. Cardboard tray
may also be used. Recycling the trays that cases of
water bottles come in by wrapping them with wrapping
paper inside and out. These work real well for food
baskets filled with homemade cookies, fruits and such.
Filler - can be shredded paper, material (could match
the gift, for instance a bath basket could be lined with
wash cloths or nice hand towel), or any of the many of
the prepared store-bought varieties of filler which come
in all colors, widths and textures
Ribbons or ties - try to color-coordinate with liner
or filler and the items in basket
Cello wrap - hard to skimp on this if you want it to
look nice and professional. Craft supply stores sell
this in rolls or in packages ready to wrap the basket.
Kitchen plastic wrap will not work.
Scotch tape
Scissors
Gift card to attach
Items to go in your basket
Fill basket with filler, fluffing and arranging
nicely, removing any strays that look out of place.
Place larger, heavier items first. Arrange smaller
items in layers around the larger ones.
Tuck in small things for accents such as tiny pine
cones, candy, packs of tea or coco, tea light candles,
silk flowers, or other items relating to the theme of
the basket. Possibly attach one to the outside as well
to match.
Use the ribbon to decorate the basket. You may want
to wrap the ribbon around the circumference of the
basket near the top, then tie a large bow on the handle
if there is a handle. If there is no handle, the bow may
be attached to the front of the basket.
Use the cello wrap to cover the entire basket and
attach to the bottom with Scotch tape.
Attach gift card.
Gift Basket Ideas
Gardening
Cooking
Bath
Toys
Healthcare
Artwork
Tea/Coffee
Books
Puzzles
Pet items
To add a southwest touch, earth tones, consider dried
chile peppers, small pine branches, pine cones, a
traditional basket from one of the tribes of the
southwest, small hand-crafted items from the southwest,
sage sticks, items embellished with the artwork of
petroglyphs (i.e. sun, spirals, Kokopelli), postcards,
salsa, tortillas, dried beans, Indian corn. Instead of
ribbon consider a rough twine or rope, leather, or brown
raffita and burlap for a liner.
Just about anything anyone is interested in can be
made into a gift basket. Baseball lovers may have a new
baseball, baseball cards, small team souvenirs, a bag of
peanuts. The potential is endless. Gift certificates are
another good items. Anything you would "stuff" in a
stocking is also good for a basket. What would you enjoy
in a gift basket? Everyone loves receiving gift baskets,
they are a fun and personal gift.
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