A Guide to Making Your Own Christmas Gift Baskets

Searching for the perfect Christmas gift for someone - or for many - can be quite an overwhelming task, and even more so the closer it gets to one of the biggest holidays of the year. Things can become even more difficult when you feel at a loss for what exactly to get, or if there is one person in particular who is hard to shop for. It can become tempting to just buy a gift card so they can choose their own gift - a practical idea, but also a less-creative idea that can also feel quite impersonal. In times like these, I like to put together gift baskets. Depending on the person it is for, I enjoy putting together themed baskets that are full of something they love. For instance, if the person loves movies, I'll put together a basket with movie-related items. If it's sports they have a thing for, I'll put together a basket of items related to their favorite sport, team or player. These are just a couple of short examples of how I choose things to make a wonderful Christmas gift basket, but listed below are more ideas and in further detail.

The Movie Lover Gift Basket

This is one of my most favorite baskets to put together, as it's simple and almost everyone enjoys movies. It can also work with couples to share. With this, I like to get one of those microwavable popcorn tubs (generally sold in video stores like Blockbuster, but they may also have them in some grocery stores) and pack it with a couple packages of boxed candy, a DVD or two, and a gift certificate to a video rental store and/or a movie theater. Then I wrap it up either in Christmas wrap or red or green cellophane.

A Gift Basket for Relaxation

I generally like to piece this one together for female family members or friends - we all need time to relax every now and then. With this, I usually find a plain wooden basket and cushion the bottom of it with a very soft cotton towel or washcloth. Then I fill it with such things as bubble bath, relaxing shampoo and body wash, essential oils, scented candles, and a CD full of calming music. For an added touch, a gift certificate to a specialty bath store like Bath and Body Works is great, too.

Sports Lover Gift Basket

A lot of people, especially men, are into sports. In particular, they'll tend to love one sport or certain team more than others. For most of the ones I know, it's football. In this case, a football helmet (a hat works well in other cases, such as a baseball gift basket) of the favorite sports team makes a great basket. Fill it with items related to the team, like cards, a DVD of game footage, a new sports magazine subscription, or even some tickets to a game if you're into spending a lot! Otherwise a gift certificate to a sports memorabilia or clothing shop takes the place very well. Wrap it up in cellophane.

Gift Basket for the Video Game Enthusiast

Chances are you have a lover of video games in your life. Just fill a basket or bucket with a video game or two, along with a new video game controller and memory card - with all of those, you will have to know what video game system they have beforehand, so if you're not sure ask ahead of time. If you're not sure what kind of video games they like or already have, just add a gift card to a video game or electronics store in place of the games. A subscription to online gaming, such as PS2 Online or X-Box Live (again depending on what system they have), is also a nicely appreciated touch.

Gift Basket for Children

Children are usually easy to please, but what always seem to be a hit are craft-like things. I like to put together an art basket. Just buy a small rubber tub with a lid and fill it with things like a large box of crayons, markers, a coloring book, paper (both construction paper and white), paints, and clay that is made for children. Put the lid on, wrap it up, and you've basically created a small and handy kit to hold kid's art supplies! With this you can't really go wrong.

With the methods above, it should become easier to put together a great gift for a person even when you feel absolutely clueless for ideas.