Best Christmas Gift Baskets for 2008: A Little Something for Everyone

Christmas is coming, and you're trying to find that perfect gift for everyone. Instead of just one gift, why not simplify and give them an array of gifts, dedicated to one of their hobbies or interests? Gift baskets are a great Christmas gift. Instead of showing you pre-made gift baskets, I am going to show that you can make your own. Here are a few ideas for gift baskets, for various and assorted people.

1. For the coffee lover: If you have a friend or loved one who is a coffee lover, you may want to pick up several mini packages of flavored coffees, to place in their basket. To make it sweeter, purchase individually wrapped biscottis or cookies to stuff into their basket, too. For an elegant or personal touch, choose a coffee mug that represents their personality, to put in the middle. The mug could actually act as a holder for the biscotti.

2. For the booze hound: A lot of people know someone who enjoys a little alcohol, and that's okay. A PERFECT way to please them by the way of gift basket is to hit up the local liquor store. Most stores like this have miniature bottles of several kinds of liquors. Compile a list of your loved one's favorites, and buy enough to fill their basket. This can be relatively cheap, too, as most of these little bottles usually cost between $1 and $3. For the more classy drinker, you can usually go to places like Wal-Mart, and purchase 4-6 pack miniature bottles of different variety of wines. With the miniature liquors, you can always include one or a few shot glasses, and for the miniature wines, two classy wine glasses.

3. For the gambler at heart: Some of us know people who like "the game of chance." For these loved ones, go to your local gas station. That doesn't sound very classy does it? However, for the gambler, if you pick up a variety of lottery scratcher tickets, it's a potential gold mine. Lottery scratchers range from $1 to $20 a ticket, so you can pick up as many as you want, and not have to pay a lot of money. Since scratchers alone don't sound like they're fit for a gift basket. However, if paired with other gambling "tools," it can be perfect. A deck or two of cards would be a nice addition. Also, poker chips and dice. For gambling on the go, you can purchase, for cheap, one of those portable video poker games. All these items in a gift basket, are a perfect gift for any gambler at heart.

4. For the greenie: If you know someone who is into green living, or someone who is interested in doing so, then give gifts that pack some green action. Some items you may want to include are: energy-reducing lightbulbs, reusable shopping bags (roll these up and secure with ribbon, to fit into basket,) stationary made from 100% recycled paper, seeds to start their own herb garder or vegetable patch, and fair trade tea and coffee. The green lover who receives this gift basket, will be very grateful for your generosity, and respect for their care of the planet.

5. For the fragrance lover: For the lady who loves fragrances: An aroma-filled way to please a spritzer of fragrances, is to purchase several travel-sized body sprays. These come very cheap at places like Wal-Mart, but if you're looking for more upscale, try Bath and Body Works. Pair these fragrances with matching lotion, and hand sanitizer scents. This idea can also apply to men. If any of the men in your life like cologne spray like Bod Man, you can utilize this idea by stocking his stuffing with miniature bottles of those.

6. For the health nut: Back to the basics, a good ol' fruit basket will suffice for any health nut. If you know someone super healthy, make sure these fruits are organically grown. Fruit baskets don't have to be composed of the same ol' fruits, either. Mix it up with coconuts, mangos, papayas, pineapples, and bananas, for a more tropical-themed fruit basket.

These are just six great ideas to make six different types of people happy for Christmas. Feel free to think up your own ideas for the types of people you may know. Be bold and don't be afraid to be creative when making these baskets. The oddest things, sometimes, are the greatest hits!