Homemade Holiday Corporate Gift Basket Ideas

While corporate gift baskets - full of gourmet goodies and accessories - are unique and professional-looking, they can be terribly expensive. Fortunately it is possible to create homemade gourmet quality basket that will cost you only a fraction of the price of a corporate basket. Here are some tips to help you make a custom gift basket that will surely wow the recipient.

Start by finding the perfect container. Many dollar stores carry an extensive variety of baskets. Another great place to find baskets is your favorite thrift store. While you obviously want to find one that is well-made, clean and new-looking, another aspect that will make your gift basket look gourmet is the shape. While standard baskets are fine, a basket with partitions or made in an unusual shape provide a unique touch and might even spur you with ideas for what to fill it with.

But don't limit yourself to wicker baskets. Stores such as Big Lots, Family Dollar, Dollar General, or again your neighborhood secondhand store, often carry charming, whimsical containers that make for delightful, gourmet quality gift baskets. Browse different areas of the store and think "outside the basket". Some possible containers you might find: a large, hand painted pot from the garden department; a small, faux-vintage suitcase from the home décor area; or a whimsical ceramic cookie jar from the kitchen ware section. Use your imagination and good taste.

Once you've decided on a basket or other container, you can determine how you will fill it. Again consider the size and shape of your container, and then reflect on what your recipient would enjoy in a gourmet gift basket. Most corporate gift baskets consist largely of food items, but the themes are nearly endless. Some of the more popular food choices for corporate gift basket contents include: fruit; sweets; coffee or tea; snacks; wine and accouterments; and ethnic or regional foods. Other non-food gourmet basket contents include spa products, baby items, or toys.

After you have taken the time to conclude on what type of gourmet gift basket your recipient would most enjoy, use your imagination to create it in a cost efficient yet unique and professional manner.

For a homemade version of a corporate fruit gift basket, head to your local farmer's market or upscale natural foods grocer. Depending on the size of your basket, purchase one to three pieces of each of several succulent, high quality fruits. Don't be afraid to spend a bit more on this fruit than what you might purchase during your weekly grocery shopping trip; since you are purchasing such a small amount, the cost will be minimal. And compared to a corporate gift basket you might buy, you'll be spending pennies on the dollar. Also consider unusual fruit selections such as pomegranates, star fruit, loquats or figs, as they will lend a unique and gourmet quality to your gift basket. Accompany the fruit with a bottle of sparkling cider and some fancy candies, such as Jordan almonds wrapped in cellophane and tied with raffia.

A chocolate and coffee corporate gift basket is nearly always received with much gratitude. Make your homemade version by starting with a pound of aromatic, fresh-ground coffee from your favorite coffee shop - mocha or another chocolate-flavored coffee, if possible. Wrap some homemade chocolate biscotti (you can find a great recipe here) in cellophane tied with ribbon. Add another homemade bag, this one filled with chocolate covered coffee beans (a super simple recipe can be found by clicking here). Head to your local Godiva or other premium chocolate shop and purchase a half-dozen single, hand-wrapped pieces of gourmet chocolate candy. Truffles or strawberries dipped in chocolate are favorites. Include a bag of homemade chocolate-covered popcorn (drizzle melted chocolate chips over fresh popped, unbuttered popcorn), some chocolate spoons to stir the coffee with (another recipe, here) and finally, two tasteful ceramic or travel coffee mugs, purchased at your neighborhood dollar store.

If you have a theme in mind for your homemade gourmet gift basket but can't come up with ideas on what you should fill it with, search the internet for a corporate gourmet basket retailer who sells a similar basket. Carefully check out the product details, and then come up with ways to create an equally gourmet, but much less expensive version that is sure to impress your recipient.