Tips for making a great gift basket

By Catalogs Editorial Staff

Follow these tips to make a fantastic gift basket.

Are you thinking of making a gift basket for someone? A gift basket is a great gift idea. So many people enjoy receiving a gift basket as a gift. Gift baskets are also fun to give and to put together.

If you have never put together a gift basket, you may be wondering: what makes a great gift basket? Here are some easy-to-follow tips for making a great gift basket.

Make a Gift Basket Plan. Before you make a gift basket, have a plan in mind. Many gift baskets are popular because they have a theme. Sometimes the theme is chocolate, games or football ? whatever the theme is, the gift basket sticks to the theme. Begin your gift basket by selecting a theme and a dollar amount that you would like to spend.

Do Some Brainstorming. Once you have a theme and a budget, think of what you would like to put in the gift basket. Remember to let yourself think of ideal items that might be a little out of range of the budget ? you never know what you could find on sale. Write down at least 20 items for your gift basket.

Think Unique, Different and Personal. The trick to creating a great gift basket is giving unique items that might be a little different and are truly personal for the recipient. Brainstorm about the recipient and think of that person’s likes and dislikes in great detail. Think of items they might buy if they had a little extra time or money ? those are great gift basket ideas that they would appreciate.

Location, Location, Location! After brainstorming, you need to think of where you might find these items. Don’t worry ? while you may not know where to find some items, you can always do an Internet search and locate the items easily. But search through your list and see what you can find.
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Ready, Set, Shop! Take your list now and start going to stores, whether in-person or online. If you are going in-person it is ideal to find more than one item at a store. If you are going to shop online, it is also ideal to find more than one item at a store.

Get Your Basket. A great tip is to wait to buy the basket until after you have the items. The basket you originally intended sometimes won’t fit the items properly once you’ve picked out the items. So purchase the items first, and then buy the gift basket.

Organize It! Now it is time to organize your gift basket items. Look at your items and see how they will look attractive in the gift basket. This can be kind of like putting together a puzzle. Add larger, heavier items first and then add smaller and more delicate items last. Keep stepping back from your gift basket to see what it looks like ? you want it to look pretty. Have patience ? this process may take you a bit longer than you’d like. You may also want to add some filler items to make the basket look pretty ? you can use flowers (cut the stems off), candles, candy or small stuffed animals.

It’s A Wrap. Put plastic wrap on your gift basket to help keep the items inside. You can staple or tape the plastic wrap at the top and then add a bow to cover the staples or tape.

Store Safely ‘Till Gift-Giving. This sounds very basic, but many people forget this tip. If you are waiting a day or so to give this gift, store it somewhere safe before giving it, so it won’t knock over or be otherwise disrupted.

With these tips for making a great gift basket ? and a little creativity ? you’ll be making beautiful gift baskets in no time!