How to Create Homemade Gift Baskets

Homemade gift baskets are a big hit right now. From door prizes at bridal and baby showers to gifts for the holiday's people are coming up with ingenious ideas to make the gift baskets a great gift. Sure, you can buy one already made up from the store but they are often small and over priced compared to the ones you can make yourself. Here are some ideas on how to make a fabulous gift basket for less than the ones you would buy in the stores.

First, you need to find the right basket. You can get some fabulous baskets at the dollar stores, nut the basket does not have to be a basket. In the ideas below, you will see how part of the basket can become the basket.

The Italian Basket. Get a nice stainless steel colander to use as the basket. Then you can fill it with anything you would need to make a nice Italian meal. One or two jars of a good bottled sauce, dried pasta, dry bread sticks, a pasta fork, and some Parmesan cheese make a nice basket. To make a larger basket you can add a nice pasta bowl set that has the large pasta bowl and then the smaller bowls to go with it. Just make sure you have enough smaller bowls for everyone in the family.

The Wine Basket. For this, I generally get a nice picnic style basket, a nice bottle of wine, 2 wine glasses, dry bread sticks or crackers, and cheese or cheese spreads that do not have to be refrigerated until after they are opened. You can also add little wine glass charms and cheese knives.

The Movie Basket. A nice big bowl for holding popcorn can be used for the basket. Then you need popcorn, drinks, movie theatre style candy, and movies. If you do not know what kind of movies they like you can use a gift card for a local movie rental store and put it in an empty DVD case.

A Scented Basket. You need a nice sturdy basket because candles are heavy. You need a big Jar candle, a couple small jar candles, votives and votive holders, and a tart warmer with some tarts. If you get a tart warmer that uses tea lights be sure to include some of those as well. You can also add taper candles with nice crystal holders or a bag or potpourri with a nice bowl to put it in.