How to Make a Gift Basket

Gift baskets are perfect for sending your gratitude and wishes. However, there are times when we are just not able to locate the perfect basket that expresses what we would like to say. Occasionally, making your own gift basket to suite a particular theme may be the best idea. Below are steps to follow for making a great themed gift basket:

1. First, determine what message you are trying to send. Is it a wedding gift, birthday gift, or a newborn baby gift...you get the point. Narrow down the theme as much as possible so you can get specific with the products that you use.
2. Next, decide on the basket or container that you will use to place all of your gift items into. If your gift is sports related, you could use a baseball glove or a football helmet. If your gift is for a newborn, you could use a small bassinet or a basket lined with a baby blanket. Other ideas may include crates, lined willow baskets, gardening pots, vases, or metal pails make for great containers. There are tons of resources available and only your imagination can hold you back.
3. Does your recipient love chocolates and sweets? Your local grocery store is full of fun and creative foods that range from candy bars to gourmet treats. You could even purchase chocolates from a specialty store such as Godiva, that will really impress them. Also, include items that are relative to the theme such as baby rattles and pacifiers for the newborn gift basket, or baseball and playing cards for the sports related basket. Again, your imagination is the only limitation.
4. Presentation is key when sending a gift, so make sure you have all of your items upright as much as possible. A sugesstion is to use small wooden dowels and tape to hold you items upright in the basket. Lets face it, presentation is 90% of first impressions. Many flat or smaller square baskets will force you to lay your items down flat, unlike larger baskets or containers. Use decorative tissue paper to line the bottom of your container. Other items such as baby blankets, as mentioned before, are excellent ways to keep products standing up straight as they create a wall for your items to lean against.
5. Don't forget the bow! There are fabulous satin bows and ribbons that add the perfect finishing touch. Your local craft store such as Hobby Lobby carry an excellent selection of gift bows and ribbons.
6. And last but not least, choose an appropriate gift card to announce your gift. You can choose a style that is similar to the theme of the basket, or if you are unable to locate a gift card that suits your particular style, you could always include a greeting expressing your sentiment.

So, with all of this being said, creating your own gift basket is not an easy task, but definitely a rewarding one. Should you need ideas, you can check out the following gift basket ideas page for themes and basket topics.