Some links may be affiliate links. We get money if you buy something or take an action after clicking one of these links on our site.

Christmas All The Time is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Unique Holiday Gift Baskets

Even the simplest gift baskets look like a treasure trove, but we’re going to take a look at some ways to make your gift baskets truly unique.

Weighing Your Options

There are basically three ways you can select a gift basket:

• Ready-Made: Stores and sites who specialize in constructing gift baskets have a marvelous variety of options all wrapped and ready to present to your special someone.
  Whether it’s a sumptuous basket of goodies that anyone would be glad to receive or one that’s been put together with a person’s interests or hobbies in mind, these are sure to delight.
• Bespoke: Some stores and sites will offer mix-and-match basket options or even individualized made-to-order gift baskets.
  They might charge a little extra for the service, but the freedom to have a custom-made gift basket for your holiday giving is worth the price.
• DIY: There are tons of videos on YouTube, sites on the web and books in the bookstore that will give you helpful hints on how to create sensational gift baskets with high-end products or even upcycled odds and ends from thrift stores.
  People love getting personalized presents and doing it yourself guarantees that the gift will be recognized as a special labor of love from you.

Did You Just Assume My…?

Once you decide how you’re sourcing your gift basket, you can make it more personal:

• For Her: Depending on which “Her” you’re buying for, you might consider:
  • Jewelry: Earrings, bracelets, broaches or even strings of pearls or diamonds won’t go unappreciated
  • Perfume: If you know her favorite scent, you can usually find a gift basket at the fragrance counter or you can include it in a basket full of personal favorites
  • Lingerie: Remember, this is only appropriate for someone with whom you are personally intimate. Don’t get Mom a Teddie, for pity’s sake.
  • Care Package: Getting a home spa treatment is never a bad move. Lotions, potions, masks, loofahs and oils can make anybody feel special, but again save the personal full body massage coupons for your special someone.
  • Bon-Bons: It’s well established that most women love chocolate, but when you know your dear one’s favorite temptation it’s a much more considerate gift. She might prefer strawberries, coconut candies, Oreos or something else entirely. If you know her well enough to provide the correct treats, you’re going to be on the Nice List for the foreseeable future.
• For Him: As a “Him“, I can promise you that food is an automatic winner. Other items that are appropriate are:
  • Tools: Okay, that sounds really stereotypical but consider “tools” to be a catch-all phrase for any bit of useful tech.
    Is your guy a “Grill God“? Consider tools and supplies for outdoor cookery.
    Is your guy a “Geek“? Consider thumb drives, earbuds or even a utility belt to hold all of his toys.
  • Food: Yes, I said this already but I can’t stress to you how well-received nearly any edible thing would be. If you know his favorite thing, get him that. My wife and kids know to get me Cordial Cherries and Plum Pudding every year.
    Maybe your guy is a fire-eater like my son and father-in-law are. A set of hot sauces or gift cards to Mexican, Thai or Indian restaurants might be the way to go.
  • Grooming Items: This straddles the border between thoughtful and “grown-ups get boring gifts“, but the fact is that we’re usually too distracted shopping for snacks and DVDs of our favorite movies to be bothered even going down the aisles where the cologne is located.
    If YOU have a favorite scent that you want him to wear, wrapping it up in a gift basket is a subtle way to make sure he puts it on for you.
  • Care Package: Surprise! Surprise! Surprise! Men like to be pampered, too. Sure, we don’t need all the seaweed masks and loofahs but scented massage oils definitely send the message that you want to get your hands on us.
• For Fitness Buffs: There are a lot of old-school and new-fangled items you can include in a fitness gift basket. Hand weights, armbands or fanny-packs to bring necessities on a run, cooling towels, hydration solutions, pedometers or more sophisticated health monitors might be great ingredients for your man or woman of steel.
• For Bookworms: A gift basket with some titles of your loved one’s favorite author or genre could be spruced up with a variety of coffees, bookmarks, book lights, genre tchotchkes or even audiobook CDs.
  I’ve been on an Ed McBain kick this year and I’m still waiting for George R. R. Martin to finish A Song of Ice and Fire. Game of Thrones was released in 1996 and he’s still not done the series…
• For Outdoorsy Types: If your special someone enjoys hiking, climbing or otherwise rampaging out in the great green expanses, you can always get them portable safety and hydration accessories. Freeze-dried meals for supper on the trail, LifeStraw or water purification tablets, waterproof matches and other expendable trekking supplies are a considerate assortment to include in their gift basket.
  There’s a pretty good chance that they have all the gear they need such as backpacks, boots and walking sticks, but stuff that needs frequent replacing like carabiners, foodstuffs and bivvy bags will be greatly appreciated.
• For Homebodies: If your someone special is like me and prefers to stay home in comfort, they may still have a hobby you can steer your gift basket toward.
  Are they a home chef? Cooking tools, spices and sauces would make an attractive and functional gift.
  Are they a shade-tree mechanic? Spark plugs, automotive fluids, rags and other maintenance supplies can be arranged attractively with a bit of creativity.

As you can see, the possibilities are endless. Put some thought into your gift basket and they’ll think of you every time they take a widget or snack from the collection.

When It’s All Gone

Depending on the kind of basket the gift was delivered in, there are some options for making use of it on its own.

• Thank You Gift: If the basket is particularly lovely, you can take out all the treats and put in new tissue paper or raffia. Use the basket to create a Thank You gift for the person who gave it to you using the recommendations above to make it a personal token of your appreciation.
• Centerpiece: Another use for a nice basket is to make a centerpiece for your dinner table if you’re going to be hosting a holiday meal. If the person who gave you the gift basket is coming, they’ll be pleased to see that their gift is being displayed so prominently at the occasion.
• Pass It On: If you’re not the sort to do Thank You gifts, you can still make use of an attractive gift basket to form the base of a gift to someone else. Whether you keep it in the pantry for next year or put it to immediate use, creating a whole new DIY gift basket for someone using the basket from a gift you’ve received is a constructive use of the materials at hand.
• Stylish Storage: Smaller gift baskets might serve nicely to hold napkins or wrapped silverware for a dinner party. You could use it as a candy dish for wrapped candies or simply put some glass or silk Christmas tree ornaments into it for a festive accent piece.

As you can see, gift baskets are a gift that can keep on giving even after the last bon-bon has been gobbled down. With a little thought and consideration, the gift will bring days or even weeks of joy to whoever you give it to.

For even more ideas for a classy gift basket, please watch the presentation below.