Can you give me ideas for gift baskets?

Movie night at home: get a large plastic bowl and a few smaller matching or coordinating ones. Put a few packets of microwave popcorn into the big bowl along with the little bowls. If this recipient has young kids, offer a coupon for babysitting sometime so they can actually watch a movie uninterrupted.

Car care: get a plastic bucket and a few car-washing supplies. Add a few clean rags and maybe an IOU for help with washing sometime.

Bathtime basket for kids: include a fun bathtub toy, shampoo or bubblebath, a fun character bath mitt, and maybe some bath crayons (soap ones) or some other fun bath stuff kids don’t normally have but would enjoy. Can be packaged in a toy-holder for the tub.

Bathtime for grownup women: a matching set of bath salts, soap, possibly body wash, and lotion. A net bath pouff — either the normal one or the one on a handle for washing the back — an inflatable bathtub pillow. and maybe a set of nail care implements.

Pamper your nails: all sorts of creams and polish and implements for making pretty nails.

Italian night: a big bowl for the spaghetti, a package of gourmet spaghetti noodles, a jar of gourmet sauce, one of those funny spaghetti implements (you know, those things that look like a cross between a ladle and a turret — the ladle thing with long teeth) and some Parmesan cheese.

If you need more ideas, email me specifically with the ages and genders and likes or interests of those for whom you want to assemble a basket. Click on my avatar for an email link.

Put bath items in a pretty basket and cover with plastic wrap, tie with a big bow. Or use fancy food items, like cheeses, crackers and salami. If any one in your family is a crafter, make a gift pack of craft supplies. Healthy snacks for the health nut. You can put books in a gift basket. What does the recipient like. Even DVDs and CDs make a nice gift.

This is my specialty, I have made gift baskets for most ocasions arranging from Baby showers, get well soon, child birthdays, valentine’s,mothers/fathers day, welcome home baskets for a platoon of US MARINES, and Christmas.

KITCHEN
-If you are doing a gift basket for adult female/or elderly female that enjoys cooking/baking, you could buy mittens, pot holders, dish towels, burner covers, maybe a set of mixing spoons, whisks,a timer, spatula, recipe book, or recipe cards, measuring cups, cookie cutters (depending on the size of the basket) you may be able to add a coffee cup, you could add, hot chocolate mixes, a bag of peppermint sticks, cookie mix, sprinkles (christmas theme-trees, snowmen), and even icing. Who wouldnt love this? All of these items can be bought at a dollar store (which is still in good quality but in lower cost).

SCRAPBOOKING
-If you are doing a basket for someone who is into photography and scrapbooking, you could get a scrapbook, designed cutting scissors, hole puncher, ribbon, stickers, pens, borders, extra paper for the scrapbook, some adhesive, embellishments, and maybe a scrapbooking book to give them ideas. (again things that you can buy at a dollar store).
BATH
-If you are making a basket for a female that is into fashion and personal care, that loves to be pampered or you think needs a little pampering you would want to make a bath gift set for then get a towel and roll it up, tie a ribbon around it into a bow, add bath salts, bath oils, anything for bath or skin that pertains to aroma (relaxing). You can add bath sponges and exfoliators,bath brush (great Idea) facial masks, and bath lotions.

PERSONALIZED COLLECTIBLES
-If the person you are making a basket for is a collector of sorts, maybe Angels, Snowmen, Gingerbread Men, Apples, etc. You can find their specialty on nearly anything. You could find them on dishtowels, jewelry, note pads, stationary, handcrafted porcelains, hand painted ornaments, a do it yourself kit with the ornaments and paint in their theme. That gives them something to do.

CANDLES/SCENTS
-Do they love candles, and always have a wonderful smelling home? They would adore an arrangement of candles, in different shapes and sizes and scents. A few candle holders, or plates, dried potpourri, a bottle of potpourri gel or liquid, even a small potpourri burner would be of taste for this basket.

GARDENING
-Even though it is winter do you know someone who loves planting and tending to flowers and greenery? They would love New gardening gloves, small gardening tools like a shovel, shears, etc. seed packets, gardening books and magazines.

POPCORN/MOVIE
- This is someone who is always renting DVD’S and would rather to curl up and watch this than go out to the theatre.
Instead of a basket in this case, they would love a new large Popcorn bowl, Add several different kinds of Popcorn flavors, (butter, Cheddar, Caramel, ETC.) Add a few really good DVD’S, a box of tissues if they are emotional tear jerkers would be cute. Also, the candy that you get at the theatre in those square boxes, can be bought anywhere for less than a 1.00 these days, add sum Mike and Ike’s, Milk Duds and Gummy Bears, then put your bag around this as you would a basket.

BIRDHOUSES
- They love bird watching and have a bird house. Get a hummingbird feader or birdhouse (small of course). For which ever you choose, get the appropraite feed, the sugar water or a small bag of bird seed, a book on bird care, you may also like to add some bird shaped stationary.

FISHERMAN
- Ok, maybe you are buying for someone who spends alot of time fishing. Then buy several different things out of that department (lures, hooks, worms, etc.), a plastic compartment to divide them, maybe a boning knife, fishing line, weights, a multi tool (kind of like a swiss army knife), a fishing magazing.

SEWING
-A smaller sized (travel sized) sewing box, thread, spools, straight pins, a pack of buttons, zippers, a ruler, scissors and cutting tools, needles, a lint brush or lint shaver, stain removal pens, pattern making supplies, maybe even a gift certificate to their favorite fabric store.

CRAFT
- Lots of Crafts. Different mini projects, glue sticks, glue gun, stencils, beads, paints, scissors, glitter, soap making, clay, etc. Magazines or books on craft ideas.

FUN

- Joke books, puzzle books, crosswords, Uno Cards, jigsaw puzzle, a funny dvd or movie, deck of cards, a few gag pranks ( like the baseball for the back window sticker), whoopie cushion, a shock pen, etc.

TEA
-Different flavored specialty teas, tea cups, a small teapot, either homemade cookies, or a few individual packs of cookies, different varieties of chocolate candies, a bag of sugar cubes, and a few lemons.

COFFEE
-A few coffee mugs, a couple bags of specialty groud coffees or gourmet coffees, creamer, a bag of sugar cubes, some sweetner packets, a bag of coffee stirers, top it off with some homemade cookies.

CHILDREN
-Stuffed animal as a center, hotwheels, or some toy you think they would enjoy. Coloring book, crayons, Activity book, reading book, education things (flash cards, etc. [depending on age]), and candy. These things could be put into a stocking instead of a basket as well.

BREAKFAST
- You wouldnt want to add sausages/meats and pershible items to these, due to the last minute stress for making them, the fact that those items could make the others soggy from moisture etc. So If you would like to make a basket for a couple or even a single person. You could buy a mug, or a couple, maybe a matching set. Buy medium size jars of jam, jelly, and perserves (DO A FEW DIFFEERNT VARIETIES) like strawberry perserves, grape jam, and apple jelly. Apple butter, mapple syrup and honey. Add a few varities of coffees and teas and bisquick or jiffy pancake mix. (all of these items can be found in the dollar section of most sotres, big lots, and other discount stores and dollar marts ) You could even buy a small pan for a 1.00 at the dollar store to add to the basket.

FOR EXPECTING MOM
- Are you making a christmas basket for someone who is expecting? You could make a special basket just for their pampering needs. This is probably something they wouldnt even get at their shower and they would enjoy it so. Include candles, anything relaxing like music cds and aroma therapy candles, pretty decorative bath soaps, bubble bath, maybe bedroom slippers, body sprays and lotions, cocoa butter or vitamin e cream (good for stretch marks), a loofah, bath brush or pretty sponge.

INFANT OR NEWBORN
- Are you making a christmas basket for a newborn baby or and Infant? If this is their first christmas you could buy a santa hat, bib, blanket or stuffed animal that says babys first christmas.Lotion, Powders, Body Wash, Shampoos, diaper rash cream, baby wipes, brush, clippers, bottles, bottle cleaner, onesies, booties, and a stuffed animal.

YOUNG GIRL
-Purse, scarf, mittens, earmuffs, nail polish, hair brush, hair ties, bows and ribbons, perfume, glitter, makeup, nail file, mirror, earrings, stickers, fancy pens, paper, journal, etc.

COUPLE
- A light blanket, pair of coffe mugs, hot cocoa mix, bag of marshmellows, a bag of pepermint sticks, a bag of hershey kisses, a few of their favorite candy bars, and a dvd for them to cuddle up and watch together.

FOR SHUT INS OR ELDERLY
-I’ve also found that baskets with everyday necessity type items and food are great for older people that don’t really need any more knick-knacks. Make these as you would a care package, coffee,dried fruits, favorite fruit juice in a can, mints, candy, soap, socks, razor, shaving cream,cans of their favorite soups or food,mini loaves of breads or muffins, teas, soup mixes, noodle mixes, pasta, bag of their favorite chips.

ICE CREAM SUNDAE
- Maybe you are making a basket for a child that loves their ice cream, or even an adult that absolutely loves ice cream. Maybe brothers or sisters, etc. Get some ice cream bowls or sundae bowls, some spoons, and a scoop. Sprinkles, caramel, strawberry, chocolate, pineapple and cherry sauces, and almonds, of course any other toppings you think would be nice. Add a pack of nice cloth napkins.

MEXICAN FIESTA
-Do you know someone who loves mexican foods? Why not make them a Mexican fiesta basket? Find kitchen towels or mittens with chilli peppers on them.Include several bottles, jars, or envelopes of seasonings: chili powder, oregano, taco seasoning, paprika, garlic flakes or powder, fajita seasoning, cumin, dried chili peppers, jalapenos, hot sauce, etc. A Mexican cookbook, cd of Latin music, and dessert items are nice finishing touches.Add snack foods such as tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, black bean dip, cheese sauces, etc.
Add a small bag of black beans, navy beans, pinto beans, or garbanzo beans. Add a small bag of rice.You can also include the makings for Margaritas: Tequila, Triple Sec, Margarita mix, glass rimming salt, drink umbrellas, and fresh limes or lemons.