A gift basket can be a very thoughtful, personalized gift if you take the time to think about who you are giving it to. Get creative when choosing the items, all the while keeping in mind what type of things the recipient enjoys. Often a gift basket is a great opportunity to give someone special items that you know she wouldn't necessarily buy for herself, but would really enjoy having. Christmas is a great time of year to give a gift basket to a co-worker, a close friend or a family member who has a specific interest that you can tap into and show that you do pay attention during the rest of the year.
Themed Baskets
Give a basket for Christmas filled with items that are all linked by a central theme. Consider choosing a cultural food theme like Italian, Mexican or Asian, including items that could be used to make a specific meal or just to use throughout their cooking, if you know they often cook this type of food. If you were going to give a Mexican basket, for example, you could include tortillas, salsa, beans, a rice mix and a recipe to make homemade burritos. Or if you know the recipient really likes a specific place in the world, choose items that you would find in that location, for example, a Hawaii basket could be filled with a pineapple, sand dollars and ingredients to make a special coconut cocktail. Think about what the person really enjoys when choosing a theme for your gift basket. Choosing a theme that is not holiday related may be very well received, given the number of holiday items people typically receive around that time of year.
Hostess Baskets
If you want to take a thoughtful gift to the next Christmas party you are invited to, consider taking a basket for the hostess that is filled with things she will need for all of her holiday entertaining. Consider filling the basket with candles, alcohol, mixers, holiday-themed candies and other snacks that she could put out for her guests. Also consider including anything else in the basket that you think might make her entertaining responsibilities a little easier, like a special wine bottle opener or a holiday pot holder. Think about items that she could even use for the party that you are attending such as holiday napkins or wine glass charms.
Seasonal Gifts
Give a basket for Christmas that is filled with things that you can only get during the Christmas season. These types of items might include specialty beers and wines that can only be found around the holiday time, as well as special pastries, flavored nuts or candies that are not manufactured during the rest of the year. If you know that someone enjoys these type of seasonal products, help them to stock up so they can have a taste of the holidays any time of year.
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