Budget Basket idea help please

[newtodis]

Good Morning!

I'm in need of help budgeting for Christmas gifts this year. I'd like to make things that are practical and budget friendly for us. I'm getting away from keeping up with the family members who insist on the brand name everything and spending a small fortune on each person.

I will need 13 baskets. I would like the "basis" of each basket to be the same and put in a couple things that are more personable to each couple to make it different from the other baskets. My goal is to have these completed by August so they can be delivered to family in another state instead of having to ship during the holidays.

I would like to fill the baskets with things that I'm able to get a really good deal on that people will actually use. Currently I have a variety of candles/air fresheners that I've gotten free or almost free between sales and coupons so each basket will get one of those. The only other ideas I really had were to get a cookbook and get the ingrediants for a recepie to stick in there or movie stuff for a movie night. Other suggestions??? The things will have to stay fresh from August to December if at all possible. I'm really trying hard not to just buy everyone and anyone a gift this year and really trying to do this as cheaply as possible.

TIA!

 

[RachelsMommie]

I did cookie baskets for my friends one year. I made a tin of different kinds of Christmas cookies I had made (tip: make 1 or 2 batches each weekend and freeze them for the month before). I found a couple of inexpensive cookbooks on sale during the summer months online...Cookie cookbooks and dessert cookbooks. I also found specialty Christmas cooking sheets (snowman cookie pops, etc.) and some Christmas potholders for 80% off. Throw in some sprinkles and you've got a great basket that is yummy as well. My friends loved it.

 

[pjtm]

I liked the idea once of the Looking at the Lights Basket - something for the car ride to drive around and look at the lights at Christmas - ideas where: hot chocolate, throws, Christmas CDs, the 3D glasses for lights, notebooks to take notes in for your favs, etc.

 

[Lindateddy]

I've done a couple of different kinds of baskets, all of them have been popular with the recipients...
Did movie baskets once, got the large plastic popcorn tubs (red and white ones) from the dollar store and put in 4-5 microwave popcorns, a few candy bars, and either a Blockbuster gift card or a cheap DVD that I found over the course of the year
Candles have always been good ones for me. In July Yankee Candle has their super sale, always get stuff at 75% off on that one and it keeps nicely until the holidays.
Also did an herb garden basket, with little terra cotta pots (about 25 cents on clearance) and packets of herb seeds that I got on clearance after the spring planting season. Some potting soil and a little watering can and that's good to go.
Perhaps the one that gets the most compliments is the pasta basket I did a year ago. Lots of fancy looking dried pasta (bought at Tuesday Morning for $2 apiece, they looked really expensive!) Also put in an expensive looking jar of sauce, some dried herbs and a bottle of fancy olive oil. Then added a big loaf of Italian bread when I was ready to deliver.

As I guess you can tell, I love doing the "basket" present thing. I think it's so much fun to put together and it seems like the recipients really enjoy exploring all of the little "treats" they got. Good luck!

 

[Vacation Lover]

I did this gift basket using items that I got free or cheap using coupons.

I called it an "economy survival kit" and attached this card.

Picture is blurry. Here's what it says:
Economy Survival Kit
In this basket you’ll find everything
you need to beat the economy blues!

Toothbrush/Toothpaste…Because the economy has left a bad taste in your mouth.
Household Cleaners…because SOMEONE has to clean up this mess!
Pain Relievers…to dull the pain in your wallet
Shampoo & Hairspray…We’re gonna wash this mess right out of our hair!
Allergy medicine…because this economy is nothing to sneeze at
Make up…because we all know there’s a cover up going on somewhere
Air freshener…because the stock market stinks these days
Body wash & a scented candle…so you can relax the stress away
Deodorant…Don’t sweat it—things will get better soon
Publix gift card…because you gotta eat somehow
And if all else fails…EAT CHOCOLATE!

A basket with a bunch of necessities is not for everyone, but my MIL loved this gift.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I used to do baskets for people all the time. At one point I thought it would be fun to start a business doing that but decided it would be too much work and not enough fun.

I did a italian basket - it had spaghetti noodles, tongs, a fancy parmesan cheese and other italian type stuff. The basket was actually a colander.

I did a tea basket - it had alot of different types of teas, a tong that you use to squeeze the teabag, tea towels, pretty tea cup, simple cookies. For one person who I knew burned up her tea kettle, I put it all in a tea kettle she could use on a stove instead of a basket.

I did a chocolate basket - it had tons of different types of chocolate - orange, raspberry, dark, regular and I added a bottle of Rosa Regale.

I did a mexican basket - several different types of salsa, chips, a cool salsa holder that was shaped like a large chili. For the person who drank, I added a bottle of marguarita mix. The other person didn't drink so I left that out.

I did a movie basket - popcorn, candy, a couple of DVD's.

I did a Star Wars Basket - lots of Star Wars figures, a small Star Wars lego set, Star Wars stickers ect.

I did a similiar basket except with Polly Pocket, another with Hello Kitty.

I did a coffee basket - fancy coffees, a travel mug, a regular mug with a design I knew the person would like. It also had some hearty cookies - oatmeal raison and chocolate chip.

These were all gifts for relatives - they all seemed happy with it since each one was tailored to what they liked.

 

[mrsstats]

I was just at walmart yesterday, they were cleaing out the easter baskets and had small brown laundry type baskets for $1.25

 

[stitchfan23]

I have a gift basket company and all the ideas you have gotten are great. I will give you one piece of advice though. Be careful if you are putting food with items like candles or air freshners. Tea, some cookies and for sure chocolate can pick up the scents of these items really easily especially if they will be stored together for a while in the basket. There is nothing worse than a piece of chocolate tasting like an air freshener. What you can do is a craft store should sell small shrink bags that you can strink around the smelly items by using a hair dryer. This will keep a good amount of the smell away from the food items. Good luck and I am sure that your family and friends will love the thoughtfullness that you put into their gifts.

 

[1stWDW]

If any of your receipients have young children you could put together a family craft basket with many $1 store items - buttons, tissue paper, crayons, markers, stickers, etc. and then print some good craft ideas from the internet and bind the pages together at a Office Max/Depot or teacher store.
In this economy I find that going to museums are just too expensive, so we are doing many more game nights and craft nights.

 

[Piecey]

This year, DH and I were tight on money.

I got $1 containers at the Dollar Tree and put my homemade hot chocolate in them and gave them out with $1 mugs.

 

[newtodis]

I love all of the ideas - that you all so much! I'm really trying to cut our budget for gifts while still giving people things they want/need and actually use. That seems to be the trick. I really don't like to just hand people a gift card - to me it just says, "I really had no clue what to get you so go get yourself something" and I know (this is the control/ODC freak in me), that I'd spend the money more wisely and get the most bang for my buck instead of the person I'm giving the gift card to..... That's why I'm on the baskets this year.

Thanks again for the ideas - I'm really going to keep an eye out for different things. I wouldn't have thought about the candles giving off their scent being together for a couple months before Christmas. Also, to the PP who makes their own hot cocoa, if you're willing to share the receipe, I'd love it! I love cocoa myself and think it's a great idea to make some!

 

[winnapooh]

If you know what people are interested in you can easily tailor inexpensive gifts to their interests. I gave out some gift baskets fairly recently:

-fishing stuff for my dad (hooks, sinkers, bait, etc.)
-home improvement stuff for a sibling remodeling a house himself (paintbrushes, drop cloths, drill bits)
-model train related stuff (paint brushes, model paint, fimo clay for making various things)
-gardening kit (small spade shovel, seeds, plant markers to label plants)
-cooking stuff (spatulas, can opener, dishtowels, cookbook or hand written recipes and spices for those recipes)

I try to give gifts that people can use, even when they are inexpensive (I only spent $5 or less on each, shopping at dollar stores, Walmart, Target, Michaels). I just keep things general if I'm not exactly sure what they would use (like the fishing hooks...I just bought the common sizes for example).

 

[dizluvah]

I wanted to add just more basket theme idea - Breakfast basket - they sell powdered pancake mix or scone mix, add a jug of syrup, fancy jam or jelly jar. I have given a large version of this with a folding wooden tray from Target for breakfast in bed as a wedding gift - it was a big hit. I used Scone mix and Scone pan in the basket.

 

[newtodis]

You guys are full of great ideas! We do have two weddings this summer (DH's cousin and our nanny) so I've got two shower gifts to figure out as well as two wedding gifts. Thanks for adding those to my list!

Thanks for the ideas! Feel free to keep sharing! I'm so open to new ideas!!