Fabulous and economical gift baskets for Christmas for all age
Fabulous and economical gift baskets for Christmas for all age groups
This year, lots of us are finding our gift budgets are not as ample as in years past. While that cashmere sweater you’d like to get for your Mom may be out of the question, gift baskets for Christmas are making a well-deserved comeback. Unlike the 1950s gift baskets for Christmas, filled with little jars of preserves, summer sausage and cheese, today’s Christmas gift baskets are far more imaginative. Here are some ideas to get you started.
1.Decades ago, supermarkets didn’t stock items like lemon pepper herring, smoked oysters in tins, artisan breads and other luxury items. Today, the average supermarket carries between 9,000-10000 different products. This means you have hundreds of unusual, delicious foods from which to choose to fill your gift baskets for Christmas. Most families can’t afford to stock up on these treats, so if you know the tastes of your giftee, you can make an affordable, yet memorable gift.
2.A gift basket filled with tissue-wrapped, fancy Christmas ornaments is one that’s universally well received. Tie it up with a fancy wired ribbon and some fresh pine greens and you’ve got a winner!
3.We can never have too many Christmas decorations to enhance the festivities. Try filling a rectangular basket with potted plants suited to the season, such as poinsettias, cyclamen and Christmas cactus. String some battery-operated lights around the basket’s edge, along with some peppermint candy canes for a lovely, living gift.
4.Kids also love gift baskets for Christmas. Art supplies, including markers, acrylic (water-based) paints, watercolors, brush sets and the super-size box of crayons will keep kids happy for months!
5.Teen girls often allocate a significant amount of their pocket money to beauty products. Nail kits, lipsticks, facial masks, bubble bath and lotions are always popular. Barrettes and other hair ornaments, diaries and costume jewelry are other good choices that please teens.
6.If you’ve got an avid cook on your gift list, pay a visit to an herb shop or supermarket that sells herbs in bulk. Check out the library for books on herb mixtures and make up a dozen spice jars of some of the more unusual recipes. Use canning labels to mark the possible uses of each mixture. Try to cover the bases with a variety, some for fish, poultry and meats, with others for salads and veggies. Include a jar of an herbal salt substitute, which gives the impression of salted food without the salt.
7.There’s plenty of free downloadable software available on the net, with which you can create terrific gift baskets for Christmas, no matter what the age or interests of the recipient. Burn the software to a disc for a custom made gift. Here, a small basket will do. Wrap the disc and case in pretty paper and cover with individually wrapped candies. Put a card on top that says, Search the bottom for the treasure. Good things do come in small packages!
Now it’s easy to see why gift baskets for Christmas are back in vogue. Merry Christmas to you and yours!
