If you're having trouble thinking of one big gift, consider instead a basket full of smaller items based on a theme. Baskets can be customized to suit every gender, every age, and every passion imaginable. Think of that "hardest to buy for" person on your list ... bet you'll still find a basket idea below to suit!
Tips for a great gift basket:
Tips for a great gift basket:
- Stick to practical/useful things. Gag gifts are funny for about a minute, then they're just a waste of money.
- Shop online. You'll find the widest, most unique selection of basket stuffers there.
- "Basket" is a relative word. Consider choosing a container that relates to the theme.
- Food baskets
- Chocolate basket. Chocolate fountain (or fondue set), chocolate foodstuffs (chocolate covered fruits,
nuts …), gourmet hot chocolate mixes, chocolate tart shells for filling with whatever!, chocolate “bottles” filled with liquer
- Wine & cheese basket. Wine, glasses, decorative wine stoppers, wine pairing book, wine glass charms, cheese cutting board, selection of crackers & cheeses
- Cocktail party basket. Cocktail accessories (shakers, stirrers), book of cocktail recipes, novelty cocktail napkins, drink straws/umbrellas, specialty cocktail glasses, The Drunken Botanist (book)
- Beer & bacon basket. Specialty beers (especially craft beers), bottle top opener, beer bottle cozies, bacon recipe book, specialty bacons, bacon salt
- Foodie basket. High-end cookbooks/cooking magazines, exotic ingredients (jams, spice mixes, etc.), unique kitchen gadgets, dishes, glasswear
- Crockpot basket. Crockpot (use as basket), crockpot cook books, novelty soup and spice mixes, potholders.
- Food for busy people basket. Quick cook-books, kitchen implements that speed up time-consuming task, 1-2 ingredient mixes (soups, breads, cookies, etc
- Diner basket. Diners, Drive-ins and Dives book, diner food recipe book, plastic food baskets, red/white check tablecloths, paper straws, malted milk mix (for milkshakes), plastic swords (for skewering your
sandwiches/burgers)
- Other food basket ideas
- BBQ basket
- Bread basket (bread, scone, and cracker mixes)
- Breakfast foods basket
- Campfire cookery basket
- Coffee basket
- Comfort foods basket
- Fall flavors basket
- Gluten-free basket
- Coffee basket
- Cheese basket
- English Tea basket
- International basket (foods from a specific
country)
- English pub food basket
- French cuisine basket
- German wurst basket
- Kiss Me, I’m Irish basket
- Italian basket
- Indian food basket
- Mexican meal basket
- Russian food & vodka basket
- Spanish tapas basket
- Jellies, jams and apple butter basket
- Manly foods basket
- Pasta basket
- Spices of the world basket
- Soup basket
- Spring/summer/winter/fall foods basket
- U.S. Cuisine basket
- Cajun basket
- Country cooking basket
- Maine seafood basket
- Midwestern basket
- Tex-Mex basket
- Vegetarian basket
- Hobbies/Passions
- For the birds basket. Bird feeders, hummingbird feeders, birdseed, bird ID book, binoculars, birdsong identification CD
- Very superstitious basket. Tarot cards, palmestry book, horoscope book, incense, magic stuff (book of card tricks for adult; Harry Potter stuff for child), rabbits foot, lottery ticket
- So you want to be a writer book. Writers Market (latest version), fountain pen, moleskin journal, coffee, magnetic poetry set, thesaurus
- Jigsaw puzzle basket. Jigsaw puzzles (regular, 3D, solve-a-mystery), rollable jigsaw puzzle mat, jigsaw puzzle glue.
- Family photography basket. Frames, albums, photo paper for printers, specialty lenses, tripod, selfie stick, book about photography, subscription to photography magazine
- Aspiring writer basket. Moleskin notebooks, engraved pen, dictionary, portable tape recorder, style guide, books on how to get published, subscription to writing magazine
- Green Thumb baskets. Garden utensils, gardening gloves, gardening stool, garden stakes (for identifying plants), garden "bling" (statues, birdbaths, garden orbs, etc.), hand lotion (for gardening-roughened hands!). Even better, customize the basket by including materials to create one of the following:
- Butterfly garden basket
- Cooking herbs basket
- Fairy garden/terrarium basket
- Gardening tools basket
- Hydroponics gardening basket
- Perennials bulb basket
- Vegetable garden basket
- Craft baskets.
I won’t bother with separate lists for these because you’ll find
everything you need at the appropriate craft outlet. Instead, I’ll list craft basket ideas –
pick one your giftee will enjoy!
- Cake decorating basket
- Calligraphy basket
- Candle-making basket
- Card-making basket
- Christmas crafting basket
- Flower arranging basket
- Geocaching basket
- Jewelry-making basket
- Mosaic basket
- Needlework basket (sewing, cross-stitch, embroidery, quilting)
- Origami basket
- Pottery/sculpting basket
- Scrapbooking basket
- Sketching/painting basket
- Woodworking basket
- Dog-lover/cat-lover basket
- Fishing basket
- Hiking basket
- Hunting basket
- Historical era themed basket (Civil war, Victoriana, regency, medieval, 1950s, etc.)
- Sports
- Baseball basket. Score tracking book, peanuts, Baseball Atlas, baseball 365-day calendar, tickets to a game, coaching clipboard/whistle/stopwatch
- Bicycling basket. iphone handlebar holder, water bottle, pedometer, sunscreen, fanny pack, travel bike repair kit
- Let’s get Physical basket. Pedometer, pass to local gym, exercise log, yoga or exercise mat, arm weights
- Tailgating basket. Tailgate grill, tailgating recipe book, tailgating games, favorite team gear (banners/pennants, shirts,
scarves, foam fingers, blankets, etc.)
- Other sports baskets
- Football basket
- Soccer basket
- Basketball basket
- Golfing basket
- Bowling basket
- Ice skating/skiing basket
- Literature related baskets
- Book Lovers basket. Book-themed book bag, Bookopoly board game, 1001 Books to Read Before You Die (book), bookends, book light, library card-themed socks (or pillow), book-themed notecards/postcards, old book-scented candle.
- Curl up with a good book basket. Fuzzy blanket, fuzzy slippers, book support (holds book open), book light, bookmarks, mug + hot chocolate selection, glasses case
- Bard basket. Collected works of Shakespeare, Shakespeare artwork cards, BBC performances on DVD, "Will Power" teeshirt, Shakespeare insult accessories (coffee mug, bandaids), Shakespeare bobble-head.
- Jane Austen basket. Jane Austen books (one or more, preferably in some sort of pretty binding), Jane Austen action figure (yes, there really is such a thing!), Jane Austen accessories (jewelry, notecards, teeshirts, calendars), Various film adaptations on DVD, books about Jane Austen, books featuring Jane Austen characters (but authored by others)
- Harry Potter basket. Hogwarts and/or quidditch apparel, Hogwarts cloak, wand, Hogwarts-themed stationary items (cards, notebooks), Harry Potter-themed confections (ex: Bertie Bott's Every-Flavored Beans, Chocolate frogs), full set of Harry Potter books, butter beer recipe
- Other book theme baskets
- Humorous books basket
- Romantic books basket
- Pirate books basket
- Vampire books basket
- Travel books basket
- Poetry books basket
- History books basket
- Crime solvers book basket (with Sherlock Holmes
hat for verisimilitude!)
- Lord of the Rings basket
- Favorite author basket (Hemingway, Fitzgerald,
Chandler, Dickens …)
- Getting Away from it All baskets.
- Camping/outdoors basket. Handwarmers, carbiners, wool socks, headlamp, national/state park pass, book of campfire recipes, book of hiking trails, hiking stick, tree identification guide
- Dinner & a movie basket. Movie tickets, restaurant gift card, popcorn & specialty salts, movies on DVD, fuzzy blanket.
- Night on the town basket. Entertainment book (the one with all the local coupons in it), book about local attractions & road trips, gift cards/coupons/groupons to restaurants, travel flash for booze of choice, bowtie and cologne (if for man), earrings & shawl (if for girl)
- Picnic in the park basket. Picnic backpack, groundcloth and/or picnic table tablecloth (consider the ones with elastic around the edges, so they don’t blow away in the wind), picnic foods cookbook, travel dishes/cups/cutlery, food storage containers
- Anglophile basket. Earl Grey tea, printed tea towels, scones mix + clotted cream, books about England (British history, British monarchs, British pubs …), Burberry scarf (or umbrella), Union Jack accessories (flag, handbag, apron …), DVD of some ineffably British production (Downton Abbey? Bridehead Revisited?)
- World travel basket. Electric outlet adaptors for foreign countries, passport satchel (stores your passport safely beneath your clothing), guidebooks/phrasebooks/maps, luggage organizers/straps/tags, neck pillow for airplane, power strip (because hotels never have enough power outlets), travel valuables safe
- Life’s a Beach basket. Beach towels, waterproof iSpeakers, beach cooler, disposable waterproof camera, beach umbrella, sunglasses
- Road Trip basket. Road trip books/magazines, road atlas (large print atlases are easier to
read!), road trip board game, car cooler, road trip music CD, road trip food, listings of local events
- Lifestyle baskets
- I Live in My Car basket. Hands-free cellphone holder, lighter port extension cord, lighter port plug adaptor, lighter port-powered cooler, novelty car storage, car trash can
- Portable Businessman basket. Portable projector, business card holder, business card scanner, portable printer, laser pointer, international plug adaptors, power strip, extension cord, multi-USB port, portable power backup device, portable hard drive, USB drive
- "Pimp My Closet" basket. Novelty hanging storage (for shoes, sweaters, purses, scarves, belts, shoes, hats), novelty hangers (for skirts, slacks, lingerie), clothing storage bags, cedar chips
- Word Lover basket. Scrabble, crossword puzzles, books about words,
- Alma Matre basket. A selection of items representing their favorite university: shirts/sweatshirts, scarf, cups/glasses/mug/flask, throw rug, lanyard, bumpersticker, keychain, Christmas tree ornament
- Hanging out on the Deck/Porch/Patio basket. Fairy lights, all-weather pillow, plastic dish/cup set, potted flower, side table
- Sleep Tight basket. Cozy pajamas, fuzzy slippers, furry throw rug, pillow, white noise machine, body pillow, book light
- Favorite brand basket. What brands are they loyal to? Disney, Coca-Cola, Nintendo, John Deere, Jordans, Harley-Davidson, Starbucks, NPR, Hallmark, Oreos, Aeropostale, NFL, BBC, Dairy Queen? Create a basket of themed items around their favorite.
- New Age basket. Crystals, incense, tarot cards, books about new age topics, new age music, windchimes
- Baskets for men
- Manly man basket. Include: man-food (beef jerky, sunflower seeks, nuts, specialty beers), Car air fresheners, Flashlight, He-man movies, Tools (multi-purpose tool is always fun!), Art of Manliness handbook, Manly underwear, Shop towels
- Mad men gift basket. Include: Good brandy + glasses, hip flask, cigars, bar guide, bar tools, cuff links, monogrammed handkerchiefs, shoeshine kit, cologne, wool scarf.
- Home repair basket. Hammer, screwdrivers, superglue, duct tape, WD40, tape measure, level, C-clamps, plastic binder ties, staple gun, magnetic wristcuff (for storing nails).
- BBQ basket. Include BBQ recipe book, BBQ grill accessories (spatulas, tongs, brushes), meat thermometer, wood chips (for adding flavor), meat thermometer
- Baskets for women
- Mani-pedi basket. Manicure set, Fingernail polish, fingernail polish pens, fingernail dryer, creams & lotions for softening feet/heels
- Romance basket. Romance movies, romance books, scented candles, romantic music (on CD or USB drive), bon bons, mini-bottles of liquor
- Baskets for teens
- College survival basket. Quarters + Laundry soap, novelty school supplies, basic tool kit (for simple repairs), basic sewing kit (for simple repairs), white board/cork board combo, composite picture frame or album (for displaying pictures of home), toga
- Dorm room food basket. Hot plate for warming up water, selection of instant foods, bottle/can cozy, can opener + bottle opener, washing-up supplies (small, for use in bathroom sink), Energy drinks/shots
- New driver basket. Tire gauge, registration folder, emergency car repair kit + book, hula girl for dashboard, car air freshener, book about simple car repair, hands-free cellphone interface, local maps
- Music basket. itunes gift cards, headphones/earbuds, ispeakers, drumstick pencils, music-themed jewelry/clothing
- Science geek basket. Novelty science teeshirt, science-themed accessories (science mugs, math formula clock, etc.), science books, science jewelry (periodic table cuff bracelet, DNA earrings), subscription to science magazine, Big Bang Theory merchandise
- Video game basket. Video games, video game guides, subscription to video game magazine, extra controllers, video game storage, bags of junk food + energy drinks (for quick energy during long battles), video game teeshirts/posters/novelty items
- Other gift basket ideas for teens
- College booster basket
- sorority/fraternity basket
- gift card basket
- Starbucks basket
- Baskets for kids
- Glitter basket. Glitter glue and/or glitter in jars, glitter pens, glitter paper, glittery clothing, rhinestone setting machine, glitter accessories (you’ll find these in craft, toy, or office supply stores)
- Army man basket. Army suplus store goods: canteen, hammock, etc., army cap or helmet, camo garb and/or backpack, entrenching tool, plastic army men (with fort, of course), customized dog tags
- Career basket (nurse, veterinarian, etc.). Costume related to the career, accessories related to the career, toys related to the career, books related to the caree
- Summer fun basket. Waterguns, sparklers and poppers, pinwheels, wiffleball set, frisbee, inflatable swimming pool
- Old fashioned toys basket. Wood building blocks, simple musical instruments, slingshot, marbles, jacks, chess/checkers, hobby horse
- Sleepover basket. Novelty sleeping bag, pillow, novelty pillowcase, Ouija board, deck of cards, flashlight, novelty PJs, novelty slippers, popcorn
- Baking basket. Baking mixes (muffins, cakes, cookies), frosting, baking with kids cookbook, aprons, kids’ mixing utensils, measuring cups, cookie cutters, decorating supplies.
- Scouting basket.
- Electronics Maker basket. Erector sets, other building sets, robotics kits, simple motors, solar panels, wire, batteries
- Woodworking Makers basket. Wood scraps, dowels, nails, exacto knife, hammer, handsaw, C-clamps, Gorilla glue, tape measure, woodshop/tool guide, whittling knives, project idea book, toolbox, safety glasses
- Collection kickoff basket. Every kid loves collecting. Why not get them started with a collection-kickoff basket? Following are some of the more popular collectibles:
- autographs
- baseball or other trading cards
- book series
- charms
- coins
- comic books
- figurines (animals, nutcrackers)
- fossils
- fountain pens
- keyrings
- matchbooks
- music boxes
- politican memorabilia
- postcards
- rocks/minerals
- snow globes
- stamps
- Other baskets for children
- Art supplies basket
- Astronomy basket
- Card game basket
- Cheerleading basket
- Dr. Seuss basket
- Dress-up basket
- Fairytale basket
- Favorite animal basket (puppies, kittens, frogs, horses …)
- Favorite book basket
- Winnie the pooh basket
- Harry potter basket
- Paddington bear
- Nancy Drew
- Anne of Green Gables
- Percy Jackson basket
- Alice in Wonderland
- Captain Underpants
- Lego basket
- Magic basket
- Train basket
- Other
- Fireplace basket. Pinecone fire starters, decorative wood matches (the long ones specifically made for starting fires), decorative fireplace grill or screen, log carrier (for bringing in wood), utensils for cooking over fire (toasting forks, etc.), chemicals that turn your fire different colors
- Retro basket. Foods/candies from their childhood, CD or USB drive full of music from their childhood, favorite movies from their childhood on DVD, book commemorating the decade they were born in, newspaper from day they were born, retro holiday decorations (so evocative of childhood!)
- Rainy day basket. Jigsaw puzzles, movies on DVD, activity books (crosswords, Soduku), tea/coffee, umbrella (boring ones are everywhere; why not go online and buy something more fun?), deck of cards + book of card games, cozy socks, coloring posters + markers, harmonica
- Emergency Preparedness basket. Solar/crank-powered radio, flashlight/batteries, water purifiers, collapsible water storage, sterno, lighter/matches, whistle, dust masks, can openers, garbage bags, parachute rope
- Sharknado basket. Shark-themed DVDs (Jaws, Shark Week), book about sharks, shark mug (the one with the shark on the bottom cracks me up), stuffed shark, shark oven mitt, Sharky’s Diner vintage children’s game, shark tooth necklace, gummi sharks
- Warm Wishes basket. Warm PJs, warm slippers, fuzzy blanket or throw (electric?), wool socks, kit for winterproofing windows & doors, space heater, fuzzy scarf/gloves
- Gift Wrapping basket. Wrapping paper, gift bags, tissue paper, curling ribbon, bows, gift tags, scissors, transparent tape, card-making set
- Family game night basket. Selection of board games, snacks, playing cards, poker chips, pad and pencil for keeping score
- Tech support basket. USB stick drive (novelty shapes are everywhere: animal shapes, Star Wars shapes, etc.), SC cards, printer ink, recharging cords/adaptors, rechargeable batteries, keyboard cleaning kit, waterproof ipod case, USB hubdog, iPhone/ipod stand
- Office Supply basket. Useful supplies to have around the house (staplers, tape, scissors), novelty office supplies, variety of post-it products (tabs, arrows, etc – wonderfully useful!
- Tiki basket. Tiki candles/torches, tiki cups + drink umbrellas, book of tropical drink recipes, tiki decorations (string lights, etc.), dried tropical fruits + macademia nuts, retro tiki surfboard postcards/notecards, retro tiki teeshirt
- Zombie apocalypse preparedness basket. Seriously
… Amazon carries dozens of zombie-themed gifts, including: Zombie Survival Guide, other zombie-related books (something new or
the mother of them all, The Serpent and the Rainbow), zombie survival playing cards, zombie license plate holder, baseball bat
