Get creative with your holiday gift-giving this year and make your own theme gift baskets.

Create Theme Gift Baskets for Christmas By Susan Sanders-Kinzel

Gift baskets are a great way to make a personal gift for family or friends. This article includes many ideas of containers and themes to help you get started on a gift basket for everyone on your list. Gift baskets can be a lot of fun for you and the recipient and don't have to cost a lot of money. The Recipient The first thing to consider is who you are giving the basket to: What do they like? What are their hobbies? What do they need? What do they like to eat?

Containers The container or "basket" doesn't have to be expensive. Pick a theme (some are listed below) and find a container that goes with the theme that can hold some items or have items attached to it. You want the container and the items to go together and for everything to be usable and practical. (This is not to say that a few fun things can't be thrown in too.) Below are some of my ideas for containers but there certainly are many more possibilities.

Baskets - all shapes and sizes Bowls Flower pots Watering can Fishing creel Canvas bag Day pack

Waste basket Bucket - ice, plastic or garden Colander Plastic container Storage box Platter Tin

Basket Theme Ideas The items that go within the gift basket should be tied together by a common theme. The themes that follow are gift basket ideas that can be modified to fit your needs or to get you started on developing your own themed gift basket.

College Student Gift Basket Use a basket or usable container with: Pens and Pencils Printer paper and supplies Mouse pad Washcloth and hand towel Yummy healthy snacks Phone Card Gift certificate for a CD Nail Clippers Book light Kids Coloring Gift Basket Use a rubber/plastic storage box with: Assorted papers, coloring books Crayons or colored pencils Nontoxic markers Assorted stickers Paint box and brushes Safe scissors Crafters Gift Basket Use a rubber storage container with: Glue gun and glue sticks Acrylic paints Assorted brushes Craft knife Craft supplies Craft patterns or how-to books Craft papers Scissors Pasta Lover Gift Basket Use a colander or bowl with: Package of gourmet pasta Tongs or pasta grabber Package of sun-dried tomatoes Extra-virgin olive oil Fancy olives Spices: oregano, basil, garlic powder Your favorite pasta recipes hand-printed on recipe cards Pasta cookbook Jar of gourmet sauce Skier or Snowboarder's Gift Basket Use a small pack or canvas bag with: Gloves, mittens and/or warm hat Hot packs Sunscreen Lip balm Moisturizer Pass to the local ski hill Hot chocolate Ski, snowboard or sled waxes Wine Lover's Basket Use a wine cooling bucket with: Wine Glasses Cheese and Crackers Cork screw Bottle of wine

Bath Gift Basket Use a nice basket with: Gel eye-pack Epsom salts or bubble bath Aroma therapy oils Scented candles and holders Pumice stone Washcloths, scrubber or loofah sponge Back cleaning brush Relaxing music on CD or cassette Rubber ducky Photographer's Gift Basket Use a basket or a camera bag with: Film Coupons for picture developing Camera Filters Lens cleaner Lens cloth Photo print paper Picture frame and matte Picture Album Letter Writer's Gift Basket Use a square basket or plastic box with: Note paper or cards Envelopes (choose a variety of sizes) Letter opener Pen or pencil Personalized seal Sealing wax Return address labels Rubber stamps to decorate envelopes Stamps Guitar Player's Gift Basket: Use a basket or gig bag with: Assorted guitar picks Tuning pipe or electronic tuner Sheet music CDs or cassettes of great guitar players Guitar strings Capo Polishing rag Guitar polish Chord or lesson books Grandparent Gift Basket Use a basket or reusable container with: Scrapbook Children's artwork Gifts made by the kids Framed family pictures Videos of the family Long-distance calling card Candy, coffee, or tea Handmade Christmas ornaments Polar fleece lap blanket

Gardener's Gift Basket Use a clay plant pot, bucket or watering can with: Gardening gloves Hand tools Vegetable, flower seeds Liquid fertilizer Kneeling pad Gardening book Subscription for a gardening magazine Plant markers Heavy Duty Hand Lotion Cat Lover Gift Basket Use a cat bowl or pet bed with: Catnip Mouse or other cat toy Hair ball paste Cat treats Cat Brush Scratching post Gourmet cat food Dog Lover Gift Basket Use a dog bowl or pet bed with: Rawhide bone Dog biscuits Squeaky toy Dog shampoo Brush Collar and/or leash Dogs come in all sizes so make sure you are buying for the right size dog. Also if it is for a puppy, chewy stuff is the best. New Home Owner's Gift Basket: Use a tool box or tool tray with: Screw drivers - Slot and Phillips Wrench, Pliers or Vice Grip Pliers Hammer Assorted nails, tacks, screws, washers Gift certificate for the local hardware store Do-it-yourself Home Repair book super glue light switch covers light bulbs duct tape paint brushes knobs and handles Holiday Entertainment Basket Use a nice holiday basket with: Holiday Napkins Holiday Plates Holiday Cups Whole Mixed Nuts Nutcracker Cookies or baked goods Holiday floral picks or ornaments for decorating Cheese ball or Sausage stick and crackers

Fillers for Your Baskets Once you have obtained your items here are some fillers to put around them: Piece of fabric Shredded paper, newspaper or colored paper Straw Easter basket grass Tissue paper or newspaper comics Raffia Colored towels or cloth napkins Cedar shavings

Extra Items To Consider For Christmas Baskets add: Candy canes Candles - scented or unscented, votive, tea lights or tapers Pine cones Cinnamon sticks tied with red ribbon Greenery - spruce, pine, cedar, holly Christmas ornaments For any occasion add: Potpourri Hot cider, special tea bags, special coffee or cocoa mixes Mandarin oranges, tangerines, oranges or apples Unshelled nuts or packets of roasted nuts Wrapped candy or baked goods Small toys or puzzles Sample hand creams Lip gloss or Chap-stick

Finishing Your Basket If you buy colored cellophane you can cover the entire container with it disguising what is inside. Tie a ribbon around the whole thing or paste a ribbon on top. Have fun! Author Susan Sanders-Kinzel is the founder of ThriftyFun.com Visit for thousands of thrifty tips, articles and helpful hints. Click here to subscribe to ThriftyFun's free newsletters.