How to Create a Unique and Beautiful Gift Basket?

Over the past twenty years, I’ve created and assembled many beautiful gift baskets for friends, family, colleagues and non-profit organizations.   One of the key features and the highlight of the gift basket, is the basket itself or what I call the base theme.

When choosing a base theme for your gift basket, find one that is unique or one that stands out from the normal wicker basket, which is traditionally used. The base helps build the tone you are trying to capture for your audience or clients.

Choosing a unique base is not always easy to find and sometimes not cost effective, but if you can find a good base, the base will help create a conversation piece that will last for a long time. 

The hunt is always a treasure find.  So, stay within your budget. To minimize cost, you can find gently used bases at thrift and resale stores anytime, or at retail stores when sales hit below 50% to 75% off.  That is the time to buy in bulk to lower the cost of your gift basket assembly.

Also, what makes these unique bases so amazing is that they can also be used as storage options, food platters, serving trays, etc.  You get the point, right!

Now that you have your unique base, the conversation piece for your basket, it is time to buy your selection of gifts centered around your theme to make this basket unique and beautiful. 

Great, you have bought your gifts, let’s start assembling the basket.  What you will need:

1.       Base

2.       Shred

3.       Gifts

4.       Gift basket cellophane

5.       Tape

6.       Bow

7.       Ribbon

Depending on your base, sometimes it may be necessary to add paper inside the bottom of the base to raise the height of the gifts.  Once you have reached the desired height, add the shred to cover the paper. Sometimes more than one bag may be needed.

Now add your gift items inside your base.  Elevate some of the gift items to create volume, visual and support, making sure the gift items are close-fitting inside the base, so they don’t move or fall out when the basket has been completed.

Next, use the clear cellophane to wrap around the base with the gifts inside and tape tight from the bottom or top.  If you want a tighter fit gift basket, use shrink wrap cellophane with a blow dryer.  This helps keep the gift items in place longer and it makes the presentation of the basket look well put together, professionally done.

Congratulations!  You have assembled your gift basket.  Examine your gift basket for flaws, then top the gift basket with a bow or ribbon.  Remember, the more you do, the better you get at assembling your gift baskets.