Themes for Inexpensive Christmas Gift Baskets

How to Make Affordable Baskets for Holiday Gifts or Seasonal Gifts

Oct 20, 2009 Kara Gleghorn

Need an affordable Christmas present or holiday gift idea? These inexpensive holiday gift basket themes provide a few suggestions for unique festive gifts.

Inexpensive holiday and Christmas gift baskets can be made for unique and budget friendly presents. Gift assortments found in stores and online sites are often expensive and impersonal. These themes are just a few ideas for the many options for creating affordable gift baskets at home. Also included are additional items that can be added if a more expensive basket is desired.

Movie Night at Home Holiday Gift Basket

This basket is great for a couple or family that enjoy cozy nights at home watching movies.

  • Start with a very large bowl as the "basket". The idea is that this bowl will be saved to be used for popped popcorn. A large plastic bowl will typically cost $2 to $5 at a discount retail store.
  • Add a box of microwave popcorn and several packages of movie theater style boxed candy.
  • Add a gift card for movie rentals or a new movie.
  • For a more expensive basket, add sodas, wine or beer.

Hot Beverage Themed Christmas Gift Baskets

This theme can mix together a variety of hot beverages, or just focus on either coffee, tea or hot cocoa.

  • Start with a basket. Add two ceramic mugs. Mugs can be holiday themed or just a traditional style. Inexpensive mugs can even be purchased at dollar stores.
  • For a coffee or hot chocolate themed basket: Add small bags of flavored ground coffee or a variety of hot cocoa packets. Then include several small bottles of flavored beverage syrup, such as Torani. Both can be purchased at most grocery stores. For a more expensive basket, add flavored liquor, such as amaretto or Baileys Irish Cream.
  • For a hot tea basket: Inexpensive, bagged teas can be found in any grocery store. Include a variety of boxes of traditional, herbal and flavored teas. Another slightly more expensive option is to include a variety of ground tea tins, usually purchased at a specialty food store. Also include a tea infuser ball for this option. Finally, for a more expensive basket, a tea pot can be added. Tea pots can be found at discount retail stores for $10 or more.

Dinner for Two or Dinner for the Family Holiday Gift Basket

This option can be done in a variety of ways, depending on budget and preferences of the recipient. This example is for an Italian themed dinner.

  • Start with a large stock pot as the "basket". These can run as high as $100 or more, however inexpensive, quality stock pots can be found at Walmart and other discount stores for a low as $10 to $20.
  • For the appetizer: Include a jar of olives, a pepperoni roll and crackers.
  • For the entree: Add a fun shaped pasta and a jar of pasta sauce.
  • For dessert: Include a package of biscotti. This Italian cookie can generally be found in the packaged cookie isle at most grocery stores.
  • For a more expensive basket, include a bottle of Italian wine.

Arranging a creative, inexpensive holiday or Christmas gift basket is an alternative to buying a more pricey ready made basket. Some suggestions include a movie theater themed basket, a hot beverage basket or a dinner for two or dinner for the family gift basket.

For more gift basket how-to, check out: Making Inexpensive Holiday Gift Baskets

The copyright of the article Themes for Inexpensive Christmas Gift Baskets in Personal Budgeting/Finance is owned by Kara Gleghorn. Permission to republish Themes for Inexpensive Christmas Gift Baskets in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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