A tisket, a tasket: what to put in that gift basket?

[MrsPinecone]

Alcohol themed 'basket':

Use an ice bucket to hold it all. Fill with:
2 glasses of the type to make whatever drink you like- champagne, margarita, martini
mini cutting board
small knife
swizzle sticks
margarita salt
jigger
wine opener
****tail shaker
bar recipe book
etc.

Movie basket:

Large bowl to hold
popcorn
salt
candy bars
canned soda
Blockbuster gift card
Fleece blanket

Coffee basket:

Line with dish towel
Coffee filters
Mug(s)
Bag of gourmet coffee
Chocolate spoons
Chocolate covered coffee beans
Flavored creamer
General Foods Intl coffee

Bread Makers:

Large wooden or plastic bowl
Dish towel
Yeast
Flour-- maybe whole wheat or rye for variety
Dried fruit
Rolling pin
Bread cookbook

For a housewarming or wedding-- uses lots of stockpile items!:

Laundry basket -- I use the .98 Sterilite ones from WM
All purpose cleaner
Windex
Dish and/or dishwasher detergent
Laundry detergent -- usually put in a 'free & clear' variety to avoid allergies
Fabric softener liquid or sheets
Scrubbing Bubbles bathroom cleaner
Wipes of various kinds
Hand soap
Cheap washcloths for cleaning
Sponges/scrubbers
Mr. Clean magic eraser
Roll or two of paper towels -- these take up space nicely!

Baking basket:
Hand mixer
Large bowl-- I used stainless steel
Cooling rack
Pyrex measuring cup
Rubber spatula
Baby rolling pin
Variety of Betty Crocker cookie and muffin mixes-- put in about 6 of them

[2dles]

Whenever a friend gets married in my core group of friends we put together a basket for them for their wedding night. I usually get a wicker laundry basket from Michael's when they are around $2 or less. We add all kinds of things.

Bottle of Champagne and glasses
Couple different 2 liters of pop
Pretzels
Chips
Candy Bars
Mints
Gum
Pop Tarts
Pudding
Microwave Popcorn
and whatever else we know the happy couple likes to munch on.

I know it was great for us when we got up to our Bridal Suite after the wedding and wanted something to eat because we were starving. It was a nice touch to just let the newlyweds know we were thinking about them and wishing them all the best.

[cutenirish]

good ideas :) I might start making these for bday's and xmas :)

[Kristen.C]

One of the most useful things I ever received was for my highschool graduation.

It was a rubbermaid storage container filled with notebooks, pens, pencils, paperclips, paperclip dispenser, staples, stapler, tape dispenser, tape refills, thumbtacks, a ruler, post it notes, etc...

EVERYTHING one could ever think of needing when being away from home at school for the first time.

When I moved away for the first time the same people gave me a small toiletry bag with mini shampoo bottles, soap, body wash, qtips, a sewing kit, baby wipes, hand sanitizer, deodorant, mini shaving cream, small toothpaste, dental floss, travel toothbrush, small bottles of tylenol, mini first aid kit, etc. It was also stuffed and I still use it to this day whenever I travel away from home. It made a great moving gift!

[MissChele]

Looking for ideas for baskets for "tween" girls that come to our church. Most of them are left to fend for themselves - they are fed and housed by parents - but things like hygiene, nutrition, etc and definitely not being taught. (One of the mothers wants to put her kids on a bus Sunday mornings to go to another church so they will be gone an extra 90 minutes on Sundays) The teacher knows I stockpile a bit now and asked me to put baskets together in the next couple of months. I have shampoo (Thanks CVS) but I wanted some other ideas and maybe some deal leads. My ideas are - bodywash, deodorant, nail implements, comb, brush, dental items, facial care, lotion...
Any other ideas?


MissChele

[MrsPinecone]

Granola bars
Fruit cups

[BzyBee]

How about some of the cute items in the Target $ spot? Certainly when it goes 75% it would be easy to stock up...or school supplies...it is the right time of year to get that stuff as well? If the parents are somewhat hands-off regarding parenting...you might be able to find some inspirational stories of people who came from similar situations...often times giving hope of a promising future is the best thing...but the hardest too.
It is kind of you to look after the girls in this way.

[MaineSuse]

Hair Notions (barettes, scrunchies, tiny clips), lightly tinted lip balm, clear or very pale nail polish.

[Jusk]

Skin care wipes (ponds, clearasil etc)........purell sample size, small cosmetic bags, small wallets or change purses, stickers with positve "girl power" messages, deoderant, deoderant, deoderant!!! (tweens start really smelling and if they arent being looked after too much at home, someone may not tell them!)
Find someone that sells avon and ask for free samples of different products.
Mini pads???? ( some girls don't even know how to ask their parents for their first supply).......

Along those same lines...you could start a "closet" at church and ask members to donate NEW items such as bras, underwear, pajamas, socks....for girls to choose from on an as needed basis........I currently have 2 bras that someone gave me for my DD13 that were found on a clearance rack for next to nothing and they are too small for her.....I would be glad to ROAK them to you and could send them cheap in a padded envie.......PM your info if you want them.

[YouPdWhat]

TEEN AGED GIRLS

Small to medium sized basket, line with pink tissue paper or raffia grass. Add a sampler pack of flavored lip gloss, powders, lotions, makeup kit, a light sporty fragrance, bracelets, rings, watches, earrings, and necklaces. Arrange artistically & Wrap in colored cellophane & tie with a bow.


TEEN AGED BOYS

Place a couple of their favorite cd's in a basket along with a pocket comb, cologne, & skin care products designed for males.


SMALLER CHILDREN

Use a medium sized basket, use a thin soft blanket as a liner. Arrange dolls, stuffed animals, cars, or whatever toys the child might enjoy.


OLDER CHILDREN

Kids are love cartoon pencils, erasers, stickers & trading cards. Add small games (like a Game Boy along with accessories) & a book they've been wanting.



INFANTS AND BABIES

Use a soft receiving blanket as the filler, add in socks, onesies, teething rings, rattlers, small plush toy, baby brush sets, clippers, bottles, & pacifiers, Or make a basket only filled with baby skin products & diapers.


WINE LOVERS

Buy a couple bottles of wine add cheese, crackers, a cork screw, a pretty bottle top cork, & a couple of wine glasses.


BBQ FANS

Make up a batch of your famous BBQ sauce & put it in a pretty jar. Add bags of chips, beer &/or cokes, homemade potato salad, big soft cookies wrapped in colored cellophane. Line the basket with red gingham cloth napkins, add a package of rolls & a can of baked beans.



TEA OR COFFEE LOVERS

Place gourmet tea or coffee in a basket along with cookies, tea cups or coffee mugs, pretty cloth napkins, a ceramic tea or coffee pot, add sugar cubes & flavored creamers. If the person you are giving the gift to likes music or reading throw in a cd or a good book.


FRUIT AND BREAD BASKETS

Buy an assortment of various fruits & create a basket filled with fruits & nuts. Add homemade breads, rolls, cookies, candies, or other goodies.


SWEETHEARTS

A romantic gift idea would be sexy lingerie, massage oils, flowers, scented bubble bath, a soft jazzy cd, candles, a bottle of champagne & two wine glasses.


ARTISTS

Fill basket filled with art supplies including paint brushes, different types of paints, markers, pencils, & a sketch book.