Beckies Spot

Keeping with the theme of easy gifts, I wanted to share another idea…..these are more expense, but creative without being over the top expensive.

A few years ago, I created a little online business called “Beckie’s Baskets.”  And you know, it was a lot of fun and I had a lot of business.  It all started because one of my friends was over at my house the Christmas before and was keeping me company while I was wrapping my gifts for people.  Most of them were gift baskets for people.  He commented on how I had a talent for making them and that I should do them professionally…thus the business was born.

Gift baskets are amazing gifts for people.  You can create almost any kind of basket that you can think of.  Specifically, I will give you some ideas.

For the movie lover- Purchase a basket- usually wicker ones (like at walmart) are great.  They hold just enough and they can be used later on.  I suggest buying your items before the basket- this will ensure that you have enough room- but not too much.  Buy some microwave popcorn, some hot chocolate (or a couple of bottles of soda in teh 20 oz size), a blanket (you can find very comfy micro plush balnekts at walmart or big lots  for about $7-$10) and a movie that you know your recipient with just love.  If you don’t have a clue, buy a classic like Miracle on 34th Street, The Christmas Story or the much loved Rudolph and Frosty classics.  Walmart and Big Lots both have great deals on movies, it doesn’t have to be a brand new release.  If you’d rather not go that far- you can buy a popcorn bucket (they have these in the kitchen areas of most stores) and get a couple of the ‘movie size’ candies at the dollar store, add movie tickets or a gift card for a movie store(like blockbuster or hollywood).  You can finish it up by placing your basket, bucket, whatever- into a large clear gift bag- these are usually in the gift wrap section of any store.  Be sure your basket will fit the bag- there are different sizes.

For the candle lover- Again- get a basket.  If all you are going to have in this package are candles, then you can actually pick a shaped, flat basket with low sides.  Just be sure it is big enough.  Now Walmart sells candle packages with 2 smaller candles and 2 large cnadles- all in glass- in one package for $10.  Pick your scent and then take the candles out of the box that they come in and arrange them.  If you want to go a step further, you can add a candle snuffer to the deal.  If you prefer a variety of scents or colors, you can do that reasonably inexpensive as well.  Going back to the dollar store, they have a lot of individual candles that you can take out of the wrapping- so no one ever has to know where they came from.  Wrap them in a clear cellophane wrap and tie them with a ribbon to help preserve their scents.  You can put them in the basket, and go from there.  The dollar store also has a variety of baskets to choose from, though they tend to be smaller than what you will find in the bigger retail stores.

For the coffee lover- This is a lot of fun- you can have a lot of variety here.  Get a basket….or a tray.  I love the idea of a tray for this one, bcause it really goes with the theme.  If you are buying this for a coffee lover, they most likely already have a coffee pot, so you don’t have to really go that route.  What you can do is get a pound of specialty coffee, and leave it right in the bag.  This will be the center piece of your tray.  Get a couple of coffee mugs- from the dollar store, or you can spend what you want and get them wherever you want.  Put them on either side of the bag of coffee, and put stir sticks, cinnamon sticks or chocolate sticks in the cups- or all three(just make sure that if you are taking coffee sticks or cinnamon stick our of a box, you wrap them in some way so that you aren’t giving stale treats).  If you don’t want to put these in the cups, leave them out and lay them on the tray- in or out of the box, and then fill the mugs with individual servings of flavored coffee creamer.  If you put the sticks in the cups, then you can find a sugar/creamer set and put the creamers in them.  See where I am going?  You can do this anyway you want…get creative.

I’ll give you more ideas tomorrow- I promise!