When we say gift basket, you might be thinking of those impersonal, cellophane-wrapped, ribbon-adorned baskets that show up each December. But I’m here to tell you gift baskets can be fresh, thoughtful, affordable at any budget, and earth-friendly! Bonus: you can build a variety of beautiful baskets from items we carry at the Co-op. Double Bonus: gift baskets can be dropped off on the recipient’s porch for contactless gift giving!
step 1: pick a theme
Your theme can be almost anything! It may be really specific to the person you’re buying for – for example, your best friend loves coffee, sriracha, and nail polish so you build a basket around those items because you know they’ll love them. Your theme can also be more traditional – movie night, spa day, international foods, etc. Check out more of our suggestions below!
step 2: choose the “basket”
Your basket does not have to be a basket! Get creative with your gifting vessel. A reusable bag, planter, large mug, or elegant serving bowl can be your “basket”.
step 3: fill the bottom of your basket
This is the secret to a beautiful, full looking basket. You can fill the bottom with filler (newspaper, empty cardboard boxes, etc.) or you can fill it with more gifts (blanket, socks, bags of coffee, etc.).
step 4: build your basket
Now that you have an elevated stage for the rest of your gifts, fill the basket so everything is visible and facing the same direction. Taller items should go in the back and anything empty (think glass jars or mugs) can be filled with more gifts. You can use more filler (recyclable shredded paper, socks, fruit, booze) if you need some support.
step 5: gift your basket!
That’s right, we recommend skipping the cellophane and large bow. Let your gifts do the talking, plus you’re diverting waste away from our landfills!
Here are some of our ideas for baskets your can gift this season
Zero Waste Gift Basket
- We chose one of our reusable bags as the “basket” for this gift!
- The “filler” for this basket is another gift: an insulated lunch bag that keeps the other gifts upright and elevated.
- We filled this earth friendly tote with Stasher bags, a bamboo utensil set, waxed food wraps, plastic-free locally made soap, and a reusable Klean Kanteen (Psst: Klean Kanteens are on sale until 12/15/20).
Mini Gift Basket
Not all gift basket have to be big and expensive! Nothing says “warm & cozy” like a big mug, warm socks, hot cocoa mix, and a chocolate bar.
Local Gourmand Gift Basket
This one is a little more traditional. We started with a basket and filled it with classic gift basket goodies like food and wine. However, our theme is Local Gourmand, so everything inside this basket come from local farms, roasteries, wineries, and more!