| Often when I need to purchase a gift I will give a | | | | started with a large pail and shovel and then we |
| home made gift basket. They are fun to shop | | | | added in toys, trucks, cars and stuffed animals. |
| for, fun to put together and are always | | | | Of course adults love baskets too. For weddings |
| appreciated by the recipient. | | | | and wedding showers an empty dish drainer |
| When my kids were young and my friends were | | | | makes a wonderful "basket" to load the other |
| all having their first babies, I created baby gift | | | | gifts into. Again, I'd try to get lots of items a first |
| baskets. I started with an empty infant bath tub. I | | | | time home owner would need: |
| filled it with all kinds of things a first time mother | | | | - hand held can opener |
| might need: | | | | - vegetable peeler |
| - baby shampoo | | | | - spatula |
| - baby wash | | | | - poultry scissors |
| - towels | | | | - pot holders |
| - washcloths | | | | - rolling pin |
| - blankets | | | | - meat thermometer |
| - nail clippers | | | | - strainer |
| - comb/brush set | | | | - egg slicer |
| - bath toys | | | | - potato masher |
| - pacifiers | | | | Of course all of these suggestions are just |
| - baby spoon | | | | thought starters. Once in the store, the ideas of |
| - books | | | | what you can add are just endless. |
| - mobiles | | | | Here are a few more ideas of themed baskets |
| - thermometer | | | | you can make: |
| As my kids got older and we were giving birthday | | | | - wine and cheese baskets (use a large ice bucket |
| gifts to kids I again opted to make my own gift | | | | as a base) |
| baskets. For young girls we often gave either an | | | | - bathroom product baskets (use a bathroom |
| arts and craft basket, or a makeup basket. | | | | garbage can as your base) |
| We'd often start with a plastic storage tub. We'd | | | | - going off to college baskets (use a storage |
| get a large set of pens, or markers or even | | | | crate as your base) |
| chalk. We'd buy a huge tablet of paper, either | | | | - chocolate baskets (use a melting pot as your |
| drawing paper or construction paper. We'd add | | | | base) |
| rubber stamps, hole punches, glue, lanyard string, | | | | - coffee and/or tea baskets (use coffee mugs as |
| and for older kids, we'd add idea books. | | | | your base) |
| Our makeup baskets were fun to put together. | | | | - gardening basket (use a pail as your base) |
| We often started with a pedicure tub that all the | | | | - tool basket (fill an empty tool chest with lots of |
| items could be stored in. Depending on the age of | | | | tools) |
| the child, we'd buy lip gloss, eye shadow, blush, | | | | Often times I've asked other guests to contribute |
| eye lash curlers and sometimes a hair straightener | | | | to the basket, making a very nice gift for the |
| or hair crimper. | | | | recipient and giving us the opportunity to include all |
| For boys, we loved to buy empty collector card | | | | the items we want to give. |
| albums and then buy many sets of beginner cards | | | | Baskets can be large or small, from one person |
| from various sports. If we knew the child loved a | | | | or from a group of people. You can use either |
| certain t.v. show, we'd try to get cards from that | | | | cellophane or wrapping paper to finish off the |
| t.v. show as well. | | | | basket. Use your imagination and create baskets |
| A young child's summer birthday almost always | | | | you know the recipient will enjoy! |