Instead of buying one present for a loved one, surprise him or her with an entire basket filled with gift items. The good thing about gift hampers is that you can customize it for any occasion and to cater to all budgets.
If you are lost on what to gift a loved one or want to give multiple gifts, you can do well with a gift hamper filled with different goodies based on a particular theme. There are many online sources, which offer gift hampers of different types. But nothing can beat a gift hamper assembled at home. You can fill the hamper with all the TLC (Tender Loving Care) you can offer by choosing gifts that will be liked by the recipient.
Here are some steps to assemble your own gift hamper:
- Choose some theme for your gift hamper. Choosing a theme narrows down the list of potential gift items and makes shopping easy. It may be easy or difficult to choose a theme based on the nature and preferences of the recipient. The theme may be easy if there are obvious needs of a recipient- if she is a new mother or a student leaving home for college. For a birthday, one can choose themes based on the hobbies of the birthday girl or boy.
- Create a list of gift items that can go into your gift basket, especially when you have a theme. You can come up with new ideas while shopping, but it is always good to start with a list. Consider buying one or two expensive gifts, a few less expensive ones and some inexpensive novelty items. For instance, in case of a movie theme, main gift items could be DVD’s. Novelty items could be candy and popcorn. Try your hand at making some items yourself or enhancing some items with a personal touch. You can bake some cookies or cakes for a gourmet gift hamper.
- Buy a selection of items for the gift hamper. One may face the adding up the price of a number of individual items. So keep a tab on the budget while shopping. Enhance the looks and quality of a particular item by repackaging them. For example, a lotion in a 99 cent plastic bottle will look like a grand gift when you package it in a glass bottle and tie a ribbon on top.
- Next step is to select a container like a wicker basket for the gift hamper. Gather together all the items of your hamper to judge how big a container you will need. You can find plastic or wicker baskets of different shapes and sizes in craft stores. Or else, go for the unusual and pick a container that will also serve as a gift such as a pie dish, vase or baking tray. A wok or a chopping board can do well for a food themed hamper.
- Arrange your hamper properly. Line the container with tissue paper and fill with shredded paper or cloth. Now, arrange the items carefully. The delicate items can be cushioned by adding scrunched up paper. You can wrap each item or/ and cover the whole hamper with cellophane or gift paper. Finish with ribbons and bows.
These are some ideas for assembling a gift hamper. After you finish creating them, get hampers delivered anywhere in the country, using a reliable courier.