5 Christmas Gift Baskets You Can Put Together For An Inexpensive (but thoughtful) Gift

I went to my local dollar store yesterday and found some great items to turn into Christmas presents.  This is a followup post to my “stay out of debt at Christmas” post.  If you haven’t visited your dollar store lately, now may be a good time to start.  I’ve found good deals on gift wrap, gift bags, bows, tape, and tissue paper.  There are products in nearly every category of gift giving, items for children, bed and bath, kitchen, and home decor items.  Not to mention tons of candy!

Here is a list of some items that you can put together to make a “themed gift basket”, which is a really good way to stretch your dollar. 

1.  Cookie plate theme basket.  I was able to find an adorable Christmas themed plate  and then several boxes of imported cookies and a box of chocolates.  I purchased a set of cookie wrap bags, which are the bags you put around the gift basket or plate and then secure at the top.  I used one wrap for this gift basket, and the rest for the other gift baskets/plates.  All of these items were found in the dollar store and cost $1 each.  

2.  Cookie Baking Theme Basket.  Following the same theme, purchase items for making the cookies.  Include Christmas cookie cutters, cookie mix, icing, and sprinkles.  Use either a plate or a basket to put all the items in and a cookie wrap bag to secure it all in.  You could also do the baking yourself and give the baked cookies as a gift too. 

2.  Candy Gift Basket.   The candy gift basket could go in either a stocking, on a plate or in a decorative candy jar.  Combine several different bags of candy.  I was able to find lots of peppermint ones.  If you are giving a stocking, use some of the glitter glue to write the recipients name on the stocking. 

3.  Kid’s art and crafts basket.  My children love to do arts and crafts.  I found tons of great crafting supplies at the dollar store.  Purchase a selection of crayons, markers, scissors, glue, and other craft supplies.  I usually put this type of gift in a gift bag instead of a basket, as that gives the child something to “carry around” and keep the supplies in. 

4.  Scrapbooking Basket.  My dollar store now carries an assortment of scrapbook supplies, which is really wonderful because these items can be expensive.  This is a great gift to give a teen, as many teens are really getting into scrapbooking as a hobby.  Combine several different scrapbook related items such as the paper, stickers, embellishments, and pens. 

5.  Holiday Decor gift basket.  I recently wrote that I make my own Christmas floral wreaths.  You could make a holiday silk arrangement or wreath or just combine all the supplies into a gift basket or bag.  I’ve found beautiful poinsettia stems and floral picks at my dollar store. 

If you can’t find or do not choose to use the cookie wrap bags, you could alternatively use a decorative gift bag.  Just tuck all the items in neatly and surround them with coordinating tissue paper. 

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