| Gift baskets will always be popular and a | | | | Or chocolate covered raisins, chocolate |
| great idea to give as a gift. People love to | | | | covered strawberries, Hershey chocolates, |
| receive gift baskets. Making your own | | | | dark chocolates, white chocolates, chocolate |
| chocolate lover's gift basket is cheap and | | | | bars, chocolate covered cherries, Belgian |
| easy. | | | | chocolates, chocolate mints, and chocolate |
| | | | covered pretzels. |
| You can fill it with a variety of inexpensive | | | | |
| items and there are lots of choices.ou can | | | | How about miniature or giant-size chocolate |
| easily customize each chocolate theme gift | | | | animals, gourmet chocolate candies, Tootsie |
| basket to your recipient. | | | | Rolls, nuts, homemade chocolate-based |
| | | | cookies, pre-packaged chocolate food items, |
| I've put together a few great ideas for | | | | brownie mixes,and chocolate chip cookie |
| making a chocolate lover's gift basket, | | | | mixes. |
| complete with instructions on how to make | | | | |
| them. You can make inexpensive gift baskets | | | | And wooden spoons, your best chocolate chip |
| or expensive gift baskets depending on your | | | | cookie recipe, your favorite hand-written |
| budget. | | | | chocolate recipes, chocolate dessert recipes, |
| | | | chocolate fudge recipes, hot chocolate or |
| First make a list of your recipient's hobbies | | | | cocoa mixes in fancy packets, coffee mug for |
| and interests. List everything you can think | | | | cocoa, movie tickets and cinnamon sticks. |
| of. | | | | |
| | | | You can use as many chocolate items as you |
| Suggestions: sports, books, television shows, | | | | like. You can make your basket with all |
| in-house hobbies, outdoor recreation, | | | | chocolate items or mix in a few non-chocolate |
| camping, workshop, enjoy working with tools, | | | | items. |
| golf, fishing, computer-related, environment | | | | |
| friendly, golf, and tennis. | | | | For gift basket wrapping you can use tulle |
| | | | netting or I like to use cellophane wrap. You |
| Also relaxation, food, wine, spa, bath and | | | | can buy it in large rolls. Look for specialty |
| body, fruit, cookie, crafts, gardening, etc. | | | | packaging outlets where you can buy it |
| You can tie in any interests into your | | | | wholesale. |
| chocolate theme. These are just a few ideas. | | | | |
| | | | Tie off the wrapped basket with ribbon. Wired |
| You can find many inexpensive items for use | | | | fabric ribbon is best if you have it. For |
| in making your gift baskets or filling your | | | | bows: You can use pre-packaged bows but |
| gift baskets, at 'dollar' stores, craft | | | | making your own bows is easy and the best if |
| stores, party stores, discount outlets, flea | | | | you can do it. Use a large or huge bow. |
| markets, close-out stores, etc. | | | | |
| | | | Assemble all your gift basket items, tools |
| For gift containers you can use: any type of | | | | you need, etc. Now line your selected gift |
| basket, wicker basket, straw basket, bucket, | | | | container. Now stuff the selected filler into |
| laundry basket, plastic container, toy dump | | | | the gift basket to give added height to your |
| truck or other large toy truck, purse, tin, | | | | items. Place, layer and arrange your selected |
| Christmas tin, seasonal container, large tea | | | | items on the filler in the gift container. |
| pot, large upside-down hat, or plastic | | | | Put the larger items in the back, the smaller |
| storage container-put lid underneath. | | | | items in front. |
| | | | |
| Other items might be: extra-large coffee mug, | | | | Fill in the holes or prop up with more filler |
| boot, potted plant holder, wire basket, large | | | | (shredded paper, Easter basket grass, wrapped |
| pasta bowl, large popcorn bowl, cooking pot, | | | | chocolates, napkins or holiday napkins etc. |
| clay pot, tackle box, colander, small wagon, | | | | Also you can use 'picks' of artificial |
| skillet, antique trunk, champagne bucket, | | | | flowers to fill in space. |
| hamper, Asian-style trunk or picnic basket. | | | | |
| | | | Place your cellophane or other wrap under the |
| For gift basket liner you can use: tissue | | | | gift basket. Center the gift basket on the |
| paper, shredded paper, shredded newspaper, | | | | wrap. Bring the cellophane or other wrap over |
| tea towels, dish towels, hand towels, kitchen | | | | the top of the gift basket and tie it with |
| towels, colored towels, colored napkins, | | | | ribbon and or a beautiful bow! Use ribbon and |
| placemats, diapers, baby blankets or fabric | | | | bows to match your theme colors. Tuck a card |
| pieces. | | | | in the ribbon and that's it! |
| | | | |
| For gift basket filler you can use: shredded | | | | You can find fabric or wired ribbon cheaply |
| colored paper, straw, Easter basket grass, | | | | at Costco-- especially in the fall prior to |
| crumpled newspaper comics, a bed of wrapped | | | | Christmas but often throughout the year in |
| chocolates or other wrapped candy. | | | | some stores. You can shred paper in a paper |
| | | | shredder. If you're going to need a lot of |
| For items in the container it'll depend on | | | | cellophane you can purchase it wholesale |
| the specialty or theme of the gift basket - | | | | through the packaging specialty stores |
| in this case Chocolate! With chocolate it's | | | | throughout the U.S. but should be easily |
| best not to include any fragrant items, | | | | found in craft stores. |
| unless they are wrapped in such a way that | | | | |
| they don't give off any fragrance. Here's a | | | | General tips: Try to use non-perishable |
| small random sampling to give you some good | | | | items. Use freshly packaged food items, |
| ideas: | | | | because even packaged crackers and cookies |
| | | | can go stale in a couple of months. You can |
| Gift certificate for massage or spa visit, | | | | find filler flower 'picks' at garage sales |
| gift certificate to favorite store, gift | | | | for pennies. If you buy wholesale they are |
| certificate for restaurant, loofah, CD of | | | | usually around a dollar each. |
| nature sounds, favorite artist CD, DVD of | | | | |
| newer release movie, how-to video or CD, | | | | Also there's nothing like learning how to |
| handwritten poem, watch, framed photo, | | | | make gift baskets from a video or DVD for |
| inspirational book, spa pillows, bath | | | | making cheap and easy gift baskets. You can |
| pillows, spa supplies, or a small fluffy | | | | view it over and over again and share with |
| towel. | | | | your children, other family members and |
| | | | friends. |
| Also flavored teas, green tea, specialty tea, | | | | |
| herbal tea, biscotti, tea infuser, healthy | | | | You can even charge for classes with your |
| snacks, fancy chocolates, boxed chocolates, | | | | new-found knowledge and/or start a home based |
| chocolate bars, hot chocolate mix, specialty | | | | business if you so desire. In any event, |
| coffee mix, homemade chocolate chip cookies, | | | | making a chocolate lover's gift basket is |
| homemade brownies, chocolate fudge, and | | | | cheap and easy and will be thoroughly |
| Ghirardelli chocolates. | | | | appreciated by the chocolate lover recipient. |
| | | | |