Inexpensive Christmas Gift Basket Ideas

• Fill a Christmas basket with thoughtful, yet inexpensive gifts. Photodisc/Photodisc/Getty Images

  A Christmas basket overflowing with brightly wrapped gifts sends a message that you took the time to consider each gift. The good news is you can make a Christmas basket within your price range. Put together a Christmas movie basket, for instance. Gather items to fit a movie theme. Decorate a basket with inexpensive items from a dollar or discount store. Add your imagination to the project with touches only you could have conceived.

Preparing the Basket

• Use pinecones as Christmas gift basket decorations. pinecones image by Brandt Boulden from Fotolia.com

  Baskets come in just about any color you can imagine. Fill a basket made with Christmas colors. Line the basket with shredded foil Christmas wrapping paper for a shiny glittering effect. Wrap artificial poinsettia leaves through the basket handles. The website, Homemade Gift Basket Ideas, suggests filling spaces around gifts with pine cones, small Christmas ornaments and cinnamon sticks with bows wrapped around them. Add a couple red and white candy canes for color contrast. Wrap the basket in multicolored cellophane. Draw the paper together at the top and tie it with a large red or green bow.

The Gifts

• Wrap Christmas basket gifts in bright paper. christmas gifts 4 image by Photoeyes from Fotolia.com

  For the movie buff, fill a Christmas basket to overflowing with affordable movie theme gifts. Use a large basket. Wrap each gift in different colored Christmas paper. Place a gift card to movie rental store or movie tickets in a Christmas card. Nestle the card in the basket lining. Add two wrapped bags of kettle corn in original and cinnamon flavors. Place in the basket two or three bars of dark chocolate with nuts and blueberries and cranberries. Include a can of mixed nuts and individual bottles of soda.

Personal Touches

• Include a baby picture of the recipient in a small photo album. cute babies serious image by Photoeyes from Fotolia.com

  When you put your energy into making a Christmas gift basket designed with a special person in mind, add a personal touch beyond your gift ideas. Make a small photo album with pictures you know he will appreciate. Fill a small photo booklet available at discount or drug stores. Include pictures of yourself, family and shared friends. Add a humorous picture of the recipient in childhood -- ask a relative for pictures.