I was asked today if I planned to make Christmas gift baskets. I certainly am though I posted I had not yet decided on any themes. After giving this some thought, I have decided on sweet treats this year.

• Chocolates
• Candy canes
• Cocoa mix
• Fruit cake
• Cookie mixes in jars
• Cookie cutters for added fun in baking the mixes
• A tin of ready made cookies
• Ornaments
• Christmas knick knacks

I will be looking for the baskets, ornaments and cookie cutters at The Dollar Tree and thrift stores. I will be making the cocoa and cooking mixes from ingredients I have and using jars I have. The candy can be bought on sales and split among the baskets.

I will need to make four regular sweet treat baskets and three special ones for mailing. I am setting a budget of $50 for all items and shipping.

My Father is diabetic so I will be making a different basket for my parents. I am undecided between an Italian food themed one and a soup one.

Is anyone else planning baskets for Christmas gifts this year?

sounds like a great idea.  shipping here would not be that cheap or making the baskets.   I have made family movie baskets before but since now my inlaws and mom etc dont' eat much sweets and don't want knickknacks I stick to special nuts as a treat.   Both have special treats they make each xmas.

MarthaMFI:

shipping here would not be that cheap or making the baskets

This is just what I expect based on prices over the last couple of years and things I have already seen:

I will be buying the baskets from either The Dollar Tree for $1 each or from thrift stores. I already have a couple so I don't need to buy all of them.

I am not buying expensive chocolate. Large bags of assorted Halloween candy is $5 here so I assume Christmas ones will be similar in price again this year. I will be opening bags to divide candies among the baskets. I will also be making some of the chocolates.

I will be looking for ornaments and knick knacks in dollar stores and thrift stores. I will be looking for items at $1 but expect to also find some at .50.

I expect to pay $1 each for the cookie cutters but hoping to find better deals.

The mixes will be made from ingredients I already have.

Fruit cake is $1 a piece at the dollar stores.

I am expecting about $3 each for cookie tins but will look around for sales.

Brandy:

I am undecided between an Italian food themed one and a soup one.

I have also thought of a coffee and tea basket for my parents.

 Coffee and tea and sugarfree cocoa sounds warm and cozy for Christmas.  How cold does it get there at Christmas?  

How about Christmas mugs, sugarfree cookies?

Sounds like a good deal Brandy.  Here fruit cake is min $3-4 and shipping is so expensive.

I do several boxes I do everything from nail care to Chocolate lover ..

I do large baskest for a family and something as simpe as large mug with a soup mix to an exlarge set of baskets .. with chocolate to a cheese       basket   

latenightleader:

How cold does it get there at Christmas?

It depends on if cold fronts come through or not. We have been in sweaters for some and in shorts for others.

I had not thought about the sugar free treats. He has been hesitant to sample because those specialty things cost so much. But that would make a great gift and the budget for their basket is seperate from the others and higher due to needing different items for Dad in it.

MarthaMFI:

Here fruit cake is min $3-4

Do the dollar stores in your area not carry them?

Brandy you might want to try your local thrift stores for holiday tins.  Last year I started going to the Goodwill in our town every other week just to look in the Christmas section.  I was able to pick up lots of really nice tins to use for shipping cookies for around $1-$2 each. But it was normally one or two a trip as they came in as donations.  This won't help you this year, but last December I six large holiday tins at Target the day after Christmas when I went for gift wrap.  With the clearance pricing I paid $1.50 each.  They were a great find and I think I only lucked out because I got there reeeaaalllly early.