topic Ideas for gift baskets in Community Chat

Ideas for gift baskets

Witchy Woman — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 15:49:08 GMT

A local animal rescue has requested help with gift baskets to be used for a silent auction at an upcoming charity event.

My head should be filled with ideas, but I've only come up with a Bath & Beauty basket to be filled with Perilier and Korres products (I have a huge stash of unopened items).

I'm doing another one centered around an Alice in Wonderland round purse I bought from HSN and never used. Not sure what else I'll put in there, but I was going to donate it anyway.

Any ideas welcome!

Thanks in advance!

Re: Ideas for gift baskets

queendiva — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 16:00:51 GMT

Back to school. sports & games. dogs, cats,, picnic, pizza & movie night, Italian meal, sweets,snacks, workout/ gym...

Re: Ideas for gift baskets

ECBG — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 15:59:43 GMT

A basket could also be centered around healthy snacks or a small basket of donated gift cards from stores.

Re: Ideas for gift baskets

Carmie — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 16:05:32 GMT

How about

a car wash basket filled with supplies to keep your car clean and tidy

a movie night basket filled with popcorn and treats...and perhaps a DVD or movie tickets

a wine basket with wine and glasses and cheese and crackers.

a chocolate lovers basket

a pets basket with treats for a dog or cat

baskets with gift certificates from local pizza shops and restaurants

Many business will donate items to help if you ask. It is not uncommon to get free gift certificates from pizza places.

I once won a basket with a voucher for a night at a B&B and dinner at an Italian resturant and tickets for an outdoor concert. All was donated.

Re: Ideas for gift baskets

Irish1210 — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 16:10:34 GMT

@Witchy Woman

Your generosity will be greatly appreciated ~ I'm sure it will be super helpful to the animal rescue : )

I have found that baskets with liquor and mixers have generated quite a bit of interest. I once found some very inexpensive but charming "coconut" beverage glasses with straws, added a 6-pack coca-cola, a bottle of rum, Bob Marley/Jimmy Buffet CD.....and some sun screen : )

Put together a movie themed basket with theater gift cards, along with a variety of candies, different popcorn brands....

Gas cards and restaurant gift cards are always sought after.

I once put together a reading basket with an E-reader and gift card to Barnes & Noble, cuddly throw blanket and some hot chocolate mixes (certainly this one was a bit more expensive than others, but it was to benefit a charity dear to my heart)

Thanks for doing this ~ you helping with this project WILL make a difference : )

Re: Ideas for gift baskets

mimomof4 — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 16:09:43 GMT

The company I work for often asks for donation of Gift Baskets for Silent Autions. Some that I have seen are:

Tea and Coffee Basket - coffees, teas, cups, coffee press
Wine Baskets including bottles of wine, cheese, crackers, glasses
Sports package including sport team memorabilia
Spa baskets including soaps, lotions and loofahs
Men's shaving kit with lotions, body soap and scrubs geared towards men

Since this one is for an animal shelter you may want to do one that includes something for animals such as a bed, blanket, toys, brush, nail clippers etc.

I've received a movie night basket which came in a big bowl with microwave popcorn, candy and tickets to a local movie theater.

Re: Ideas for gift baskets

Witchy Woman — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 16:21:45 GMT

@Carmie

We run a small B&B and I will likely do a one night stay along as part of the Bath and Body basket.

Re: Ideas for gift baskets

Witchy Woman — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 16:22:53 GMT

@Irish1210

I normally just donate money, but decided to get a little more creative this time.

Thanks for the great ideas!

Re: Ideas for gift baskets

Sooner — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 16:24:49 GMT

Breakfast basket? Coffee, tea, scone mix or pancake mix, flavorings for coffee drinks, tea towel, pretty cup, etc. Anything breakfast oriented.

Italian meal: Pasta, nice jarred sauce, pretty towels, spaghetti server spoon (don't know what you call those!), parm cheese, a fancy salt maybe, cheese grater, jar of olives, pack in a collander, put cing film on so you see the pretty things, and tie with some pretty ribbon on top.

Re: Ideas for gift baskets

Witchy Woman — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 16:27:38 GMT

So many good ideas from all of you!

I see a shopping trip in my future!

Re: Ideas for gift baskets

Irish1210 — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 16:30:36 GMT

How cool that you run a B&B............that is something I've always thought would be fascinating ~ I love to decorate, rearrange, hunt for antiques, etc.

However, I'm a stranger to the kitchen : )

I used to love the show "Newhart" where they ran the local inn ~

Again, thanks for being so giving to our four-legged friends : )

Re: Ideas for gift baskets

chrystaltree — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 16:33:09 GMT

With gift baskets, the sky is the limit. You just cannot go wrong. I would stay away from bath products because many people don't like scented products and honestly, those are done to death. I think a "snacks" basket would be fun. Some tea bags, coffee bags. Packs of cookies, cakes, candies. Any packaged sweet or candy. You could go to the dollar store and get some pretty cloth napkins and roll them and put a bow on them and put those in the basket. If it's a big basket, a couple of pretty tea cups or mugs would be nice. We raffle off gift baskets at our church at the Holiday Bazaar and I am always amazed at the themes that people come up with.

Re: Ideas for gift baskets

Shanus — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 16:35:28 GMT

@Witchy Woman wrote:
A local animal rescue has requested help with gift baskets to be used for a silent auction at an upcoming charity event.

My head should be filled with ideas, but I've only come up with a Bath & Beauty basket to be filled with Perilier and Korres products (I have a huge stash of unopened items).

I'm doing another one centered around an Alice in Wonderland round purse I bought from HSN and never used. Not sure what else I'll put in there, but I was going to donate it anyway.

Any ideas welcome!

Thanks in advance!

@Witchy Woman I go along w/ the idea of theme baskets. I’ve done one w/ gourmet corn chips & homemade salsa, margarita mix, 2 margarita glasses, a few fresh limes for color. I put it a colorful basket, wrapped w/ plastic wrap & tied w/ festive ribbon.

Re: Ideas for gift baskets

Witchy Woman — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 16:39:46 GMT

@chrystaltree

That's a good point about the scents of products.

I agree with you.

There's lots of other ideas here!

Re: Ideas for gift baskets

Witchy Woman — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 16:44:51 GMT

@Irish1210

Ours is unique in that it is a free standing "cottage."

I provide all the fixings for a continental style breakfast, but do not cook as their is a full kitchen in the house.

We found that, for many people, privacy is paramount to "free food."

When we traveled and stayed at B&Bs, my husband was never much on sitting and having coffee and breakfast with strangers at a given hour.

So, when we started our B&B, we decided to do things differently.

It has worked out just fine and less work for me!

Re: Ideas for gift baskets

lolakimono — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 16:46:35 GMT

@Witchy Woman

Since this is for animal lovers, how about something like this?

(I saw these on Target's site)

and some seed, or a hummingbird feeder and supplies.

Re: Ideas for gift baskets

lolakimono — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 16:49:59 GMT

@Witchy Woman

IDK what your purse looks like, but you could use that as the container (if it's large enough) and fill with teas, like these, from Amazon. You could pick up a few mugs at Marshalls/TJM or Pier1.

Re: Ideas for gift baskets

q-girl — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 19:04:37 GMT

I have found that in my local professional sports team area (Philadelphia) that, as long as you have something on the organization's letterhead, they have always been willing to donate something, often autographed, from the team. I have received footballs, hockey pucks, jerseys and things like that. Baskets made with these things either together or separately, each as the centerpiece of the basket, always did well.

I looked up up a phone number for community relations or the equivalent on the team website, and was sure to place a "donated by" sign on the basket.

Hugs . . .

Re: Ideas for gift baskets

joannecha — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 20:02:21 GMT

Any theme or idea you can think of. Check out Pinterest if you need ideas. I am putting one together over a few months for our church pre- school that has a silent auction fundraiser in January. I’m doing one for readers so it’s a collection of books ( I’m buying them up through the summer at yard sales and library book sales. I’m including a nice throw, some hot chocolate, and tea. And before you get funky on me, all the books I am including are in excellent shape and will be wiped down with sanitizing wipes.

Re: Ideas for gift baskets

lovesrecess — Sat, 04 Aug 2018 03:04:10 GMT

I have donated many baskets for silent auctions...one of the favorites has been starting with a Philosophy bath and shower gel...I build the basket around the scent. I did a Vanilla Bean gel with a vanilla Yankee candle, a CD of relaxing music, and as many other Vanilla Bean items like hand cream, lip gloss, lotion, etc as I could find locally. I always include a big bath puff just because I like the way it looks. You can add a hair turban or spa towel also. I also included a box of white chocolate fudge.

I have done larger ones at Christmas and used Gingerbread Man, added gingerbread cookies, Yankee gingerbread candle, and included a wreath I made and a Christmas carol CD. Added ingredients to make the cookies as well. You can also use Bath and Body Works if you prefer and build from those scents. Another basket I recently saw was a "new grandparents" basket...it had a baby blanket, baby toys, stuffed animals, photo frame, brag book, dreft spray, Viva paper towels, wipes....loved it!