The Holiday Collection
The short answer: the easiest christmas gift baskets start with one theme, one "hero" item and three to six smaller things that go with it. DIY baskets usually cost $15 to $40.
- Hot cocoa: a big mug with cocoa mix and marshmallows
- Pasta night: a colander with pasta, jarred sauce and parmesan
- Build it: set the total, pick the container, add filler, hero item in back
- 18 themes with item lists and cost ranges
- Next step: Plan it with the Family Recipe Binder ($6.99).
Our picks for christmas gift baskets
Starter pickPrintables
100 Envelope Savings Challenge
Classic, half and 52-week challenges to print, plus a spreadsheet that tracks every envelope and tells you how much to save each week.
Printables
Christmas Budget & Gift Planner
Set a budget for every person, log each purchase, and watch what's left - plus printable gift, card, menu and to-do pages.
Save 38%Bundles
Holiday Season Bundle
Plan Christmas, save for it all year, and host without the January money hangover.
The easiest Christmas gift basket ideas start with one theme, one "hero" item and three to six smaller things that go with it: a mug plus cocoa and marshmallows, a colander plus pasta and sauce, a binder of family recipes plus a wooden spoon. DIY Christmas gift baskets usually cost $15 to $40, and they look more generous than a single gift at the same price. Below are 18 themes with what to put in each and a realistic cost range, then a step-by-step guide to building one that looks full.
Christmas gift basket ideas by theme
| Basket | Hero item | Fill with | DIY cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hot cocoa | A big mug | Cocoa mix, marshmallows, peppermint sticks, socks | $15 to $25 |
| Movie night | Popcorn bowl | Popcorn, boxed candy, cocoa, a rental gift card | $20 to $35 |
| Baking | Mixing bowl | Cookie cutters, sprinkles, vanilla, a recipe card | $20 to $35 |
| Pasta night | Colander | Pasta, jarred sauce, parmesan, a pasta server | $20 to $30 |
| Family recipe | Printed family cookbook | Wooden spoon, apron, ingredients for one recipe | $20 to $40 |
| Fresh start savings | 100 envelope challenge kit | Envelopes, a nice pen, a starter bill | $10 to $25 |
| Breakfast | Waffle mix | Syrup, jam, coffee, a mug | $20 to $30 |
| Coffee lover | Bag of local beans | Mug, biscotti, flavored creamer | $20 to $35 |
| Tea time | Loose-leaf tea | Infuser, honey, shortbread | $15 to $30 |
| Game night | Card or board game | Snacks, a score pad, candy | $25 to $40 |
| Spa night | Bath towel | Sugar scrub, candle, face masks, slippers | $25 to $40 |
| Grill master | Spice rubs | Tongs, BBQ sauce, meat thermometer | $25 to $40 |
| Snack box | Sturdy tin | Nuts, crackers, chocolates, jerky | $20 to $35 |
| Car care | Microfiber towels | Ice scraper, phone mount, air freshener | $20 to $30 |
| New home | Cutting board | Dish towels, olive oil, salt, a candle | $25 to $40 |
| Book lover | One paperback | Bookmark, tea or cocoa, reading socks | $20 to $30 |
| Get organized | Printed household binder | Labels, pens, sticky notes | $15 to $30 |
| Hostess thank-you | Bottle of sparkling cider | Napkins, chocolate, a card | $15 to $25 |
Which basket for whom
Not sure which theme fits the person? Start here, then pick from the table above:
| Recipient | Baskets that usually fit |
|---|---|
| Teacher or coach | Tea time, coffee lover, hot cocoa |
| Coworker or boss | Snack box, coffee lover, tea time |
| Neighbor | Hot cocoa, breakfast, hostess thank-you |
| Parents or grandparents | Family recipe, tea time, book lover |
| Teen or college student | Movie night, game night, snack box |
| New homeowner | New home, pasta night, get organized |
| Friend who is saving money | Fresh start savings, hot cocoa, spa night |
If you are making several, repeat one theme with small changes, such as a different mug or tea flavor, so you buy in bulk and keep the cost per basket low.
Our favorite baskets in detail
Hot cocoa basket
This is the one I'd want. I'm a hot chocolate person through and through. Start with a big mug, then add a good cocoa mix (or a homemade cocoa jar), mini marshmallows, peppermint sticks, a bar of dark chocolate for shaving on top, and a pair of fuzzy socks. Add a seasonal movie rental code and you've made a whole evening.
Family recipe basket
For parents, grandparents or siblings, a printed family cookbook is the gift people keep. Collect the holiday recipes everyone asks for, write a line about who made each one, and print it with the Family Recipe Binder ($6.99). It includes section dividers, four recipe page layouts with room for the family story, 4x6 and 3x5 recipe cards and a conversion chart. Put the binder in the basket with a wooden spoon, an apron and the dry ingredients for one favorite recipe.
Fresh start savings basket
For a friend with a money goal for the new year, this one is practical and fun. Print the 100 Envelope Savings Challenge ($3.99), which includes the classic, half and 52-week versions plus a tracking spreadsheet. Add a box of 100 envelopes, a nice pen, a small binder clip and a $5 or $10 bill in envelope #1 to get them started.
Movie night basket
A whole-family pick. Fill a popcorn bowl with microwave popcorn, boxed movie candy, cocoa packets and a streaming rental gift card. Add a cozy throw if you have room in the budget.
Get organized basket
For the person who loves labels, print the Household Binder ($6.99) with its family info, calendar, meal, cleaning and bill pages, then add a label maker tape refill, colored pens and sticky notes. More ideas live in our organization gifts guide.
How to build a Christmas gift basket that looks full
A jar of cocoa mix, marshmallows and a mug makes an easy basket; our hot cocoa bar ideas have topping ideas to tuck in.
- Set the total first. Decide on $20, $30 or $40 before you shop and stick to it.
- Pick the container. A colander, mixing bowl, storage bin or tin can be part of the gift. A slightly small container looks fuller than a big one.
- Add filler. Crinkle paper, a folded dish towel or tissue paper fills the bottom so items sit higher.
- Place the hero item in back. Tall things go in back, short things in front, labels facing out.
- Tuck small items in the gaps. Candy, tea bags and cocoa packets fill holes nicely.
- Wrap and tag it. Clear cellophane and a ribbon, plus a handwritten card. I love giving and receiving cards, and a card is the part people tend to keep.
Food safety for gift baskets
- Keep perishables cold until you give it. FoodSafety.gov's holiday food gift tips say perishable foods shouldn't sit out more than two hours.
- Ship shelf-stable items. For long-distance baskets, the USDA's food gift mailing advice favors foods that don't need refrigeration, like baked goods and hard cheese, shipped early in the week.
- Label allergens. Note nuts, dairy, eggs and wheat on homemade items.
Keep the wrapping recyclable
Shiny cellophane and metallic ribbon usually can't go in curbside recycling. The EPA's recycling guide notes that shiny or laminated gift wrap often isn't recyclable and suggests reusing gift bags, boxes and tissue. A reusable basket, bin or tin avoids the problem entirely.
For more ways to dress up a basket, see our gift wrapping ideas.
Keep five baskets on budget
Baskets get expensive when you buy a little extra for each one. Write every basket in one list with its total, then log what you spend as you shop. The Christmas Budget & Gift Planner ($4.99) gives you a gift list with a budget for every person and a spreadsheet that does the math. The Holiday Season Bundle ($15.99, $25.94 if bought separately) adds sinking funds, meal planning and more for the whole season. See every planner in our printables shop or browse our bundles.
If a basket isn't right for everyone, our unique christmas gift ideas guide has ideas by person and price.
Want a free page to start? The Holiday Budget Starter Kit is three US Letter pages we email you after you join our list.
See also
- Homemade Christmas gifts
- Christmas hostess gifts
- Christmas gifts under $10
- Christmas Eve box ideas
- Our gift guide
Building a basket for someone who loves their morning cup? Fill it from our gifts for coffee lovers list.
Adding something homemade to the basket? A jar of Christmas jam pairs well with crackers, cookies and a nice spoon.
The Holiday Collection
Give every person a limit and watch what's left
The Christmas Budget & Gift Planner adds up every list for you: a budget for each person, a log of each purchase and the amount left to spend, plus printable gift, card, menu and to-do pages.
- Spreadsheet for Excel and Google Sheets
- 11 printable pages, US Letter + A4
- Instant download, 14-day fix-or-refund promise
Planning the whole season? See the holiday sets from $7, with early prices through Cyber Monday
Frequently asked questions
What do you put in a Christmas gift basket? A good Christmas gift basket has one theme, one 'hero' item and three to six smaller items that go with it. For a hot cocoa basket, that means a nice mug as the hero plus cocoa mix, marshmallows, peppermint sticks and a cozy pair of socks.
How much should a Christmas gift basket cost? Most DIY Christmas gift baskets cost $15 to $40 to put together. Set the total before you shop, spend about half on the hero item, and fill the rest with small items so the basket looks full without blowing the budget.
What is a good Christmas gift basket for a family? A movie night or game night basket works best for a whole family. Fill it with popcorn, candy, cocoa mix and a board game or a streaming rental gift card, so everyone gets something to share.
What is a meaningful gift basket for parents or grandparents? A family recipe basket is one of the most meaningful options. Print a family cookbook with the Family Recipe Binder ($6.99), which has dividers, recipe pages with room for the family story and recipe cards, then add a wooden spoon, an apron and the ingredients for one favorite dish.
What is a practical Christmas basket for someone saving money? A 'fresh start' savings basket makes a practical gift for someone with money goals. Print the 100 Envelope Savings Challenge ($3.99), add 100 envelopes, a nice pen and a starter bill or two, and they can begin the challenge on January 1.
How do I make a Christmas basket look full? Use crinkle paper or a folded towel as filler, put tall items in the back and stand smaller items up in front. A basket that's slightly too small looks fuller than one that's too big.
Can I put homemade food in a gift basket? Yes, as long as it's shelf stable or you deliver it cold. Cookies, brittle, granola and jarred mixes travel well. FoodSafety.gov says perishables shouldn't sit out more than two hours, so keep cheese, meats and cream-based treats refrigerated until you hand the basket over.
What can I use instead of a basket? A colander, mixing bowl, storage bin, cookie tin or a large mug can replace the basket and becomes part of the gift. A colander for a pasta night basket or a mixing bowl for a baking basket adds value without adding cost.
How do I keep track of baskets for several people? The Christmas Budget & Gift Planner ($4.99) tracks every basket in one gift list with a budget per person. List each basket's items and costs as you shop, so you don't overspend on the third basket after a careful first two.
How far ahead can I make Christmas gift baskets? Build non-food baskets up to a month ahead and add food the week you give them. Store finished baskets wrapped in cellophane somewhere cool and dry, then tuck in baked goods last.
Free printable
Get the free Holiday Budget Starter Kit
A one-page holiday budget, a gift list with a spending limit for every person, and a 6-week countdown so December stays calm and paid for. You'll also get our weekly HomeBase email with simple holiday planning, budgeting and hosting tips.
