Many gifts stores and online shops have a variety of filled baskets with or without themes that people use for gifts today. Because gift baskets are so versatile in how they are designed and filled, their popularity seems to be growing. However, you do not have to buy them already made; you can make one yourself and fill it with items to give it a personal and loving touch.

Having a theme to go with the gift basket is the easiest way to decide how to fill it. Look at the person that is going to receive it and the occasion surrounding the giving. Make the theme match both the person and the reason for the gift. A simple example is a thank you basket for a friend that helped you out, filling it with their favorite spa items would say thank you with a personal touch.

Once you choose the theme, you need to decide on a type of basket. A gift basket does not necessary mean you have to use an actual basket. Anything can be used as a basket, a casserole dish, a gift box, a mixing bowl, or even a small bucket. As long as it is big enough to fill with items, decorate, and goes with the theme, it will be perfect.

You can have some fun selecting the items to place inside. There is no reason to fill it with expensive things either, just make sure they fit the person and the occasion. Choose a variety of things when you do your shopping. If you are creative, maybe you want to put in your own homemade crafts or even bake some items to place inside.

With all your items ready, you want to prepare the basket before you fill it Some options are tissue paper, small kitchen towels, tulle, or actually, whatever you feel goes best with the theme. For containers that are deep, such as a small pail, crumple or shred some tissue paper to build a base inside, this way your items will sit on top and be visible and not get lost inside.

When you fill it, you want it to be attractive and appealing, not a sloppy mess with stuff just thrown in. Start with tall items, fit them so that they are in the middle, and then surround them by the smaller items. Alternatively, if you have one large item, set it at an angle towards one side and then place the smaller things around it. You may need some filler items or even tissue paper to hold things into place if they move around a lot.

To finish the basket, you have different option on decorating and wrapping it. Some like to wrap the basket in cellophane so that the items do not fall out. To do this, place the container on a large piece of cellophane and gather the paper up and around it. Then tie the cellophane with a ribbon or bow. You could also just place a bit bow on the handle of a basket or even decorate the basket with mini flowers or other miniature items glued onto it.

You can make gift baskets for a number of occasions in a variety of ways and they are much more affordable than buying one. Having a theme in mind and the reason behind the gift makes it easier to decide how you will decorate it. The best thing about these is how personal they are for the person that receives them.