Themed Gift Basket Ideas

Holiday gift basket ideas

Looking for some ideas for making a themed gift basket? Here are a ton of unique gift basket ideas that are perfect for everyone on your holiday shopping list.

Before we get started on our list of gift basket themes, make sure you read Make Your Own Gift Basket: Homemade Christmas Gift Basket Ideas & Tips. This post will provide you with ideas on everything from how to put your unique gift basket together to tips on shopping.

Now for the fun part: choosing your gift basket themes. Here are a bunch of themed gift basket ideas to help get you started, including some ideas on what to put in them.

Animal themed gift basket ideas

Animal/Pet Lover Themed Gift Basket Ideas

We all know someone who is obsessed with their cat, in love with their dog, or idolize their horse (you may even be one of them!). Some ideas on what to put into an animal themed gift basket include:

  • Treats
  • Toys
  • Clothes (if the gift recipient enjoys humiliating their pet by dressing them in poofy, frilly dresses or other types of clothing)
  • Collar and leash
  • “I Heart Horses” (or preferred critter) paraphernalia, such as bumper stickers, coffee mugs, etc.
  • Homemade gift certificate that entitles the gift recipient to cash in on a number of things, such as a free dog walk (rain or shine!), free pet sitting, etc.
  • Real gift certificates to the local pet groomer, doggy daycare, etc.

Baby Themed Gift Basket Ideas

This is the perfect gift basket for new parents (or those who are expecting a new arrival in the near future). The “basket” for this theme could be a number of things, depending on your budget, a few ideas include a baby bath, an infant car seat, or a diaper bag. Filling these baskets are easy, some ideas include:

  • Diapers
  • Onesies (those little t-shirts that do up between the legs)
  • Bibs
  • Teething toys
  • Baby food
  • Bottles (if the mother isn’t breastfeeding)
  • Baby socks/booties
  • Baby shampoo
  • Baby powder
  • Baby wipes
  • Receiving blankets

…this list could be endless. Visit the baby section of any store and you’ll be full of ideas.

Beach Themed Gift Basket Ideas

This one is good for young kids or even families who love to visit the beach often (New Brunswick has some of the best beaches in Canada!). Some excellent beach themed gift basket ideas include:

  • Beach towels (roll them up tight and tie some ribbon around them to keep them that way)
  • Shovels and other sand toys
  • Sunblock
  • Water bottles (works good as “filler” for the basket)
  • Beach ball
  • Flip flops
  • Water shoes
  • Goggles
  • Snorkel
  • Sun glasses
  • Sun hat

If you’re making this themed gift basket for a family with a toddler, you could also include some Huggies Little Swimmers – they’re disposable waterproof diapers. For the “basket”, you could use a large sand pale to put everything into.

Merry Christmas

Eco-Friendly Themed Gift Basket Ideas

This unique gift basket is perfect for the eco-conscious person in your life. Some ideas include:

  • Energy efficient light bulbs
  • Water filter for their faucet (so they don’t need to buy disposable plastic water bottles)
  • Metal water bottle
  • Reusable cloth bags
  • Rechargeable batteries (and charger)
  • Organic cleaning supplies
  • Solar powered gadgets
  • Eco-friendly cosmetics and skin products
  • Gift certificate to the local farmers market or organic health food store

You can use a reusable cloth shopping bag as the basket, a glass container, or some other recycled container.

Family Game Night Themed  Gift Basket Ideas

This themed gift basket could include:

  • One or two great board games
  • Deck of cards
  • Dice
  • Pads of paper and pencils
  • Microwave popcorn or other snack foods (non-perishable)
  • Bottle of pop

Food Themed Gift Basket Ideas

There are an abundance of things you could include in a food themed gift basket. It’s always a good idea to choose non-perishable food items though, or if you plan on pulling it all together at the last minute, you can save a bunch of money by including baked goods. Here are some ideas:

  • Jams and jellies
  • Canned fruit, pickles, or fish
  • Cookies
  • Homemade chocolates (or store-bought)
  • Gourmet coffee
  • Herbal teas
  • Bottle of wine
  • Mixed nuts in glass jar
  • Dried fruit
  • Crackers
  • Peanut brittle
  • Fruitcake
  • Salsa or chutney
  • Hot chocolate

Themed gift basket ideas

Gardener’s Themed Gift Basket Ideas

For this one, you could use a garden tool caddy as the container or a large decorative planter. Fill it with items such as:

  • Seeds
  • Small garden tools
  • Plant food
  • Decorative planters
  • Book on gardening
  • Gardening gloves
  • Kneeling pads
  • Plant labels and stakes
  • Small garden ornaments
  • Solar lights

Hobby-Specific Themed Gift Basket Ideas

If the gift recipient has a special hobby, use it to your advantage to create a gift basket theme. For example, you could make a scrapbooking themed gift basket, or one that is geared around the photography enthusiast. If your gift recipient loves to build model trains or is into Harley Davidson, work with it to make a unique gift basket.

Movie Night Themed Gift Basket Ideas

Use a popcorn bucket at the container, and fill with items like:

  • Popcorn seeds or microwave popcorn
  • Gourmet popcorn seasoning
  • DVD or Blu-ray movies
  • Bottle of pop
  • Various snacks
  • Gift certificate to local movie rental store

Spa/Bath Themed Gift Basket Ideas

This gift basket is not only good for the lady in your life, it can also be a fun idea for smaller children if you fill it with the right things. Here are ideas for both:

  • Small bath toys
  • Bath crayons
  • Bath bombs (you can purchase ones that have a little toy in them when they dissolve)
  • Bath salts
  • Bubble bath
  • Scented bath oils
  • Sea sponge
  • Floating candles
  • Lotions
  • Various soaps
  • Foot scrubs
  • Eye masks
  • Pedicure set
  • Massage oils

…this list is virtually endless. Consider using a shower caddy as the container.

Sports Themed Gift Basket Ideas

If the gift recipient has a favourite sport, it’s easy to make a unique gift basket for him or her. Every sport has accessories and gear that are perfect to include. For example, the golfer always needs balls, tees, a golf glove, etc. For hockey, think stick tape, water bottle, gift certificate for skate sharpening, etc. Decide what sport you’re going to create the basket around and simply visit a sports store to get some great ideas for making a themed gift basket.

Holiday gift ideas

More Holiday Gift Basket Ideas

Do you have some homemade Christmas gift basket ideas that haven’t been mentioned here? Whether it’s tips on shopping or ideas on themes, we’d love to hear what you have to say!