by Martie Lownsberry

Created on: October 24, 2009

Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to not only give our thanks for the many blessing we have received throughout the year, but it also a great time to share with friends, neighbors, and complete strangers a little of the bounty that we have. There is no better way to share this bounty than by giving a gift basket to those we love or those in need.

Gift Baskets for Those in Need

Many organizations, church groups, and individuals prepare Thanksgiving baskets for those in need in the community. The general idea behind these baskets are to ensure that families who have less money to spend on special meals can have a lovely Thanksgiving dinner.

These baskets usually contain things to make a complete dinner, such as canned ham, sweet potatoes, vegetables, and some kind of dessert to make or that is ready made.

While this is a wonderful way to share the Thanksgiving holiday with those less fortunate why not include a few extras that the families might need or appreciate.

Here are a few ideas of inexpensive items that you could include to the Thanksgiving gift basket for those in need:

Children can always use gloves and hats and with cold weather approaching many families are struggling to buy the big necessities such as coats and boots. Sending a pair or a couple of pair of gloves and a hat for each child in the family a basket is going to will help keep the child warm throughout the winter.

Shampoo, soap, hand cream, toothpaste, and chap stick will all be welcome additions to a Thanksgiving gift basket and these things can be used by the entire family regardless of sex or age. Most stores sell small samples of various products that you can put in little pouches or small gift bags and include right in the food baskets.

Pencils, pens and other assorted small items would also serve as a nice surprise and will come in handy with families who are struggling to make ends meet.

Including a few of these small items in the Thanksgiving gift basket won't add much to the overall cost for you but could mean a lot to the families receiving these small gifts.

Gift Baskets for Family and Friendship

Gift baskets for family and friends are entirely different than those baskets you make up for those in need. You know your friend or family member well, know their likes and dislikes, and therefore can select more personal items for them than you can for people who are virtually strangers.

What you place in these baskets will depend on the individual's tastes and circumstances. While some gift baskets for a friend or family member may include the complete makings for an entire dinner, most will not. Food items however, are always well received and can be anything from fruit baskets, to a basket of small gifts depending on the person you are giving to.

For a family member who is on their own for the first time and may be missing sharing the holiday with family why not include some family favorites to give their Thanksgiving a taste of home.

You can include all the ingredients for their favorite pie complete with the recipe so that they can make their own exactly like grandma makes. You can also include a loaf of fresh baked bread and their favorite homemade jam or jelly. Cookies and candies are also nice reminders of home and holidays shared.

A small gift like a set of candle holders complete with candles makes a nice addition to any gift basket as well as a few handmade or special decorations.

The most important part of preparing a Thanksgiving basket is simply to remind the person that you care about them and are thinking about them. That is all that is really needed to make one of these baskets heartfelt. After all, just the fact you are sending one tells them it is all ready filled with love.

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