If you are looking for a unique gift for the holidays, a birthday, housewarming or any other occasion, gift baskets can fit the bill. With a little bit of know-how and some imagination, anyone can put together a gift basket to thrill the recipient.

The best place to start when building a gift "basket", is with a theme. The theme may be suggested by the occasion, such as a fiftieth birthday, or by the individual, such as a tea basket for someone who enjoys a good cup of tea.

Many people start with the container, and then look for items to fill it. Sometimes this makes sense, as when the container itself could be the gift. But most of the time it is easiest to gather your items first, and then look for an appropriate container to hold them.

Keeping your theme in mind, as well as your budget, start gathering your items. Food is a popular item for gift baskets, but anything can be used. One example would be small kitchen items for a housewarming or a bridal shower. Another might be baby items for a baby shower.

You can purchase your gifts at specialty stores, discount stores or even the corner grocery, depending how fancy or thrifty you wish to be. Try to purchase one large (but not too big) item, and a number of smaller ones. Look for packages of different size and shapes as well.

You may want to try to keep to a color scheme as well. Buying a number of items from one product line would simplify this goal. Packages can also be wrapped to make them more attractive if need be. Try to have an odd number of items for your basket.

Once you have everything you think you want to include, gather them together and get an idea of the size of container you will need. You don't want anything too small, but neither would you want a container so large that everything just sits in its own little nest. Items should be nestled close together for a more attractive presentation.

Although such a gift is usually referred to as a gift basket, don't feel limited to actual baskets as the container. Decorative boxes work well, as do tins or any useful. A large mixing bowl might be the container for the housewarming gift. A tote bag may contain baby shower items, and a thrift-store ladies hat might be used for a basket of tea items or fancy toiletries.

Once you have chosen your container, you will need to build up a base in which to place your gift items. You can purchase shredded colored paper used for this purpose. Most craft stores or party stores will have

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