We recently challenged our Kirkland’s Insiders to put together gift baskets for under $100 and we were blown away by their creativity!

One of our Insiders, Cuter Tudor, agreed to share an in depth look at how she picked the perfect gifts and put them all together in a gift basket. Take a peek below!

Often, it is hard to find just one perfect gift for your loved ones.  However, gift baskets allow you to give them a few of their favorite things. So, I partnered with  Kirkland’s  to share my best tips in my Gift Basket Guide. These tips will adapt to any gift basket, but this particular one is geared towards the home decor lover.

Choose a theme for the gift basket.

Be thoughtful about your gifts.  This will show the recipient that you care about them. First, think about what the person enjoys including their hobbies, favorite colors, or goals for this particular time in their life.  Then, choose a theme and color scheme with the gift recipient in mind! Lastly, set a budget for the gift to help guide your purchases.

For this basket, I thought of someone that enjoys decorating their home for the holidays in natural colors. Everything in this gift basket, including the basket and tag, was purchased at Kirkland’s for under $100.

What to Include in a Gift Basket?

When I am choosing items for a gift basket, I like to appeal to the 5 senses. This idea is just a jumping-off point to help me be a little creative in the gift! For example, I may only include three items in a basket, appeal to just four senses, or find an item that appeals to more than one of the senses.  That’s okay, too.  However, this tip helps me think outside the box!

Sight

For sight, choose an item that makes a big impression in the gift basket.  For instance, think bold, patterned bowls for the family chef or a magnolia leaf wreath for the newlyweds who just moved in together.

I chose this tall, yet simple Christmas tree from Kirkland’s, because it will look great in so many holiday vignettes.  From a styled kitchen tray to the fireplace mantel, it is so versatile and easy to style.  It is a perfect gift for anyone that loves decorating their home for the holidays.

Touch

Think of items that have appealing textures.  For instance, what about cozy holiday socks or a soft pajama set for the homebody, a Christmas pillow for the aunt that obsesses over the holidays or a plush throw blanket for the home decor lover? Kirkland’s has a variety of cozy throw blankets from the cable knit throw to sherpa lined blankets in lots of trendy colors and seasonal patterns.

Smell

Holiday inspired candles, fruit-scented hand soaps, seasonal potpourri and sachets, and essential oil reed diffusers top the list for the smell. Kirkland’s has an amazing assortment of these, and I can always catch the candles on sale too! What about a ‘red velvet cake’ candle for the dessert lover or the ‘Sunday pancakes’ candle for a girlfriend? Yep, Kirkland’s makes those! For this gift basket, I chose a nature-inspired ‘Fresh Balsam’ triple wick soy candle to bring the smell of the outdoors inside! Plus, the color matches too!

Taste

For taste, you can include the recipient’s favorite snacks or a box of fine chocolates! Or, you can just use taste as a guide… For the hostess with the mostest, I suggest a monogram cutting board, Christmas platter, or a set of holiday-inspired appetizer plates. I love these with the wreath motif for the home decor lover!

Sound

‘Every time a bell rings, an angel gets its wings…’ Y’all, who doesn’t see a bell and think of It’s a Wonderful Life?  Bells are well known during the holidays, which make them a beloved decoration in anyone’s home.  In addition, Christmas music boxes or sheet music inspired wall decor are perfect for the music lover.  Any of these will be a great addition to a gift basket.  So, I chose a versatile set of gold bells for the home decor lover.

How to Style a Gift Basket?

Presenting the basket beautifully is a simple way to make the gift feel cohesive. Plus, it creates a ‘wow factor’ for the recipient telling them one more time that you have put much thought into the gift.

Therefore, include the basket itself as a gift. For example, style the gift in a woven basket, bucket or container that the recipient can re-purpose. Kirkland’s has an amazing assortment of baskets and Christmas themed buckets online, but I found this one in-store!

I use crinkled Kraft paper to build up the height and hold items securely in the gift basket. For tall items, like the tree, I place them in the bottom of the basket first. Next, I layer one large piece of paper on the bottom. Then, I place larger items like folded blankets, trays or wall art in the back of the basket.  Lastly, I add smaller items, like candles, bells, plates in front using smaller pieces of paper as needed.

If you like you can wrap the gift basket in cellophane, too. Lastly, tie on a large bow with a sentimental Christmas ornament as the gift tag! For instance, I found this beautiful manger scene painted on an ornament at Kirkland’s. The ‘to and from’ card is included, as well.

Thank you for stopping by the Cuter Tudor Blog!  Be sure to save this to your Pinterest ‘Gift Ideas’ board by tapping the red pin on the top left corner of any picture. Just remember that the best gift that you can give is your presence! Happy holidays, y’all!

How are you styling your gift baskets? Tag us @kirklands for a chance to be featured!