DIY: How to curate a gift basket

This Easter, you can opt for curating a beautiful gift basket for Easter and make the most attractive gift hamper yourself.

A gift made at home works out cheaper and far more personal and hence valuable. So here are a few ideas for curating a gift basket based on the occasion and your budget. Go ahead and enjoy doing it yourself!

The best part, it's simpler than you think. You can make it elaborate or minimal depending on your budget and time at your disposal. Whatever it is, it will always look special.

To begin with, decide a budget upfront and stick to it.

If you are at a low end of a budget, then you could consider making some of the things to go inside it yourself, like jams, chutneys.

Here's what you need to put together:

1.Think about a general theme  and pick gifts following the theme. A few ideas...

- Easter theme: Flowers, a tea towel, scented candles, wooden spatulas and a cheeseboard. coffee mugs and some bunny chocolates too.

- Spring time theme: potted plant, a bouquet of colourful blooms, good wine and seasonal fruits.

- Housewarming: You want to help your friends break in a new home and you want make them see the thought and effort behind the gift. You could go for candles and tea lights, diffusers. If you're going to pick up food I suggest including everything to make one recipe - spaghetti, a bottle of pasta sauce, herbs, ladles etc.

- Cheese and wine theme: Cheeses, a cheeseboard, good bread or crackers. A homemade dip or chutney would go well too

2. A basket, carton box or a crate of the appropriate size and a budget.

3. Fillers like colourful shredded paper or hay (that I usually procure from the vegetable vendor in the wet market) will help hold the pieces together.

5. A twine or a ribbon and a tag or a personal note will simply complete the look.

And you are ready to go! 

How to arrange the hamper

  
1. Start with the base: a runner, tea towel or a napkin. It looks aesthetically appealing and helps keep the items in place. You can also use hay or shredded paper for a colourful look.

2. Start with the larger items: A cheeseboard or a large hard bound book or a planter.

3. Largest to smallest: Go on layering the items. Keep a little colour contrast, variety of textures (paper, jute, cloth, twine etc). Also I wouldn't go for a packaging with very bright commercial colours. I love the feel of handcrafted - so Kraft paper, jute bags, furoshiki wrapping work best for me.

Here are my picks for a gift basket I curated for a dear cousin - a cheeseboard, a good red wine, small spider plant, a packet of pepper corns, and a honey wand.

Such curated baskets make wonderful anniversary gifts, hostess gifts or milestone birthday gifts. They are personal, beautiful and exciting to put together.

Tell me  in the comments below what would you curate in a gift basket for someone special?