How to Make a Gift Basket for a Traveler

Do you have a friend soon headed off for some distant locale? A mother with fond memories of a favorite past vacation? A nephew who will soon be departing on an around-the-world backpacking trip? Travel-themed gift baskets are the perfect gift for nearly anyone, whether an established globetrotter or a traveler of the armchair variety. Gift baskets for travelers can range from the useful to the inspirational. They're fun to make and fun to get.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Notebook (optional)
• Basket
• Assorted gifts
• Books (optional)
• Music (optional)
• Packaged food or drink (optional)
• Cellophane
• Ribbon
• Tape
• Card (optional)
• Luggage tag (optional)

1. Decide on a travel theme for your gift basket. This could be a specific location, a type of destination, a mode of transportation, or even the concept of traveling itself. Does your recipient have an upcoming trip planned? A favorite location that brings back fond memories? Also consider broader themes, such as "the beach," "winter resorts," or "trains."

2. Decide on a budget before you start shopping. It's easy to get carried away and spend more than you'd anticipated. Consider carrying a small notebook when at the store to jot down purchases as you shop. Not only does the notebook help with keeping to a budget, it also helps ensure that no items get forgotten.

3. Buy your basket. This could be a simple wicker basket, or could be something useful or fun its own right. A travel backpack or a small vintage suitcase could work, or, depending on your theme, a beach bucket or a straw market basket.

4. Purchase a variety of items to fill your basket. Gifts can be useful, funny or just plain quirky. Variety is the spice of life, as they say, and that definitely holds true when it comes to gift baskets. In addition to the stores in your neighborhood, consider buying some of your gifts online. For a truly unique gift, consider searching online auction sites for vintage souvenirs or postcards.

5. Books and music are always welcome gift basket additions. Consider including a travel guide or some light reading for the plane. For music, select something related to your overall theme. Travelers headed to Las Vegas might appreciate an Elvis CD, while those headed towards California can get in the mood with the Beach Boys. Visitors to Paris, Brazil, Vietnam, or elsewhere might a appreciate a CD featuring traditional or popular singers from those countries.

6. Include something edible. You can find attractively packaged imported items in gourmet food stores, specialty import shops, or even in your own supermarket. A bottle of wine or even bottled water from some far-off destination is always a nice touch. In the case of a gift basket for the more practical traveler, include a variety of unusual granola or power bars.

7. Gather your gifts and your basket. Now comes the fun part: assembling your travel gift basket!

8. Wrap some of your gifts. Choose gift wrap that doesn't distract from your travel theme. Solid, bright colors work well, as do sheets of foreign-language newspaper.

9. Leave several gifts unwrapped. These should be attractive items that you can place in strategic locations to add extra pizazz to the finished gift.

10. Place a layer of tissue paper or shredded paper on the bottom of your basket. This will form the base for the completed gift.

11. Attractively arrange the gifts in the basket, being careful to ensure that the unwrapped gifts are visible. Orient all of the gifts in the same direction; there should be a clear front and back to the basket. The gifts should fill the entire space.

12. If you're using an actual basket, place in the middle of a large piece of cellophane. Wrap the cellophane around the basket and tie at the top with a colorful ribbon. If your "basket" is a suitcase, backpack or similar container, skip the cellophane and just embellish with a ribbon.

13. Tie or tape your card to the completed basket. Consider using a luggage tag instead of an actual card.

Tips & Warnings

• Be open to finding fun gift basket gifts where you least expect it.
• Keep a gift box at home. Buy interesting, quirky gifts as you find them, then put in your box until you're ready to use them.
• Don't surprise a friend with a bon voyage gift basket at the airport. Give it in advance so that she can easily fit the items into her luggage or carry-on bags.