How to Make a Valentine's Chocolate Gift Basket

Need a Valentine's Day gift that will command attention? Is it for a chocolate lover? Try putting together a Valentine's chocolate gift basket for him or her. It's a great way to give a put together gift that is homemade. When you give a homemade gift it says 'I spent time on you', and is a very thoughtful and heart-warming presentation. Plus who won't appreciate their favorite chocolate wrapped with love?

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• a basket or container
• chocolate of choice
• red, pink or white curling ribbon or regular ribbon
• a roll of either clear or red cellophane
• a bag of red, pink, or white crinkled paper shreds as a basket filler
• scissors
• a small Valentine's day card or heart tag
• hole punch

1. Find a basket or container that you wish to use. Choosing the right basket can add a personal touch to the gift. Does your recipient love coffee? Look for a coffee cup shaped basket. Do they enjoy organizing? Give a trendy and colorful storage basket. Do they like the beach? Use a sand pail as your container. Do they like movies? Use a popcorn bowl. The point is that anything can be used as a 'basket'. If you like the idea of an actual basket, there are plenty of shapes, colors, and materials to choose fun. Have fun and be creative!

2. Choose the chocolate to fill the basket. What kind of chocolate does your recipient prefer? Dark chocolate, milk chocolate, or white chocolate. If you know, concentrate on purchasing chocolate products of that family. If you don't, buy products of all three chocolates to give the person a variety.

3. Once you've decided on a chocolate category, decide how much chocolate you'd like to include. A couple candy bars, gourmet hot chocolate packets, a bag of loose Valentine's themed chocolates (Hershey kisses, peanut butter cups, etc.), truffles, and fudge are all great ideas. Don't exclude malt balls, chocolate covered raisins, coffee beans, pretzels or nuts, M&M's, or chocolate covered pretzel rods as good ideas. It all depends on a person's preference and how big your chosen basket is. You don't want the basket to look empty, but you don't want it to be overflowing either.

4. Decide which side is going to be the front of your basket. Fill the bottom of your container with the colored paper shred basket filler until it reaches the rim of your container. This will serve as a base.

5. Strategically place all the chocolate products you bought so each one is visual when the basket is facing you. If you have chosen a bag of loose Valentine's Day themed candies such as Hershey kisses, you can open the bag and pour them into the basket adding to the base and decoration.

6. Add small amounts of your paper shred basket filler to fill in the gaps between chocolates to make it look as if the products are resting in the paper shreds.

7. Take your chosen color of cellophane and roll out a piece on the floor or a tabletop. Position your filled basket on the cellophane making sure you cut a big enough piece to go around the basket.

8. Wrap your basket in the cellophane by gathering each corner in your hand, pulling each upwards and together so the cellophane fits snuggly around your basket and contents. Hold the gathered cellophane tightly in your fist above the basket.

9. Cut a long piece of your chosen curling ribbon or ribbon. Hold the gathered cellophane as tight as you can while tying the ribbon into a tight double knot around the cellophane.

10. If you have a small Valentine's card, use the whole punch to make a hole in the top corner of the card closest to the fold. Can also cut out a construction paper or colored paper heart to use as a card. Just hole punch the top of one side of the heart. Be sure to write a Valentine's wish on your tag or card.

11. String the card through one strand of the ribbon until it meets the double knot at the cellophane gathering. Tie another knot if it is curling ribbon, or a bow if it is regular ribbon. If curling ribbon, use the scissors to curl both strands of remaining ribbon.

12. Be proud of your creative masterpiece and give to your special chocolate lover!

Tips & Warnings

• A test for seeing how much to include in your basket is to arrange chocolate products in your empty container. Make sure each product is touching the bottom of the basket and fill until there is no more space without the products sitting on top of one another. That should be a nice amount to make the basket look full yet not overflowing.
• Curling ribbon is found by wrapping paper supplies in stores, and ribbon can be found in the craft section or at a specialty crafts store such as Michael's or Jo-Ann's.
• It's easier to have an extra set of hands when tying the ribbon around the gathered cellophane. Much simpler to tie with two hands than just one.
• Valentine's Day mugs or other small items are also fun to include. If using mugs, you can fill them with individual chocolates, or stuff hot chocolate packets in them.
• Keep your chocolate basket in a cool spot so the chocolate doesn't melt before you have a chance to give it.
• Keep in mind any allergies your recipient might have when choosing the chocolates. Peanuts and various other kinds of nuts are fairly widespread allergies. If you are unsure, just skip these kinds of chocolates.

[FrazzledNanny]

on 2/23/2009 Great idea. Well written article and detailed. 5*

[theff]

on 2/15/2009 I wouldn't mind receiving one of these!