How to Send a Popcorn Gift Basket

Pop popcorn and use it as a filler for your gift basket.

When you put together a gift basket, you add a little of yourself to the gift, making it more special. You can spend a lot of money making a gift basket or create an inexpensive one. Choose a theme, such as popcorn. Select the main gift, then surround it with related or generic items. Choose a wicker basket, gift bag or box as your container. An empty popcorn canister works well also. You will need a filler for your gift basket, like tissue paper, crumpled newspaper or shredded paper. Filler props the gift items up for better display.

Things You'll Need

• Basket or container of your choice
• Filler
• Wrapping paper
• Ribbons and bows
• Popcorn
• Generic gift items
• Popped popcorn (optional)
• Enclosure card
• Scissors
• Cellophane tape
• Wrap
• Double-sided tape (optional)

Instructions

1. Line your basket or container with filler, like shredded paper or tissue paper. Popped popcorn also makes a good filler for a popcorn-themed basket, or you can use a mixture of paper and popcorn.

2. Put the tallest gift item at the back of the basket or container, on top of the filler. For example, place a large jar of gourmet popcorn in the basket as the tallest item or make the tallest item a hot-air popcorn maker.

3. Arrange related or generic gift items in front of the tallest one, starting with the second tallest and working down to the very smallest. This balances the basket and also creates a front and back side for the basket. Choose related items to pack around the large item, like different types of popcorn, popcorn oil, popcorn seasoning and a package of cardboard popcorn containers. Generic items may include candy, nuts or balloons.

4. Fill in the basket's bare spots with additional filler. Also use filler to help keep gift items in place.

5. Write a message to the recipient on the enclosure card and tape it or prop it securely in the basket.

6. Wrap the gift basket with cellophane. This helps keep the gift items dry as well as holds them in place. Decorate the cellophane with ribbon and a bow, if desired.

Tips & Warnings

• If any of the gift items move around in the basket, anchor them by using double-sided tape.

• Use a sheer netting to cover your basket if you do not need to keep it dry.

• You can use shrink-wrap instead of cellophane to cover the gift basket. After wrapping, heat the shrink-wrap briefly using a blow dryer. When the wrap cools, it forms a tight fit across the basket, holding the items securely in place.

References

• Homemade Gift Basket Ideas: How to Make Gift Baskets
• TheCustomBasket.com: Gift Basket Assembly

Resources

• Simply Recipes: Perfect Popcorn