How to Make Gifts for Your Boss

Make a heartfelt gift your boss will appreciate and enjoy.

You like your boss and want to give him something special as a gift. When money is tight, consider making the gift yourself. It will provide a personal touch that your boss will appreciate. Bake some delicious treats for your boss or make a gift basket filled with things he'll love. Create personalized T-shirts that are funny and meaningful to you and your boss. Have fun making the gift. Put some thought into it and make sure the gift comes from your heart.

Things You'll Need

• Ingredients for baked treats
• Colored celophane wrap
• Chinese food container
• Heavy stock paper
• Ribbon
• Gift basket
• Items for gift basket
• T-shirt
• Stetchable iron-on fabric transfer
• Computer
• Printer with colored ink
• Iron
• Tissue paper
• Gift box
• Wrapping paper

Instructions

Baked Goods

1. Find out which baked treats your boss loves. Ask if he likes chocolate, cookies or cake.

2. Find out if your boss is allergic to any ingredients such as peanuts or gluten.

3. Bake a treat your boss will enjoy, such as brownies, chocolate chip cookies or coconut cake.

4. Wrap dry baked treats in colored cellophane paper. Tie them with a matching ribbon or wrap them in wax paper and put them inside a Chinese food container box. Place a cake in a disposable cake dish.

5. Make a special card out of heavy stock paper and write a brief note to your boss saying that you hope he enjoys the treat. Attach the card to the treat with a ribbon.

Gift Basket

1. Create a gift basket with goodies your boss will enjoy. Find out what her interests are to determine what you'll put inside it.

2. Buy a nice basket made of wicker, water hyacinth or rattan. Make sure it's large enough to hold the items you want to give your boss.

3. Choose a theme for your gift basket based on your boss' interests, for example a spa basket for a boss who enjoys a little pampering on her time off.

4. Buy small items to place in the gift basket. For example, a spa basket might include scented skin lotions and bath gels, pretty soaps, an eye mask, a terry cloth robe and matching slipppers.

5. Place the items inside the gift basket. Wrap the basket with colored cellophane. Make a gift card and attach it to the basket with ribbon.

T-shirt

1. Find out your boss' shirt size. Buy a plain white T-shirt free of graphics or words.

2. Buy stretchable iron-on fabric transfers.

3. Create a design on your computer to print out on the iron-on transfer. Write a catchy slogan such as, "World's Greatest Boss," or find clip art on the Internet. Use a digital photo of your boss or your co-workers if you don't want to use a slogan. Combine the two if you like.

4. Print the design onto the iron-on fabric transfer. Iron the transfer onto the T-shirt.

5. Fold the T-shirt, place it in tissue paper inside a shirt box, then wrap the box. Make a gift card and attach it with scotch tape.

References

• Oprah.Com: 6 Artful Ways to Package Cookies as Gifts, by Sandra Magsamen, November 2000
• Avery: Avery® Stretchable Fabric Transfers for Inkjet Printers 3302, 8-1/2" x 11", Pack of 5