Bon Voyage Gift Basket Ideas

A basket with a handle will make taking the gift home easier.

Gift baskets make great going-away presents because they are infinitely customizable. Whether your cousin has joined the Peace Corps and is leaving for Zanzibar in a week or your coworker accepted a position with a firm on the other side of town, a thoughtfully constructed gift basket should supply the person leaving with things they will actually use and enjoy.

Beach Essentials Basket

A beach tote is a suitable basket replacement.

Given the option, almost everyone hangs out near the water at least once over the summer---whether that water is an ocean, lake, or municipal swimming pool. Even if the person leaving isn't moving to Bora Bora, a beach essentials basket will help him stay relaxed and protected wherever he goes. The basket should include high-SPF sunscreen (of course), a pair of sunglasses, a lighthearted novel, a cocktail glass, margarita mix, a beach towel, and---as a joke---a pair of kids' orange blow-up "water wings."

Ocean Liner Basket

A cruise ticket is a generous addition to the basket.

For a basket that interprets the phrase "bon voyage" literally, stuff it with mementos of a slower, more relaxed time (for the upper classes, at least): the days of grand ocean liners. Include stationary, a fancy pen, and venerable candy like Tootsie Rolls and Hershey's Kisses in a vintage Cunard Line tin. (The Cunard Line originated in 1839 and was first called the British and North American Royal Mail Steam Packet Company.)

Moving-Day Basket

If the person leaving is moving to a different house and hasn't moved yet, a moving-day basket will be a godsend. Start with a sturdy canvas apron with lots of pockets. Add scissors, duct tape, permanent markers, a toothbrush and toothpaste (for that first night in the new home, when all the toiletries are buried in a box), and a generous gift certificate for a food place that delivers.

References

• Rosson House Museum: Candy History Fun
• Cunard Cruise Line History: Sir Samuel Cunard