Gift baskets are always popular and a great idea to give as a gift. People love to receive gift baskets. Making your own gourmet wine gift basket is cheap and easy. You can fill your gift basket with a variety of good wine or champagne and inexpensive items; you have lots of choices.

I've put together a few great ideas for making gourmet wine gift baskets, complete with instructions on how to make them. You can make inexpensive wine gift baskets or expensive wine gift baskets depending on your budget. You can easily customize each basket to your recipient.

You can add one or two bottles of expensive or inexpensive wine. You can save money on your wine purchases by going to a wine shop and asking to see the less expensive good wines or you can go to Costco for some great wine bargains, but still very good wines. The wine for your gift doesn't have to be expensive.

You can find many inexpensive items for use in making your gift baskets or filling your gift baskets, at 'dollar' stores, craft stores, party stores, discount outlets, flea markets, close-out stores, etc.

For wine gift containers you can use: any type of basket, wicker basket, straw basket, bucket, champagne bucket, antique trunk, hamper, Asian-style trunk, picnic basket, or seasonal container. Make sure it's sturdy enough.

For gift basket liner you can use: tissue paper, shredded paper, shredded newspaper, tea towels, dish towels, hand towels, kitchen towels, colored towels, colored napkins, placemats, or fabric pieces.

For gift basket filler you can use: shredded colored paper, straw, crumpled newspaper comics, a bed of wrapped chocolates or other wrapped candy.

For items in the container it'll depend on the specialty or theme of the gift basket - in this case a gourmet, wine gift basket. Here is a small random sampling of what you can include besides the wine.

Gift certificate for massage or spa visit, scented oils, scented massage oils, gift certificate to favorite store, gift certificate for restaurant, loofah, fragrant candle, matches to light candles, CD of nature sounds, favorite artist CD, DVD of newer release movie, handwritten poem, perfume, cologne, watch, framed photo, inspirational book, spa pillows, bath pillows, spa supplies, bath and body products, facial and body scrubs, handmade soaps, fragrant soaps, shampoos, hand and foot lotion or fluffy towel.

Fancy chocolates, boxed chocolates, chocolate bars, giant-size boxed candy, gourmet chips, pretzels, gourmet nuts, gourmet pasta, gourmet olive oil, pre-packaged food items, gourmet crackers, wrapped gourmet cheeses - two or three different kinds, fruits, any foods you like, Italian recipes, Mexican food recipes or other ethnic recipes, wine glasses or champagne glasses.

For gift basket wrapping you can use tulle netting or I like to use cellophane wrap. You can buy it in large rolls. Look for specialty packaging outlets where you can buy it wholesale. Tie off the wrapped basket with ribbon. Wired fabric ribbon is best if you have it.

For bows: You can use pre-packaged bows but making your own bow is easy and the best presentation if you can do it. Use a large or huge bow.

Assemble all your gift basket items, tools you need, etc. Now line your selected gift container. Then stuff the selected filler into the wine gift basket to give added height to your items. Place, layer and arrange your selected items on the filler in the gift container. Put the larger items in the back, the smaller items in front.

Fill in the holes or prop up with more filler (shredded paper, Easter basket grass, wrapped chocolates, napkins or holiday napkins etc.)Also you can use 'picks' of artificial flowers to fill in space.

Place your cellophane or other wrap under the gift basket. Center the gift basket on the wrap. Bring the cellophane or other wrap over the top of the gift basket and tie it with ribbon and or a beautiful bow! Use ribbon and bows to match your theme colors.

Tuck a card in the ribbon and that's it!

You can find fabric or wired ribbon cheaply at Costco-- especially in the fall prior to Christmas but often throughout the year in some stores. You can shred paper in a paper shredder.

If you're going to need a lot of cellophane you can purchase it wholesale through the packaging specialty stores throughout the U.S. but should be easily found in craft stores.

General tips: Try to use non-perishable items except for fruit for fruit baskets. Use freshly packaged food items, because even packaged crackers and cookies can go stale in a couple of months.

You can find filler flower 'picks' at garage sales for pennies. If you buy wholesale they are usually around a dollar each.

Tips: It's best not to use fragrant items in your wine gift basket. You can easily check out gourmet wine gift baskets on the Internet to see what typically goes in them.

Also there's nothing like learning how to make wine or other gift baskets from a video or DVD for making cheap and easy gift baskets. You can view it over and over again and share it with your children, other family members and friends. You can even charge for classes with your new-found knowledge and/or start a home based business. In any event, making a gourmet, custom, personalized wine gift basket is cheap and easy.