If you're a particularly crafty person, and are willing to take the time to assemble a basket yourself, the process of making one and giving it as a festive present can be a rewarding and relatively inexpensive experience. You can have creative control over the contents of the basket, allowing it to be customized to the specific likes of the receiver, and can be used as a great way to brighten up a Christmas celebration without breaking the bank.

The first step in creating a holiday gift basket is selecting the basket itself. Many people opt to use whatever is lying around the house, and often will result in someone getting their items in a reused Easter basket, fake grass and all. Instead, go to a craft store and peruse a selection of baskets. Select something sturdy enough to withstand a little wear and tear from assembly of the contents and the final wrapping process.

Fill your Christmas basket with items that pertain to your theme. A popcorn tin could be a family movie night. Flower pots could be filled for the gardening enthusiast, or the beach pail laden with toys for a child. Cooking utensils make a good basket for food items or your famous home made fruit cake.

Presentation is an important aspect. Wrapping is not neccessary, just embellish your gift basket with small inexpensive items within your theme. Include a disposable camera so that their memories can be captured through their own eyes. A personalized card can contain your special wishes and loving thoughts. Photos of yourself or of special events could be included also.

When organizing your present choose a central color scheme. Bright red and green look very well together and so do dark blues and purples. Do not just throw pastel and vibrant colors together. Make sure the colors compliment each other. You can also give a defining look to your basket when choosing shapes. Use a wide variety of shapes and sizes. To give it a unique look add some oddly shaped items as well.

Handcrafted holiday gift baskets are the perfect present for families, adults, senior citizens, teens, kids and pets. They are appreciated by teachers, co-workers, bosses and clients. Since they are personalized especially for them, you cannot go wrong by making a memorable presentation designed for that special person in your life.

If you're looking for a great holiday gift idea that can allow you to give something out of the ordinary and something that has a more individualized feel behind it than a typical item, consider giving a basket. They are easy to assemble, customize, are able to be created in any color and size, and can be a unique way to show those around that you appreciate them come Christmas time.