The plastic on pre-wrapped presents or shrink-wrapped gift baskets often wind up in landfills. Here are some ways to make a far more personal gift basket yourself, and avoid creating waste.
Candy Gift Basket
For the sweetie who lives for sweets, there are some organic candy companies out there, one of which is Canadian company Pure Fun. If you’re unsure what to get, a visit to a local health food store to check out what organic or fair trade sweets are available can be a fun way to get to know the earth friendly candy industry in your neighbourhood.
Buy a funny or romantic re-usable mug, and fill it with treats. Wrap the works in a cloth handkerchief.
Do-It-Yourself Chocolate Truffles
It’s a little known secret that making chocolate truffles is neither expensive nor difficult to do yourself. Here’s an easy and frugal recipe submit by Eagle Brand condensed milk, for DIY chocolate truffles; it only has three ingredients, and yields surprisingly professional looking results, without using chef’s tools.
The more time-consuming part of the recipe involves hand-rolling each truffle, but it’s easy, looks expensive and tastes decadent. Pack in a cardboard box with paper petit-four wrappers, and you have a polished but personal gift that makes you look like an expert chocolatier.
They can be flavoured with any topping you desire. Traditionally, cocoa is used for that earthy resemblance to its namesake, or they can be rolled in cinnamon for a spicier finish. Consider crushed nuts or a variety of toppings for a range of flavours in your gift.
Sexy Bath Gift Basket
Buy some all natural bath bombs from Lush, or a brand of earth-friendly bubble bath, and pair it with a bath tray: Usually a stainless steel tray that fits across the width of the tub. It allows tub-readers to place a book, a glass of wine or various sponges or scrubbers on it.
Present the tray with a book, a bottle of wine, two glasses and two candles, and the bath product of choice: Join your sweetie in a candle-lit bath for two. (Make sure your candles are nowhere near towels or the shower curtain for fire-hazard reasons, and if you have a portable stereo playing some classical music, keep it as far from the tub as possible.)
“An Evening In” Gift Basket
One hard-core romantic I know made a puzzle out of a copy of a cherished photograph of the couple. He took the picture to the photo-developing department at Wal-Mart, where they made the puzzle to order, for his game loving sweetie.
Try pairing the gift off with some wine and a romantic card, and suggest that the two of you stay indoors for the night and complete the puzzle.
There are various photo finishing shops that may offer this option; if puzzles are not an object of interest, try making a personalized mug or a calendar using photographs; services which are now offered in most drug stores or department stores.
DIY Photo Calendar
Most word-processing programs offer do-it-yourself calendar options. You can take personal pictures and use Microsoft Word to make a calendar as playful, as romantic or as naughty as you like. (Printing off the pages at home may also prevent some embarrassment from a public print shop.)
While you can mark the traditional holidays off, making your own calendar has the advantage of creating nonsense holidays or highlighting personal cornerstones. “Anniversary of The Day We Met” or “My Sweetie’s Birthday” may be a great way to show you care.
Pair the calendar with some colourful pens, and start marking in your vacation plans together.
