Now that it’s the holiday season, we’re all struggling to find gift ideas that our friends and families would actually enjoy. Having to spend hours shopping for presents should be the least of our worries with everything on our plates, especially with exams being soon. When in doubt, a gift basket is always a good option. These are 10 ideas for how to build the perfect Burr Basket for your closest friend, partner, or favorite family member.
1. Holiday Spa Day
The first idea for your Burr Basket should be a fun holiday body wash, soap, shampoo, or perfume. You could even take it a step further and get a holiday facemask for your bestie or a lotion for your mom. Looking for something to give your partner? Maybe include a whole spa day that you can do together! Body and hair care is something that almost anybody can enjoy, and there’s no better time to gift this to someone than when the holiday scents are here!
Some recommendations:
Native ($9): Sugar Cookie, Candy Cane, Fresh Mistletoe, Lump of Coal, Spiked Egg Nog
Tree Hut ($7): Berry Bright, Candy Cane
Dr. Squatch ($6): Frosty Peppermint, Snowy Pine Tar
Duke Cannon ($9): Eggnog, Rudolph’s Night Cap, Santa’s Cough Syrup
2. Holiday Candle Set
Let’s face it, we’re all suckers for candles. Every time I walk into a department or home store, I go straight to the candle section and spend 30 minutes smelling all my options before I buy one for my apartment. Stores almost always have holiday scents which would be super fun for a Burr Basket! My go-to shops are always Home Goods and T.J.Maxx. If you’re on a budget, there are usually some pretty cheap candles for about $5.
3. Soft Throw Blanket
We Floridians are not used to the cold, and it’s surprising how cold it gets in Tallahassee. A cute throw blanket is always a cute option to add to your Burr Basket; bonus points if it’s holiday themed! Target currently has adorable throw blankets for only $10, and Five Below is selling them for only $5. If you are looking for a more expensive addition to spruce up your basket, you can also opt for a heated blanket from Amazon, which usually ranges between $20 to $40.
4. Fun or Unique Snacks
Food is always a fun gift. Who doesn’t like to snack throughout the day? I know that I love a sweet or salty treat when I’m studying or a little drink when running errands. Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods are both good contenders for tasty snacks. Don’t give your friend a bag of potato chips; get them something fun like peppermint bark. With food, the options are endless, and you can easily curate this to the person you are building your basket for!
5. Cute but Practical Cup
If you are looking for something more practical to add to your basket, a cup or tumbler is always a great option. Do you have a roommate who is a massive Florida State fan? If so, this Seminole cup would be perfect. Or maybe you have a friend who likes gardening and nature, in which case this cute strawberry cup would be super cute. There are so many options, from Yetis to Starbucks’ reusable cups. This is one of the ideas that you can get personal with and pick out something specific to the person you are gifting this Burr Basket to.
6. Oversized Holiday T-shirt
Oversized T-shirts are something that can be used by everybody on your list. Your gym rat bestie can wear it as a pump cover, your mom can wear it as a sleep shirt, or your dad can wear it while grilling over the holidays. As I write this article, I am wearing an oversized Santa shirt from Old Navy which is so soft and comfortable that I have three more in my closet with slightly different holiday designs. The best part is that they were only $10 each; they’re one of my favorite Black Friday finds from this year. Anybody that you are building a Burr Basket for will really appreciate this adorable gift, and although it’s usually smart not to buy people clothes, this is a good exception.
7. Jewelry
The one thing that all three of my roommates wanted for Christmas this year was jewelry. Since I’m just a college girl on a budget, there was no way that I could afford to buy them something nice, so I did some digging. After much research, I found the brand Pavoi on Amazon, and it is with great pleasure that I recommend it to you.
Around four weeks ago, I bought my first pair of Pavoi earrings, and despite the fact that I wear them in the shower, swimming, playing sports, and walking around campus, they haven’t tarnished or hurt my ears one bit. So, if you’re looking for a cheap but good brand, Pavoi is the one for you. With that being said, if you can afford to buy your friends something a little nicer, then play ball! From rings to bracelets to necklaces and chains, I’m sure that they’ll love anything that you pick out.
8. Holiday Stuffed Animal
A nice addition to a Burr Basket is something that your friend or partner can cuddle up next to in bed. This idea may not be for everybody, but it’s hard to resist a holiday stuffed animal. Target and Five Below both have holiday Squishmallows from $5 to $15 with some of the cutest characters being a Christmas tree, yeti, snowman, Christmas cactus, gingerbread cat, and peppermint moose. It’s worth looking into, if not as a gift, then for yourself!
9. Something Creative
This category should prompt something specific to the person you are building this basket for. Here’s where you should come up with something creative of your own that you know they would enjoy. Maybe they love taking pictures with friends and you want to give them a disposable camera or Polaroid film for the camera they already have. For music lovers, you could think about giving them a vinyl record or making them a playlist. Lastly, for all of the readers and BookTok scrollers out there, a holiday book could be great too.
10. Something Sentimental
As the last category of ideas, this is optional depending on how close you are to the person you are making a Burr Basket for. Your parents, best friends, or partner would most likely love a sweet card or framed picture of you together. Another great idea would be to go to Paint-A-Pot on Florida State’s campus in the Askew Student Life Center and paint something for them. However, if you’re doing Secret Santa with your coworkers, this part is probably not needed. That’s for you to gauge.
No matter who you’re shopping for this holiday season, a Burr Basket is sure to be a fun option!
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