How to Make Your Own Birthday Gift Basket

A gift basket can make for a great present for celebrating a birthday for any age. The most important part is finding appropriate items based on the person's interests and age. It also helps if the container itself is appropriate for the occasion and matches the overall theme of the gift. These gifts do not have to be in a traditional wicker basket anymore. We've seen people use coolers, dump trucks, miniature wagons, golf ball buckets and more. The sky is the limit when it comes to imaginative containers. Here are a few ideas on what to put in your next birthday gift basket and instructions for assembling the perfect birthday gift.

Your first step is to choose a basket or container. Make sure the container you choose is appropriate for age and gender. For example, for a little boy you could just a dump truck. A teenage girl might enjoy a purse. For adult men, popular containers include sports themes, and for an adult woman you could use a watering can. You need to pick a container that has openings to place your gift items inside. Also look for something with a flat bottom so your gift basket will stand upright. You stuff the inside of the container with crumpled newsprint so that it will hold its shape and also as a base to place your individual gift items. If the newsprint is visible, cover it up with shred to match your container. If you don't have any newsprint, you can buy it at most packing stores. Shred is available at many craft stores. You can also find many different shapes and sizes of wicker baskets at craft stores if you want to keep your birthday gift basket more generic.

Once you have your container picked out, the next step is to find some birthday gifts and treats to put inside. This again can be anything that the birthday celebrant would enjoy. For young kids, you can use small toys, board books, and candy. Teenage girls love nail polish, hair clips, jewelry and more. For adults, snack items like cookies, pretzels, nuts, etc. are always great, but try to also add something tailored to the birthday celebrants specific interests like golf tees if he is a golfer. Your gift basket will look better if the container is full, so we recommend that you bring your container with you when picking out items to fill it with. That way, you won't buy something that is too big for you to use in the container and you can make sure that you buy enough items to fill the container to the brim.

Once you have the container and items, it is time to assemble your masterpiece. We recommend that you fill the inside of the container with crinkle shred. You can also use some double-sided tape to hold items together and keep them from moving all around. Put taller items toward the back of the basket and smaller items toward the front. If you purchased any embellishments like silk flowers or mini birthday balloons add them once your contents are in place. Once your gift is fully assembled, carefully place the basket inside a basket bag (can be purchased at local craft store), gather together the excess cellophane at the top of the basket and tie it off with a curling ribbon. Another hint is to tape the excess cellophane at the bottom of the basket underneath the gift with some clear tape. That way you can get a professional tight looking fit around the gift. Add a big bow and fun gift card to finish off the perfect birthday gift!

Don't have time to make a Birthday Gift Basket yourself? Check out the great selection of birthday gift baskets at All About Gifts & Baskets. They have many birthday designs to choose from, for kids and adults. Choose from gift baskets, cookies, candy, and of course birthday cakes delivered!

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How I Threw a World Class Party With Sesame Street First Birthday Party Supplies

I am writing this article to help all of you moms out there that are looking for first birthday ideas for your baby's first birthday. Ya, you can go out and purchase first birthday party supplies, have some cake, a few people over for an hour or two and leave it at that. However, the first birthday is the most special birthday of them all and that calls for a special party. In this article I am going to explain how I threw a world class party for my daughters first birthday and how you can do the same.

As my daughter was approaching her first birthday, her most favorite thing in the world was Sesame Street and her Elmo doll. So when I started to plan her first birthday of course I chose Sesame Street as the theme. After I purchased the Sesame Street first birthday party supplies the real fun began.

Decorating The Scene

We had three main areas where the party was going to take place. The Living room, the dining room and the kitchen. I chose red as the primary color for the theme and green, yellow and blue as accent colors. In the foyer, which is open to the living room, I set a long rectangular table and placed a solid red table cover on in it. I baked ABC and 123 cookies and covered them with green, yellow, red and blue sprinkles. I placed the cookies around the edge of the table.

Just inside of the cookies on the right I set a Sesame Street centerpiece and on the left a small two-tiered cake with white frosting, Big Bird candle in the center and Rebecca's name along the top edge of the cake. The cake was set on a small glass cake plate with a white cake skirt. I cut several red, yellow and blue curling ribbon into 3 inch pieces, curled them up and sprinkled them over the cake. For a finishing touch I pushed a small Cookie Monster and a Elmo figurine candle into the front of the cake on either side.

Centered over the rectangular table, was a custom made banner. The banner consisted of a green "1st" on the left and a red "1st" on the right. I had "Brought to you by the letter R and the #1" printed in the center of the banner in black lettering on yellow background. I had made up several balloon bouquets, made up of red, yellow, blue and green latex balloons with a Sesame Street Mylar balloon floating in the center I attached them all to a red balloon weight. Two of these balloon bouquet masterpieces were placed flanking the table.

The living room was dominated by a large Sesame Street scene setter hung over the fireplace. Almost the whole Sesame Street gang, including Big Bird, Cookie Monster, Bert, Ernie, Elmo and Abby Cadabby were printed on the front with "Happy Birthday" at the top. To the left of the scene setter was the punch table with red tablecover, Sesame Street cups and crystal punch bowl. The punch bowl was filled with blue punch and yellow rubber duckies lazily floated around just like Ernie's duck pond. A four inch Bert doll proudly overlooked the whole ensemble. A Sesame Street happy birthday banner hung above the large couch and on the coffee table another balloon bouquet was placed.

To the left of the couch I made up the favor table on a end table. The favor table was covered with a red table cover and the ensemble consisted of a balloon bouquet, Sesame Street party hats and blowouts. Several picture refrigerator magnets staring Rebecca's smiling face were displayed on the edge as keepsakes for our wonderful guests. As a special treat, clear plastic cellophane favor bags filled with yellow and blue, custom M&M's that said "Happy Birthday" and "Happy Birthday Rebecca," tied off with red curling ribbon, were placed in the center of the table.

The dining room table was covered with another red table cover. I placed two Sesame Street centerpieces in the middle of the table a few feet apart with a clear ABC and 123 Mylar balloon in the center. Another Sesame Street banner hung over the table.

The kitchen was kept simple with a long buffet table and red table cover.

The Menu

When you party, you have to eat and the food spread was just amazing. Here is the menu:

(2) Fruit and Cheese platters Potato Salad Bowl Mediterranean Salad Bowl (Sun dried tomatoes, olives, three cheeses, chicken, shell pasta and secret dressing) Shrimp and shrimp cocktail platter (2) Sandwich Platters (Ham and Swiss, roast beef and cheddar, and Turkey and American sandwiches)
Party Games

This was a first birthday party so the party games were kept simple and few in number. Pin the nose on Elmo was played with a $10 Target gift card as the prize. Scratcher tickets tickets were also handed out and several cash prizes were awarded.

Rebecca had her own fun activity to enjoy. A Sesame Street plastic tablecover was laid on the floor and her very own cake presented. After a little prodding and egging on, Rebecca dove right in and covered herself with frosting and cake.

Not bad for a first birthday huh? With a little creative thinking we turned a few Sesame Street First Birthday Party Supplies into a world-class party. Everyone had a great time and Rebecca had a first birthday she will be telling her grand kids about.

Thanks for reading this article,

Visit my party store for more first birthday ideas or to purchase first birthday party supplies

Julie

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A Christmas Birthday Party Needs Christmas Party Favor Ideas To Create Glad Tidings!

If you're looking for some Christmas party favor ideas for your upcoming Christmas birthday party, an office party, or your annual Christmas shindig, then here's some snazzy and jazzy options to consider. Your guests will indeed believe this to be the most wonderful time of the year!

MUG FULL OF YUM - For the chocolate lovers in your life, fill a Christmas mug full of Hershey's Kisses, envelope the mug with Christmas-printed cellophane, tie off with some fun ribbons, and hang a glitzy snowflake ornament on the outside.

ANOTHER MUG FULL OF YUM - Capitalize on chocolate and fill a Christmas mug with an envelope of hot chocolate, a small clear bag of mini marshmallows, and a package of creamer to make your hot "toddy" a bit more decadent. Once again, envelope the cup in a decorative cellophane and tie it off with coordinating ribbons and a dangling ornament.

CHOCOLATE CHRISTMAS TREE - Melt green chocolate candy melts and pour the melted chocolate into a Christmas tree-shaped candy mold. Lay a sucker stick into the warm chocolate. After the chocolate hardens, pop your trees out of the mold. Wrap the trees in cellophane and tie off with a ribbon.

If you want your tree to have decorations, then prior to pouring the green chocolate into the mold you'll need to "paint" your decorations onto the inside of the mold using a craft brush. Wilton's candy melts come in an array of colors, which makes it easy to paint on your ornaments, lights, garland, or whatever floats your boat!

WHIMSICAL WREATH ORNAMENTS - Buy some mini craft wreaths and decorate them with Christmas ribbons, berries, dried flowers, cinnamon sticks, holly, etc. Create a hanger by gluing a ribbon loop on the back.

In the alternative, you could decorate each wreath to coincide with your guests' interests. For example, if Suzie likes to sew, decorate your wreath with spools of thread, ribbons, scissors, etc. For Fisherman Frank, decorate his wreath with fishing lures, hooks, sinkers, rubber worms, thin rope, etc.

SPA DELIGHT - Make or buy a sugar scrub and put into small mason jars or decorative glass jars, which have tight lids. Decorate the outside with Christmas ribbons, cinnamon sticks, a sprig of holly, berries, etc. Tie a small spoon to the side, along with written instructions for use.

COOKIE CUTTERS - Print out your favorite cookie recipe on a recipe card. Place Christmas-shaped cookie-cutters into a decorative cellophane bag. Tie it off with colorful ribbons and attach your recipe to the outside.

CHRISTMAS CD - Download a mix of your favorite Christmas songs and create CD's for your guests. Add a decorative CD label, put into green or red CD sleeves, and close with a Christmas sticker.

If you're still looking for some additional Christmas birthday party favors or Christmas party favor ideas that could be used for an office party or to help make your home a sled full of fun, then you might want to visit our website. You'll also find lots of ideas for invitations, decorations, party food, and cakes, along with a fun assortment of Christmas games, which will complement your Christmas splendidly!

Find additional Christmas party favor ideas for your Christmas party or Christmas Birthday Party by visiting www.birthday-party-ideas-101.com, a party planning website written and edited by Professional Organizer, Elizabeth Chastain.

Copyright: You may freely republish this article, provided the text, author credit, the active links, and this copyright notice remain intact.

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