Encourage with Gift Baskets

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 I just love baskets, don’t you? Gift baskets are so wonderful. They look really fancy while they can cost so little. And they’re great for any occasion—new baby, new bride, new home, Christmas, birthday, Mother’s Day, any day. After all, everyone can use a little encouragement now and then.

Once you decide on the occasion, you’ve got to pick the basket or whatever container you choose. A bowl can be a great container for a Spaghetti Basket for a new bride. A baseball cap would work for a man. Or for a small encouragement gift, you might use a mug or a teacup. And a heart-shaped basket is terrific for Valentines, Mother’s Day or a bride.

You can also use bags—paper or cloth. These are especially good to use for evangelists and missionaries. These folks travel a lot and if you’ve ever seen one of those motor homes, you know that there’s just not much room. Baskets are beautiful, but not if you have to figure out what to do with it. Bags can be folded up or thrown away. Canvas or cloth bags are nice, especially if the missionary is going to a place where they will be walking to a market to do their shopping.

I find most of my baskets at yard sales or thrift shops. Usually for 25 cents to a dollar. Sometimes these baskets are a little worn or scratched, but that really doesn’t matter, since they can be spray-painted. White, red, green, gold, silver, or, my personal favorite, copper. But, really, you could paint your basket any color you choose.

As I said before, any occasion can be a basket occasion. For a new bride, why not do a spaghetti basket? With all she needs to make spaghetti, including the spaghetti server, Italian seasoning, garlic powder and a spaghetti sauce recipe.

What about a family who has just moved into a new home? Instead of Mom having to search through boxes for everything she needs to cook a meal, why not fix up a special bag? All you need is a paper grocery sack with a 2-liter drink, paper plates, paper cups, napkins, plastic silverware, pizza coupons, home-baked cookies and maybe even $20 for pizza. You might even want to get several other ladies to help with this.

Know a new mother or any mother or lady that needs a little cheering? How about a de-stress-ing basket? You can do bubble bath or bath salts and a candle or maybe a couple of special teas instead. Maybe add a journal and a small picture frame with a special verse in it, like Psalm 37:7, Psalm 30:5, Psalm 27:1, Psalm 28:7 or Philippians 1:3.

Does your child have a favorite school teacher or Sunday School teacher? Or maybe you just want to show your appreciation for one of your child’s teachers.  Teachers who teach young children can always use stickers. You might want to include a covered mug (to keep out the spit wads and paper airplanes), and some hot chocolate or tea. Maybe add some interesting sticky notes, a nice pen, red pens, a bookmark, or a blank book. Anything that she can use in class will be appreciated. Most teachers don’t make a large salary, Sunday School teachers teach without pay, yet many of them spend money on things for their classes. She invests a lot in your child, why not help her out a little and just say thank you?

Do you know someone that just dreads winter? Why not give them a winter encouragement basket? It definitely needs hot chocolate mix and a bag of mini marshmallows. You might want to throw in a mug. And what about some snowman stationary to brighten those gray days? Maybe you found some gloves or a hat and scarf or even some warm socks on a sale last spring and can include them in the basket. Or perhaps you found a snowman ornament while you were out Christmas shopping. Maybe you made too many chocolate chip cookies yesterday and want to add a few of those. Can you tell that I don’t do winter?

Maybe you know someone that just loves spring. Can’t wait to get out there and plant a garden. Why not put some gardening items in a large bucket. You know, gardening gloves, a spade, some seed packets, things like that. If you’re gardening friend does a lot of kneeling while working with those flowers, you might want to include one of those cushioned kneeling pads. Those are also great to sit on when you’re sitting on concrete bleachers watching your son play soccer.

Do you have an evangelist or missionary coming in? Remember… think small, disposable and pack-able. Toiletries can come in handy, especially if someone forgot their toothpaste…again. Note cards and postage stamps are useful. And local post cards can be nice, maybe their kids are staying with grandparents in another state or they can be taken to the missionary field to show to the children there. Maybe an eyeglass repair kit or eyeglass cleaning kit. You might even include a local map on which you’ve noted the location of the church, where your guest is staying and maybe the local Wal-mart in case someone left something like a shirt or tie along with the toothpaste.

And I just know that you’re pastor’s wife could use some encouragement. Do you know what her favorite colors are? Whether she drinks coffee or tea? What her favorite candy bar is? What her favorite flower is? If not, there are lots of ways to find out. Maybe she has a special craft she enjoys. Did she make the plastic canvas tissue holders in the auditorium or do the cross-stitched or calligraphy verse in the bathroom? What do you know about your pastor’s wife? Use what you know or what you learn to put together a basket that says, “Hey, I love you and I’m praying for you and I’m glad you’re my pastor’s wife.” Because, after all, everyone can use a little encouragement some time.

 

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