Although it is important to show the people we love that we love them every day, Valentine’s Day is a great excuse to go big. Depending on your style of gift-giving, you may decide to go for the classic roses and chocolates, or a romantic candlelit dinner. However, taking the time to create Valentine’s gift basket, personalized especially for your partner, can be a true way of displaying your love for them.
There are many different items you can put into your gift basket. The choices are endless which is why I am here to help you narrow down your options. There will also be many shops offering a ready-packaged gift basket with different goodies inside. Even though this is a good time-saving option, creating your own from scratch will add an extra special touch for your person.
Today I will be laying out seven great options for you to choose for your Valentine. These ideas will ensure you can create a beautiful Valentine’s Day gift basket. Whether your partner is a man or woman, you will find great suggestions for both. Even if the ideas suggested here by me do not fully resonate with you, they are guaranteed to give you some inspiration for your gift. So, what do you put in your Valentine’s gift basket?
How do you make Valentine’s gift basket?
If you like a rustic design of gifts, a beautiful wicker basket is a perfect start for making you Valentine’s Day gift. You can pick these up online, and they usually come in packs of three; small, medium, and large. You can use whichever sized basket for the gift, and then find other uses for the other two around your home. They are great for storing picnic gear, make-up, cutlery, and even shoes if you have one big enough.
Wicker baskets will also usually come with a lining inside. You can also buy them without. It will then be up to you if you want to add a lining to your basket. You can do this by finding some material in any homeware store, or again by ordering some online. You can then use velcro pads or double-sided tape to stick your material to the inside of your basket.
If you do not want to use a wicker basket, you can also use a box. Choose your size of the box and what color you would like. Homeware stores sell lots of different storage-style boxes that work perfectly for this. You can then get creative and paint your box or write a personalized message on it with craft pens. This is a lovely touch to make your gift extra special.
You can now start filling your gift basket with all sorts of different gifts inside for your person. Popular options include jewelry, chocolates, mini bottles of prosecco or wine, and mini picture frames of the two of you together inside. It is important to choose gifts that are small to easily fit inside the basket you have chosen. If you have chosen a much bigger basket, you can choose bigger gifts to go inside. These may include full-sized bottles of prosecco or wine, a selection pack of little cactus house plants, some books, full-sized boxes of chocolates, and maybe even a balloon.
You can arrange your gifts into the order you would like your recipient to see them when they first get presented with their gift basket. Furthermore, decorating your basket with ribbons and bows is also a lovely option to finish with. This ties the presentation together beautifully.
If you are wanting to make a gift basket, but to tone down on the fancy, you can also use rustic grey buckets as a container for your gifts. You can find these at many homeware stores in the interior sections. Be sure to look for tin buckets with a matt or gloss finish. There are different styles of these that you can choose from, and they make for a great alternative to the fancy baskets.
If you choose to use a tin bucket, you can line it with some brown paper or fabric. This keeps the fancy Valentine’s Day-themed decorations to a minimum and works great for those of you who are not looking to go all out with the pinks and reds. You can then start filling the bucket with things such as a new tool kit, a six-pack of brewery beer, a nice bottle of red, some fancy socks, and some aftershave.
All ideas suggested here for what to use for your gift basket can work for both men and women. You will know which will work best for your partner. And they will love that you have made this special effort in designing their entire gift basket from scratch. Decorate your gift as appropriately as you can for the person you are gifting it to. After all, this is your way of showing them that you know and love them very much, so ensure it is suited to their likes and dislikes.
I will now move on to looking at ten great gift ideas for both men and women. These will be gifts designed specifically for a gift basket, and so the sizes of them will match appropriately. You can adjust as you go depending on the size of the basket you choose.
What do you put in Valentine’s gift basket for men?
If you are looking for Valentine’s gift ideas for men, then you are in the right place. As someone who has shopped many times for men, I understand how difficult it can sometimes be to find the perfect gift. When filling your gift basket, it is best to stick to a theme. This is where your gifts will become more personalized so ensure you have decided on what this will be.
Gift ideas
1. Personalised Aftershave
The first great gift idea for men is a pack of mini aftershaves. Brands such as Calvin Klein, Hugo Boss, PACO RABANNE, and Versace manufacture these. Whichever aftershave your man uses, there is bound to be a small selection pack from his favorite brands. If you know the exact type he uses, you can also buy a full-sized bottle.
If you wanted to go the extra mile here, stores such as The Perfume Shop offer personalized engraving on aftershave bottles. You can engrave either the person’s name on the bottle or write your little message for them. This will compliment your entire gift basket, making it that bit more customized for your partner.
2. Jewelry
Another gift you can buy for your partner includes jewelry. Men have an array of awesome pieces of jewelry up for grabs. Whether it’s a stainless steel ring or a clasped leather bracelet, there will be tons to choose from on unique sites such as notonthehighstreet and Etsy. Depending on your chosen theme too, you will most likely find something here that will be linked.
For example, if your basket is music-themed or Nordic-themed, you can search for pieces of jewelry reflecting this. You will find some amazing and interesting pieces on these sites. It is also super fun to browse through the different seller’s products and see the incredible things people come up with.
3. Alcoholic beverage
This gift is where you can add the celebration. Depending on whether your partner is a beer or a wine drinker, you can grab some fancy bottles of his favorite drink to fill out your gift basket. If he enjoys beer, there are lots of unique breweries selling different kinds of lagers and ales that he can try.
This is also a way for you both to try new things and discover new places to go and have a drink together. Many of these breweries will offer small gift packs of taster beers, which are ideal for your gift basket.
If your partner is more of a wine lover, filling out your gift basket with a bottle of his favorite wine is also a perfect way to go. You may also find more wineries in your area that the two of you can visit in the process.
4. Personalised Chocolates
A more classic idea is a gift linking to chocolates. If you are more traditional on Valentine’s Day, then you will not want to fill your gift basket without adding in some of his favorite chocolates. As you know, many chocolate companies release a wide range of special Valentine’s chocolates, so you have lots to choose from.
If you are wanting to go down the more personalized route again here, most chocolate companies will offer these services. Particularly around this time of year. You can also find chocolate letters which is a nice way of tailoring your gift.
5. Gift Voucher
An iTunes gift voucher. The gift of music is the best gift of all. And if your partner is a music lover, then this is a perfect way of celebrating this passion of theirs. If they do not use iTunes, then you can instead buy live tickets to any local bands playing in your area. This will give the pair of you something fun to look forward to while trying out some new music.
An Amazon gift voucher also works well here. Or a gift voucher to any of their favorite stores. Just ensure it is well-thought-out and links to one of their interests.
6. Novelty Socks/Underwear
Other fun fillers for your gift basket include funky and quirky socks and underwear. Novelty boxers are always a fun place to start, and depending on the seriousness of your partner, this can be a fun little gift to pop in their basket.
There are also a variety of wacky patterned socks which also add a fun edge to your gift. These can be found on novelty sites online, or in retail stores. The same for the boxers.
7. Photo Frame/Personalised T-Shirt
The last gift idea is one tailored more to the pair of you. This can be a picture frame with a picture of the two of you in it. Maybe of a favorite memory of yours, or from a holiday you took together. This adds the touch of personalization and reminds your partner of this happy memory.
You can also print a picture on a t-shirt if you prefer, rather than in a picture frame. This will tie in your gift basket and your partner will feel truly special from the level of effort you have put in.
You can also tailor any of these gifts based on your partner’s needs. For example, a new wallet, a personalized key chain, memorabilia from a favorite sports team. These things can be switched around to your needs. However, I hope they have given you some good ideas on where to start.
What do you put in Valentine’s basket for women?
Some people may say shopping for women is easier for men. This may be true when it comes to Valentine’s Day. The consumerist side of the holiday has evolved into a niche of gifts for girls, that for the non-stereotypes, can be a nightmare. However, this is not the true meaning of the day.
If you intend to show your partner how much you love them, then creating a gift basket with thoughtful and personalized gifts inside, shows them that you know them. This is a beautiful opportunity so why not grasp it?
1. Mini Cactuses/Succulents
If your partner is a plant lover, you can buy a selection pack of mini cactuses or succulents. This is a bit different from the stereotype of flowers, and these plants last much longer with little watering efforts. You can find some jazzy pots with some super cute little guys inside, which to me is the perfect gift.
Also, if you look after them especially well, cactuses will flower. This is a particularly nice surprise when you see them on your windowsill with lots of little beautiful flowers sprouting out of them. Succulents are also lovely to look at and brighten up the inside of any home.
2. Flower Jewelry
If you like the cactus idea but are also more traditional, you can find jewelry with mini flowers welded inside the design. If you want to take more of a Valentine’s Day approach, you can look for rose jewelry or rose quartz.
Rose quartz is a beautiful semi-precious stone and there are many unique designs of necklaces, bracelets, and rings that include it. The stone also holds the meaning of universal love which is perfect for Valentine’s Day.
This sticks to the theme of the holiday but also gives your partner something they can enjoy for much longer than the life of a bunch of flowers. It also reduces the waste of the holiday and allows you to think outside the box for your gift basket. You can look on sites such as notonthehighstreet and Etsy for this.
3. ‘Staycation’
If you want to go larger this Valentine’s, you can book a staycation in a rustic Airbnb and print out the booking confirmation to place in your gift basket. Maybe there is a certain place your partner wants the two of you to visit, or maybe you have a favorite area to go to together.
A staycation is a lovely way of having something to look forward to, and it a fun way to spend quality time together as a couple.
Another creative way of presenting this to your partner is to design a personalized voucher for them with the details of the booking. You can draw this by hand or use sites such as Canva to create your design.
4. Alcoholic Beverage
If your partner is a wine or bubbles lover, you can add a bottle of celebration to your gift basket. You can buy mini bottles of prosecco in many supermarkets and liquor stores. These will fit snugly inside your basket and add a fancy touch to your gift.
If your partner is more of a spirit lover, you can buy mini selection packs of gin/vodka/rum depending on their likes. You can then pair these with mini cans of a mixer such as coca-cola, lemonade, and tonic water.
5. Personalised Gin/Champagne glasses
Following on from the gift idea of alcohol, you can also add some fancy glasses in your gift basket. Again, on the sites mentioned above, you can buy and personalize your wine, gin, or champagne glasses that will be delivered right to your door.
This gift idea will tie in well with the idea above, as it gives your partner something to enjoy for the long term as well as drinking alcoholic beverages. Plus, if you get a set of two glasses, there will be one for you as well.
6. Clothing/Accessories from favorite store
Accessories and items of clothing. For me, receiving things I would not necessarily always buy myself is something I enjoy. However, I also enjoy being gifted with things that I know I love and will use. If there are certain clothes shops your partner loves, consider adding a gift voucher for them to treat themselves with.
Alternatively, if your partner loves accessories such as small bags, purses, or hats, you can add these little things to their basket. If you know their style and taste, this will be a lovely surprise for them when they open their gift from you. Receiving things you can use in day-to-day life is a simple and enjoyable pleasure. To me, if someone chooses something that reflects my style and taste in clothing, it makes me feel as though the person really knows me.
7. Stationary from Notebook Therapy
The seventh and final idea is some beautiful stationery. Receiving these kinds of gifts is a true joy that people can have lots of use out of. There is a truly lovely Japanese company called Notebook Therapy that sells and designs notepads, pens, and pencil cases.
Their style is minimal with a high-quality product. I do own one of these myself and so can vouch for them as a good place to buy from.
There are many different designs, and I am sure if your partner loves notebooks, they will fall in love with whichever notebook you choose for them. Be sure to order with enough time, however, as shipping may take a little while. It is always better to be prepared when ordering from international sites.
So there we have it; seven great gift ideas for women for a Valentine’s Day gift basket. Any of the gift ideas presented here can be changed or modified as you wish. Some may be appropriate for your partner, and others may not. The important thing here is that you take the time in choosing things that reflect their likes and interests.
It shows you have taken extra steps in making the effort for their gift and it will make them feel highly valued and appreciated. You know your partner best. I hope you have at least found some inspiration here and that the two of you have a lovely time together.
How do you wrap a gift for Valentine’s Day?
There are many different styles of gift wrapping. You may want to wrap your gifts separately before putting them in your basket, in which case you will need to choose your wrapping paper. Tissue paper and rustic brown paper wrapping are effective and recyclable.
Fold the paper around your gift and stick with tape to hold it in place. You can then add bows and ribbon to your gift to decorate. Be sure to add a label and personal note. Once you have chosen, wrapped, and placed your gifts in your basket, you can now add any final touches for design.
Whichever style of the basket you have chosen, with whichever gifts inside, ensure you store your basket in a safe and dry place before presenting it. If you live together, you will want to make sure you keep it hidden if the gifts are not wrapped. You now know how to make the perfect gift basket for Valentine’s Day! I hope they love it.
