How to Build Your “Burr Basket”

The holiday season is here, and perhaps you’ve started searching for special gifts for your friends, family, or even a coworker for your workplace’s “Secret Santa.” Whether you already have a good idea for your gift or you are just starting to research, this guide will help you get started with four perfect holiday gift bundles for your special person. While you can use the bundles as described, I recommend that you mix and match items from the categories into a curated Burr Basket for a thoughtful and balanced gift!

“Burr Baskets” are similar to the “Boo Baskets” from Halloween, where we saw people grabbing plushies, chocolates, snacks, and cute gifts off the shelves to dump into a pretty basket for their “boo.” In this case, people are grabbing things off the shelf to create a ‘keeping warm’ basket: blankies, plushies, goodies and more! It’s not just for your boo, you can customize the collections to each person you gift!

So, let’s get started!

Before we even get into the gifts, we need a basket. This woven one from Amazon should do the trick! Or, you can go to your local Target and grab this white coiled-rope basket. Your recipient can even reuse these for storage purposes, making the basket itself a bonus gift. 

Now: the gifts. 

#1: Candles

I might be a little biased, having just bought a delicious Woodwicks Island Getaway Trilogy jar from Yankee Candle to add to my ever-growing collection (it smells heavenly if you were wondering), but candles are a surefire way to make your special person happy! There are so many varieties, from sweet, apple cider and cinnamon to minty, mountain lodge flavors that bring you right back to the fireplace, sipping eggnog and rocking on a brown armchair. 

The first way to judge what scents they would like is simply by understanding their tolerance levels for smell. I find most holiday scents overpowering and too sweet; I would not buy them for myself, nor for a friend who enjoys a subtle fragrance. But, of course if your person prefers those stronger holiday scents, you can pick one to three of those scents to put a bow on!

Now, the key to finding the right scent is finding a connection to their personality, taste, and likes. For example, a dark, strong tiramisu scented candle would be a great addition to your coffee-addict friend’s collection. 

When you go candle shopping, especially at places like Yankee Candle, jars are labeled with activities and sceneries. Look through the names, breathe in any aromas that pop out to you, and think about what they would connect to. 

When I was browsing, I saw a scent labeled “St. Lucia Skies” and I knew exactly who would love that jar–my friend who just spent a very special holiday there. You might find a jar similarly organically, or you may want to check the flavor list below for ideas.

Woods/Forest/Nature:

• “Canyon Pile Trail:” subtle pine, fern, and citrusy scent (one of my favorites)
• “Log Cabin Flannel:” a mini three-wick jar with black pepper, cinnamon, and sandalwood notes
• “Warm Woods Trilogy:” a three-layered candle with redwood, sandalwood, and clove scents
• “Seaside Woods:” woodsy with orange and floral notes (another personal favorite)

Sugary Sweet:

• “Santa’s Cookies:” sweet vanilla mixed with notes of cardamom, cinnamon, and clove
• “Chocolate Lake Cake:” rich, fruity, and chocolate scented–smells like baking brownies
• “French Vanilla:” light, airy, and buttery–smells like baking vanilla cookies

Fresh/Clean Laundry/Ocean

• “Warm Luxe Cashmere:” smells like fresh laundry
• “Paddling on the Lake:” clean, ocean scent
• “Turquoise Sky:” ocean waves and white lily notes

#2: Desserts

Who doesn’t like sweets? The first thing you need to grab is hot chocolate to fill up your basket. You can even add some boxes of this Starbucks Instant Christmas Blend to keep them energized all day, and throw in this holiday mug from Amazon.

Next, you can fill up the basket with these delicious snacks. 

• Pumpkin Spiced Hot Chocolate: for those who still haven’t quite gotten over autumn yet
• Hershey’s Hot Chocolate Bombs: chocolate shells with marshmallow filling
• Pirouline Wafers: choose from dark chocolate and hazel holiday-themed wafers
• Homemade cookies and brownies! 

#3: things to keep Warm Outdoors

It’s definitely getting chilly outside, so another perfect gift could be a cute gift basket filled with all the warm essentials you need to stay cozy this season. 

One addition to your basket can be a nice, warm scarf! This long, fringed scarf is the perfect addition to any night out outfit.

Or, you can order this creamy wool bandana from Zara to add a cute touch to your outfits.

You could also add a pair of matching gloves to the scarves, or maybe even a pair of earmuffs for the extra layer of warmth. 

Lastly, it’s important to keep your head warm, so order them this fuzzy brown bucket hat from H&M!

#4: things to keep cozy indoors

As important as it is to stay heated outside, it’s important to stay warm and cozy indoors. This fuzzy blanket from Amazon is sure to keep them snuggled up on their couch with this adorable penguin plushie. You can also get these soft, fluffy slippers that they can wear around the house. While all of these are options found online, your local Target should have all the essentials too. 

To make the basket even more special, this long, purple pajama set from Victoria Secret can also be a cute choice! Again, any cute, fuzzy pajamas found at your local shops work too. 

Finally, you can always add these extra trinkets to your Burr Basket.

• Lip balm (because it’s cold and dry out here)
• Books to snuggle up in bed with
• Fragrance sprays

Happy gifting!

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