Christmas Hampers - You Can Make Your Own
Making a gift hamper visually appealing is much more than just piling products into a basket. Product combination, theme, colour schemes, basket balance, fillers and stuffing, wrapping, and finally ribbons and bows are all factors in making the perfect gift basket. If you need to make a gift hamper for an occasion and have no previous experience, follow this easy to read guide to make your own. Whilst making a hamper is simple with some experience, there are also some timeless tips to get everything just right, and here's the place to find out.
1. Basket and Balance
The first thing to consider is the basket itself and the balance of the products in it once assembled. The general idea is to have the products balanced towards the front side of the basket, which means there is a natural tendency for the basket to fall forward once it is made. So to counter this fill the base of the basket with densely packed filler, like shredded paper densely packed, or sand in resealable bags, or styrofoam peanuts.
Having a steady base makes for more creative freedom when you are assembling your products - and you'll see why in a moment.
2. Colors and Combinations
Browsing around online, you will notice that many commercial gift baskets offer color themed options, that go a long way towards lending an impression of professionalism and just looking right. One of the key considerations, which can be difficult to match, is having a colour theme. Simply keep in mind that matching together similar tones and colours in the hamper means that the whole impression will be of subtle togetherness. This means labels, logos and packaging of the products, because although it may be your least likely consideration, having a harmonious color combination can literally distinguish great from just good.
3. Jars and Bottles
A food hamper will always have jars and bottles in it, and the trick is to avoid glass rattle and glass touch - both can be early indicators that the glass will break in transit. Other than this it is important to simply have the jars and bottles arranged so they sit tight and won't fall over whilst the basket is being carried. A clever design tip is to place bubble wrap where two items may touch, so they you never have glass exposed to glass, which is likely to crack or break. Other tips are to keep the glass products surrounded by non-glass products so there other products act as buffers and absorb the bumps and shocks of transit.
4. Wrapping with Cellophane
The first thing you notice about crisp cellophane wrapped hamper from a heat shrunk wrapped hamper is the shiny gloss of the cellophane. So although some commercial gift basket operations will use matt heat shrink wrapping, stick to the traditional cellophane wrap. The shine is priceless in terms of appeal and impact for the recipient. Further, it pays to have the crisp, heavier weight cellophane for wrapping as this too makes all the difference with holding itself together and working to maintain the shape and posture of the basket. There is nothing worse than your basket display falling over on itself because the cellophane is too thin a grade to support a heavier product.
With these four basic tips you should be well on your way to making a memorable Christmas Hamper or gift basket. Of course, like all handmade goods, a hamper is a reflection of your personal style and taste, so do take the extra effort to give your creation a unique touch. And have fun. Making Gift Baskets should be all about fun and sharing!
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