Thrifty Indoor Winter Picnic Basket
When out shopping, I can’t resist a great deal. This past holiday season, I bought quite a few things that I loved but had no need for.
Yet, when the price is right, I can’t resist.
At Michaels, I picked up the below wire basket with the burlap ribbon and the two navy snowflake mugs at 70% off. Yet, the holidays came and went and I hadn’t done anything with these items.
Shortly thereafter, I thought of putting together a winter picnic basket. I love giving gift boxes and baskets – they are fun to put together and unique gifts are always so appreciated.
This indoor winter picnic basket is perfect for so many occasions – a special gift for your husband or wife, a Valentine’s picnic basket for couples or families, or a holiday gift for someone who has everything.
It’s even something you could save for a snowy day spent fireside.
My favorite part of this gift is the soft, fluffy blanket that I used to line the basket.
The blanket is perfect for an indoor picnic – and who couldn’t use another cozy throw?!
I just love this wire basket – it’s rustic yet modern looking.
It came with the burlap ribbon wrapped around it, which meant no additional fussing or ribbon was needed later on 🙂
Gathering Winter Picnic Basket Items
I picked up the red snowflake plates and napkins to go with the mugs (Dollar Tree finds).
Navy and red are one of my favorite color combinations.
I put together some snacks to go in the basket. We love Mary Gone Crackers (vegan and gluten free!) as well as Lara Bars. The chocolate coconut ones taste like brownies 🙂
When picking snacks, don’t forget to think about refrigeration. If you are giving it as a gift, you probably want to stay away from things needing to be refrigerated – like cheese.
You could also include a thermos that could be used for hot chocolate or soups.
Assembling The Winter Basket
To assemble, I simply laid the blanket at the bottom of the basket, wrapping the extra around the back, and arranged the items.
The blanket worked great for the lining because it made propping up the items easy – and it served as cushion for the fragile mugs.
I had a little “help” with the arranging… our buddy Zeus. He actually wanted the crackers in the basket and was begging 🙂 He looks huge next to the basket.
As a side note, in this picture, I was attempting to use tissue paper at the bottom of the basket, but the drab tissue took the elegant basket down a few notches. That’s when I decided to make the blanket work.
The basket took minutes to put together, and the total cost was around $30. The basket, mugs, plates, and napkins were $8 – you can’t beat that!
The snacks and blanket brought it up to $30, but the blanket was on sale too 🙂
The winter picnic basket is not only a unique, creative gift but it’s something friends and family will find so thoughtful. You can put a romantic spin on it for husbands, wives, boyfriends, or girlfriends, too 🙂 Especially with Valentine’s Day coming up 🙂
And, I have to say buying things you love at the right price definitely results in some creative, cute gift ideas 🙂
This looks so beautiful and yet easy to put together. Very clever use of bits and bobs. #CreativeMondays
Thanks, Fiona! :):)
What a fun idea! That would be an adorable housewarming gift for a new neighbor that moves in during the winter!
Thanks, Leslie! Housewarming gift is a great idea!
What a lovely gift idea! Thanks for sharing on the Pleasures of the NW’s DIY Party!
Thanks, Helen! 😉
This is a really cute idea!! It would work as a great gift for so many occasions – love the housewarming idea or for Valentine’s Day!
Thanks, Tracey! :))
I may or may not be gifting something similar to my husband for his Valentine’s Day gift. It’s a man basket 🙂
Haaha I’m sure he’ll love it 🙂
Perfect idea! I’m totally over winter, so this may be just what the doctor ordered. Super cute job!
#happynowlinkup
Haha thanks WebMDiva! I’m always ready for summer:)
Such a cute and cozy looking gift idea.
Thanks, Mother of 3!:)
Great post.. I love, love, LOVE winter nights in <3 Thanks for the inspiration! Visiting from MMBH!
Thanks, Denisse! Me too :))
I love this! So cute!
Thanks, Laura :))
This is such a great idea for Valentine’s Day!!!
Thanks, Jamie!! :))
The blanket was a great choice and this is a fun idea.
Thanks Sandra!
Your dog is adorable!! The snacks look delicious, and now I really want to try those Larabars as a healthy alternative to brownies. And I LO e the mugs, so cute. Sharing this on Twitter.
Thanks so much, Rachael! Yes, the Lara bars are so good and no bad ingredients!:)
Very clever, love that wire basket – looks like an egg collecting basket – would look wonderful in my kitchen, LOL!! Zeus is a darling!
Thanks Carole!! Haha it does look like an egg collecting basket – which is probably why I love it! I have a few of the hen wire baskets in my kitchen:)
Great gift idea!
Thanks Michele!
This is a really cute idea
Thanks Kristin!:)
I’m a sucker for a good gift basket! This looks like a great combination of practical but cute items that won’t break the bank. Great idea.
Thanks Alayna! Yes, baskets can get expensive so I try to find thrifty things:)
It looks so pretty!
Thanks Cristina!
So cozy! Your little winter picnic basket is perfect for a picnic in front of the fireplace! Thanks so much for sharing at Sweet Inspiration this week!
Thanks so much Katrin! Trying to make winter a little more fun:)
Thanks Jess:) would love to:)
What a cute idea! Pinning and sharing! Thanks for linking up to #HomeMattersParty
Thanks, Emily!! I appreciate the pin too 🙂
I love this idea. Maybe I will fill it with my girls’ favorite and we can have a family picnic waiting to happen.
Thanks, Nicole! Yes – sounds perfect 🙂
This is such a great looking gift basket, perfect for Valentines Day by the way. I love it!
Thanks, Debbie! I love a cute gift basket 🙂
Charming idea for a gift. Thank you so much for sharing at Vintage Charm.
Hey, Eileen! Just wanted to let you know that we loved your Thrifty Winter Basket so much when you shared it at the #HomeMattersParty last week, we’ve FEATURED it THIS WEEK! Hope you can check it out when you get a sec. Happy Friday! http://ourcraftymom.com/home-matters-linky-party-123/
Michelle~Our Crafty Mom
Thank you for sharing this on the Simply Sweet Home Linky Party. You are my feature choice for this week. I look forward to creating one of my own. Thanks for the inspiration.
What a sweet and lovely idea! Your basket is beautiful ! Way to keep the spark alive! Thanks for sharing! #HomeMattersParty
Jeannee
This is a great basket. I’m picturing it as a Christmas gift basket with filled with a throw, candles, a mug, homemade hot chocolate and cookies. Thanks for sharing on Sunday’s Best. I’ll be searching for one!