Create a Holiday Treat Basket from Duane Reade

Oftentimes, the hardest people to shop for are the ones we don’t know all too well, such as hair stylists, mailmen, coworkers, and even new friends. I like giving gifts, though it’s not always in my budget to get something big, not that it’s necessary. Small, inexpensive gifts can be thoughtful if personalized, like this gift basket I created with supplies purchased from Duane Reade. A gift like this is also good for a Secret Santa exchange or as a stocking stuffer. By including homemade goodies, it can be personalized even more.

When I was young, I was really into decorating gifts, which is why this cute treat box with a cellophane wrapper stood out to me. It’s big enough to fill with a few different, small items, and small enough to be the perfect size for a small gift.

If you’re unfamiliar with Duane Reade, it’s a drugstore in NYC and a few surrounding areas that is basically a one stop shop. There is also a great selection of holiday supplies, and while I was there I picked up candy for the treat box, wrapping paper, ornament hooks, and gift tags. What stood out to me, among the holiday supplies selection, was an assortment of gift boxes for clothing and other things. I use those more than you’d think, but I usually save various boxes throughout the year to accomplish this task.

For this box, I went with various white chocolate candies, such as peppermint bark and white chocolate truffles. Mini candy canes are perfect for adding an additional sweet holiday touch.

Each treat box includes one box, two cellophane wrappers, two red ribbons, and one gift tag. For an added touch, I lined the box with a sheet of tissue paper, though the inside of the box has a festive red-and-white color scheme and this step can be skipped, if desired.

Fill the box up with treats, then place the box in the middle of the wrapper. Gather the edges and string the red ribbon through the holes of the wrapper. Before tying the ribbons, string one side through the gift tag. Tie shut and curl the ribbons.

That’s all it takes to create a sweet (literally) gift. Isn’t it cute? If I were someone else, I’d appreciate being the recipient of this gift, but I may be biased since I like all the candy I picked out.