Homemade Hawaiian Gift Baskets -- Great Gift Ideas For a Hawaiian Luau!

Homemade Hawaiian Gift Baskets

Homemade Hawaiian Gift Baskets can be wonderful gifts for anyone who enjoys Hawaii. For example, as a bon voyage gift for anyone traveling to a tropical island, as a wedding gift for the couple honeymooning in Hawaii, or as a hostess gift if you are invited to a luau or other tropical party.

Let's start with the container that will hold the Hawaiian gifts. Baskets and wooden crates are appropriate for your homemade Hawaiian gift baskets. Unbreakable large bowls or trays with an edge are also good choices.

Whatever container you decide to use, you may want to read through my assembly web page which has a vast amount of valuable information: step-by-step assembly directions, filler product suggestions, decorating tips, and dozens of ideas to personalize your gift baskets.

When choosing assembly materials, artificial green moss cocktail would make a unique filler. Purchased shred is just fine, but moss is very appropriate for this theme. You can purchase this moss at well-stocked craft stores. If you can find clean, purchased straw that is a nice idea also.

Creating Homemade Hawaiian Gift Baskets can be as easy as fresh tropical fruits, dried fruit and nuts. Use a whole pineapple as the centerpiece of your gift basket and place smaller fruits around it.

Add fruits such as bananas, mango, coconut, passion fruit, lemons, limes and any other tropical fruits that are available.

You might want to include macadamia nuts, chocolate covered macadamia nuts, or macadamia nut brittle. Any kind of dried fruits are fine, but banana chips, mango, papaya, and pineapple are considered tropical.

Another idea is to make a spa and aromatherapy theme basket using only one scent. Plumeria, hibiscus, lavender, magnolia, or gardenia are considered tropical fragrances.

Use gift items such as bath salts, bubble bath, bars of soap, body lotion, and scented candles.

I would advise against including any kind of edible items with so many scented products as the scent may seep into the edible items.

However, if you can find a well-sealed tin can with tropical fruit flavored hard candies that would be a nice addition.

hawaiian plant

There are many symbols that are appropriate for homemade Hawaiian gift baskets. Some of these symbols are palm trees, flamingos, bamboo, sea shells, parrots, coconuts, tiki, hula girls, magnolias, pineapples, and leis.

Another nice touch would be to include a small live bamboo plant; bamboo indicates good luck.

A CD of Hawaiian music, a tropical cookbook, and travel guides are also nice gifts to add.

Here is a list of food gifts you may want to include in your Homemade Hawaiian Gift Baskets:

flavored coffee: vanilla, chocolate, or macadamia nut
topical flavored ice tea mixes
shortbread cookies or cookies with coconut, chocolate, or macadamia nuts
tropical dried fruits: banana chips, mango, papaya, pineapple, tropical mix
chocolate covered macadamia nuts or macadamia brittle
hard candy: coffee, pineapple, or tropical fruit flavors
tropical scented candles: plumeria, hibiscus, lavender, magnolia, or gardenia

I've probably given your more information than you need. Choose what sounds good to you and ignore the rest.

One final tip: The best gift baskets appear to be overstuffed. If you have empty spaces, use silk tropical flowers to fill in these spaces.

Home | Assembly | Themes | Empty Baskets | Contact Me