Written by The Strategy

A rule of thumb that many people stick to during the Holiday season is to buy gift baskets. They come in many forms— boxes to bags to actual baskets— and contain an assortment of anything you might want to gift. Be it chocolate, wine, bath soaps, cosmetics and anything beyond or in-between, there is a pre-made bundle out there somewhere.

The difficult part about buying gift baskets is the price. Is it really worth it to buy a prepackaged bunch of thematically chosen items over building a set of more personal things? Speaking in terms of cost, it seems like springing for the already made bunch would be worth it. And it probably is. But then comes the question of “Will they actually like this stuff?”

Usually, but not very often, a gift bundle includes five to seven items, of which only about two or three will actually be used. And the unused bits? Tossed in a cupboard, under a sink, in a drawer, or likewise. Forgotten about until the yearly Spring cleaning. Unless you know for sure that the recipient of the gift basket loves those products, the fate of said products is uncertain.

That’s not to say that constructing your own basket is foolproof. It takes a lot of time, a lot of effort, and— surprise— a lot of creativity. That said, you can usually hunt down fewer more personal items that will constitute the perfect basket for the perfect person.

To avoid all the thinking, we’re making up a new rule of thumb. If the gift basket items are tried and true and worth every penny, gift away. If you think you can do better or want to make it more personal, build your own.

For some inspo, shop our Essentials below for potential gift basket items we wouldn’t, ahem, toss under a sink any time soon.

Written by Katrina Garofalo