Hawaiian gift baskets and boxes are wonderful to give to nearly anyone for virtually any occasion. How can someone say no to a gift basket brimming with delicious candies, baked treats, and gifts from Hawaii? Personalize it with one or two added extras for a winning gift to make your loved one smile!
A Gift Basket Is the Perfect Gift Because…
Whether it’s for a loved one, a casual acquaintance, or a business contact, finding the right gift can be difficult. How do you narrow it down to just one thing? You can avoid the stress with a gift basket. Here’s how:
It’s suitable for any occasion: Whether it’s a holiday gift, a birthday gift, a baby shower gift basket, or something else, it’s easy to buy or build a gift basket that’s perfect for what you need. The only limit on what you put inside is the basket’s size, so they’re incredibly versatile.
And any recipient: Another reason gift boxes and baskets are popular is because they can be tailored to the recipient’s preferences. Whether they’re a Disney fan, or they love dogs, golf, or Hawaiian vacations, there’s a way to create a gift basket that includes elements of their favorite things. You can craft a gift basket from the ground up or buy a pre-filled gift box and then send along one or two extra items you know they’ll love.
It fits your budget: The versatility of gift baskets makes it easy to adjust the cost based on what you’re comfortable spending. Giving generous and meaningful gifts doesn’t have to break the bank—it’s just a matter of being thoughtful about what you buy. Choose one or two quality items to build the basket around then, based on what’s in your wallet, fill in the gaps with other treats.
It’s unique: If you’re feeling creative, you can build a gift basket yourself with items from Hawaii that you hand select. Or you can choose a gift basket pre-filled with Hawaiian snacks that’s just as unique and one-of-a-kind—sure to delight your recipient. Surprise them with items they’ve never tried before or items they wouldn’t think to buy for themselves. It’ll make your gift basket a memorable gift and experience.
Who Can You Give a Gift Basket to?
The short answer is: anyone! A gift box or basket can be built around virtually any theme, making it a suitable gift for any occasion and any recipient. If you know the person well, it’s easy to personalize the gift with items you know they’ll love. For acquaintances and others, include a variety of items so they have plenty to enjoy and share.
Gift baskets are great for:
- Celebrations, like birthdays, engagements and weddings, baby showers, and anniversaries
- Thank-you and appreciation gifts for volunteers and helpers, teachers, friends, and neighbors
- Business gifts for bosses, employees, colleagues, customers and clients, and other contacts
How to Build the Perfect Hawaiian Gift Basket
Putting together a gift basket with products from Hawaii is easier than it sounds. In fact, shopping for and putting together the gift can be a lot of fun, especially when you think about the look of delight on the face of the person you’re giving it to.
1. Choose the Gifts
Your first step is typically to choose a theme, but in this case, you already have that taken care of! Next, you’ll choose the gift items to go in the basket.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
- For a coffee-lover, create a Hawaiian coffee gift basket with a bag of 100% Kona coffee – Hawaiian coffee pairs beautifully with sweet things, so add some macadamia nut biscotti. If the recipient isn’t a coffee drinker but still loves the taste, opt for Kona coffee cookies or chocolate-covered coffee beans.
- For a macadamia fan, choose a bag of roasted Hawaiian macadamia nuts and some extra macadamia treats, like melt-in-the-mouth shortbread or chocolate-coated nuts.
- Add baked treats to your Hawaiian gift basket, like salt cookies or pineapple Manju cookies.
- For people who love to try new foods, go for something unique – Chocolate-dipped Ika, a salty dried cuttlefish, pairs perfectly with rich milk chocolate.
- Fresh-cut flowers – Tropical flowers or Hawaiian flowers make a show-stopping addition to a gift basket.
- Fresh and dried fruits – A fresh fruit basket is a lovely surprise, but sometimes shipping can be more complicated. Dried fruits hold up well and make a nice addition to a gift filled with sweets. Want to keep a sweet-but-fruity theme? Try pineapple manju!
2. Choose a Container
Once you’ve gathered your selection of gifts, think about the size of the container or vessel in which to arrange them. It could be a basket or a box, but a few unique ideas include:
- A sand bucket
- A tote bag
- A planter pot
- An umbrella
Any kind of container can work if it fits the theme. Along with the basket, gather a few extra decorative items, such as cellophane and ribbon, plus a packing material. To keep the Hawaiian feeling, pick a natural material like raffia or shredded brown paper.
3. Assemble the Basket
To assemble your Hawaiian gift basket, start by adding a layer of your packing material to the bottom of the container. Next, place the sturdiest of the gift items into the center of the container. Position the rest of the items around this central one, putting taller items, like bags of Hawaiian coffee, to the back of the arrangement and smaller items at the front. Once the arrangement is set, make sure each item is facing forwards, so its label is visible. Then fill in any gaps with packing material.
Finally, wrap the whole thing up in a couple layers of cellophane. Lay the cellophane out flat, then place the basket or container carefully in the center. Wrap it by bringing the sides of the cellophane layers up so the ends meet at the top of the basket. Alternatively, use a cellophane gift bag instead of cellophane sheets. Secure the cellophane by tying the ends with ribbon, add a bow or any other decorative elements, and attach a card to finish.
Where to Find Amazing Hawaiian Products for Your Gift Basket
Whether you live in Hawaii or elsewhere in the United States, finding Hawaiian products and items that remind you of Hawaii is easier than you might think!
- At Big Island Candies, we make delicious Hawaiian treats from local ingredients, including freshly-roasted macadamia nuts and 100% Kona and Ka’u coffee, sourced right here in Hawaii.
- Check out local craft stores, dollar stores, or big box stores. They can be a great place to find “filler” items, decorations, and baskets and other containers.
- If you have specific items in mind, searching online will usually help you find what you’re looking for. This can be the best way to go if there are particular items you want to include in your Hawaiian gift basket, like an Aloha shirt or a lei.
Make Gifting Easy with a Pre-Packed Gift Basket
If you’d rather buy a beautiful gift basket than source the items yourself, you have options! Big Island Candies has a range of gift boxes and baskets, filled with some of our most popular baked goods, candies, and other treats.
- Our Large Grand Basket is exactly what the name suggests – It’s our biggest gift basket, and it’s packed with delicious treats, including shortbreads, brownies, macadamia nuts, and toffees, plus a bag of aromatic Kona coffee.
- Our Coffee Lovers Gourmet Gift Basket is perfect for the caffeine-hound in your life, with a bag of smooth Kona coffee, chocolate-covered coffee beans, plus delectable baked goods and Hawaiian macadamia nuts.
- Celebrate the taste of Hawaii with our Vintage Tropical Box, which includes shortbreads, brownies, toffees, and biscotti.
What makes these gift baskets really special is that the contents are handcrafted in, and shipped from, Hawaii straight to your recipient’s door.
Make Someone Smile with a Gift Basket from Hawaii
There’s something about receiving a gift basket that just makes people smile. Unwrapping the basket, examining each item, and of course, all those delicious treats! No matter what you want your gift to say, a gift basket is the perfect way to say it.