Create a Self-Care Gift Basket

The holidays can be stressful. Help a friend beat the stress with a self-care gift basket. MD Direct has been kind enough to sponsor this post to help bring you tips creating a self-care gift basket.

Self-care has become pretty trendy lately and I’m loving the trend. Stress can lead to heart disease, strokes, and other health problems. Practicing self-care can help us reduce our stress levels and in turn, reduce our risk of some serious illnesses.

This last year I’ve been spending more time working to reduce my own stress levels. I’ve been reading books and taking courses designed to help you reduce stress in your life.

Some of my favorite courses and books have been from Crystal Paine and in her book Say Goodbye to Survival Mode she said,

“Americans are suffering from a busyness epidemic. We’re addicted to busy. So many of us try to find fulfillment and self-worth in piling our plates too high. The busier we are, the more important we feel. This is why our culture, by and large, is exhausted, overworked, and overwhelmed.”

It’s so true. I know I often feel guilty if I’m not busy. Surely there is something important I should be doing, is usually what I’m thinking.

A couple of years ago I made myself rather sick with this attitude. I even ended up with my whole body covered in hives which my doctor believes is auto-immune related and likely was triggered because of chronic stress.

After that and many trips to the doctor for tests on my heart, which often causes me problems. I decided things had to change. And I have been doing a better job of saying no and not chasing busyness.

Self-care has also become a bigger part of my life. I try to take more time for hot baths, reading, arts and crafts, baking, and other things that make me happy.

The holidays for many is a stressful time and one where we can really forget to take care of ourselves. This is why a self-care gift basket can make a wonderful gift. It’s a gift that will keep on giving.

The options for what you put in your self-care gift basket are pretty endless. You can really customize this gift to fit the person you are giving it to.

First, pick out a basket or you can just use a gift bag or box, it doesn’t have to be fancy. The Target dollar spot has super cute gift bags right now that are really cheap and would be perfect for this gift.

Ideas for Things to Put in Your Self-Care Gift Basket

Soft, cozy socks. We all need socks but often don’t think to buy ourselves any until we are down to our last pair and it has holes. They aren’t always a fun thing to shop for but a new pair of socks is such a wonderful thing. They are nice and soft. Pick out a nice pair of socks that will help your friend stay warm and cozy while they enjoy the other things in your basket.

I recently found out about MD Direct bamboo socks and they are a great option for your basket. They are affordable, you can buy a pack on Amazon and put all of them in one basket or make several baskets and add one pair to each.

The great things about MD Direct bamboo socks are they are naturally anti-odor, moisture-wicking, very soft and comfortable, hypoallergenic, no worrying if your friend is allergic to wool, they don’t irritate your feet, and bamboo is a renewable, eco-friendly material. The come in dress socks, low-cut, no-show non-slip, and quarter high.

Bath products. I love to include homemade bath products like fizzy bath salts or bath bombs but store bought are great as well. Hot baths are a great way to relax and nice bath products are something we often don’t want to spend our money on so they make a very nice treat.

Hot tea or drink mixes. Some tea, coffee, or hot chocolate mix are great for self-care gift baskets. Especially if you are giving this for Chrimstas a hot drink is such a good way to relax. You can include a full box or some single servings. You could also include a gift card to a local coffee shop.

Art supplies. If you know a craft the person enjoys you could get some supplies for that craft. An option that a lot of people enjoy is adult coloring books. You don’t need a lot of artistic ability to enjoy them and coloring have been shown to reduce stress. You can find all kinds of adult coloring books now so you are sure to be able to find one that fits the person receiving the basket. A nice set of colored pencils is great as well.

A sweet treat. You can include a homemade treat like some peppermint chocolate chip cookies, their favorite candy, or even just a few candy canes. Who doesn’t like a sweet treat from time to time?

A scented item. Some essential oils to diffuse are a great gift, you could even include a diffuser. Candles or room spray are also a great option. I love to include some homemade candy cane room spray. Homemade touches are always nice.

Other ideas are a nice journal, a book, a throw blanket, gift cards for a favorite restaurant, nail polish, face masks, the ideas are really endless.

Don’t forget yourself, pick up a pair of bamboo socks and cozy up on the sofa with my book A Stress-Free Christmas for a little self-care this holiday season.