We do simple shoe-boxes for our children at my mission in Moldova. They�re lined with coloured tissues or napkins. We then fill them with age appropriate gifts.
Here at home, last year my daughter purchased the equivalent of wicker Easter baskets. She then wove Blackwatch plaid ribbon around the handles and attached a red bow that she had entertwined with gold lame ribbon.
In the baskets she placed miniature Tiptree jams, a small tin of foie gras, water crackers, a bottle of pure vanilla extract (most of our friends love baking), a small but extremely bright key-chain torch, which she bought from ebay. Mary also added a bars of luxury chocolates and some rather large cinnamon sticks, which she tied with more gold lame ribbon. For families who had pets, she added chew sticks or catnip sachets, which she tied with a dark-blue heavy thread. And finally, she added her famous chocolate chip, pecan, walnut biscuits, buy stacking them in groups of six and wrapping them in a coloured cling film. As I recall, the foie gras was the most expensive part of the gifts and we actually didn�t give everyone foie gras (being sensitive to their views on the product). In its place she place tiny clay pots of herb de province, which she got at Fortnums. They actually cost a fraction of the foie gras but in my opinion looked much nicer.
Each basket had a small hand-made card attached with a thread through a punched hole in the corner. I wish we could attach photos of things as it would be helpful, as my ability to describe it is clearly rather poor. It was absolutely lovely! And I�m ever so proud of her for her creativity and thoughtfulness.
I wish you well
Fr Bill