Halloween

10 Gift-Worthy Spooky Basket Ideas for Kids and Adults Alike

published Oct 3, 2023
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Halloween-lovers, rejoice: It’s finally spooky season! Now’s the time to go pumpkin picking, air out your costume, and start stockpiling candy. If you’re looking for a way to make the holiday extra special this year, consider starting a new tradition with your friends, family, or neighbors: Exchanging spooky baskets (or “boo baskets”) full of treats.

There are a few ways people like to exchange their baskets, so pick the tradition that works best for you. One popular way is to anonymously leave a basket outside the door of a neighbor, with a note letting them know that they’ve been “booed” and instructions on creating their own basket to pass on to another neighbor in turn. (It’s helpful to leave a sign for them to put in their window letting others know that they’ve already been “booed” so that the same people don’t receive more than one basket.) You can also simply fill a basket with Halloween candy and goodies to give to friends or family as a way to celebrate the season.

Ready to get into the Halloween spirit? Here are 10 ideas for spooky baskets that will suit a variety of tastes and ages. Get ready to be bewitched by their charms!

1. A Basket Filled with Functional Items

If you’re creating a spooky basket for a friend or a family member, a great formula to follow is to include something to wear, something to use, and something to read. Here, Amanda of Lucky Spilled Milk found retro-inspired items for each of these categories for a practical and adorable boo basket.

 2. Color-Coordinated Boo Basket

Spooky baskets don’t have to be spooky — and they definitely don’t have to follow a traditional Halloween color scheme of orange and black. Choosing a couple of favorite colors and using those to guide your item choices can help everything feel cohesive. For example, take this basket from Laurel of A Bubbly Life, which taps into the softer side of spooky with a light pink, black, and white color scheme.

3. Activity Boo Basket

Create a fun family basket by centering it around a shared activity everyone can do together. This basket from High Peaks Studio features a “Halloween Movie Night” printable set complete with movie tickets, candy wrappers, decorative banners, and movie voting cards. Put them together with your family’s favorite treats to start a new tradition.

Credit: Lana Ato

4. Classic Wicker Spooky Basket

This spooky basket has staying power, thanks to its classic wicker basket base, which can be used year-round even after the treats are long gone. Take inspiration from this basket made by Lana Ato, which is filled with Halloween crafts and an on-theme stuffed animal.

5. Black Cauldron Boo Basket

A black plastic cauldron gives instant Halloween vibes, regardless of what’s inside. Pack yours with spooky goodies, like Marissa of Ambusheed with Boys did here, or simply fill it with tasty candy, cookies, and other treats.

6. Candy Bucket Boo Basket

Using a candy bucket as the basis for a spooky basket is another way to make it ultra-practical. For now, it can hold Halloween gifts; later, it can be used for trick-or-treating. This boo basket from Amanda Hamman goes one step further, including a dress-up item in the gift as well that can be used for a later costume.

Credit: Allison Joy

7. DIY Parchment Paper Ghost Boo Bag

A boo basket doesn’t necessarily have to be a basket! A bag or box will do, too. This DIY parchment paper ghost bag is a particularly charming vessel for treats, and makes opening the gift just as fun as receiving it. Find the instructions on DIYer Alison Joy’s Instagram.

8. Beauty Goodies Boo Basket

Candy, cookies, and other edible treats are a go-to for spooky baskets, but they don’t have to be. This basket full of beauty and style gifts from Michelle Cooke is great inspo if you’re looking to gift to tweens, teens, and adults.

9. Cozy Boo Basket

For homebodies, try filling a spooky basket with things that they can use while curled up with a good book. This basket, from Karina of Spooky Schweetz, features a plush blanket, fuzzy socks, a charming tumbler, and other just-stay-in essentials.

10. Small Business Spooky Basket

For a bespoke boo basket, fill your container with goodies scored from small businesses, local or otherwise. Take inspiration from this basket from Maren Jade Co., a small business that specializes in celebration decor.