Gift basket without the basket?? Ideas?

Ok all you clever artsy crafty people, I need ideas!
There's a secret santa thing at work and I want to give my vet a gift basket (for those of you that remember me asking about what to give him I've decided on a package of nice coffee and chocolate covered coffee beans if I can find them, a package of Tim Tams (I found them at the grocery store!!!) and a bunch of dog treats and a toy since we both have Great Danes) but I really don't want to spend money on baskets. I'm thinking about just wrapping a box with christmas paper cutting off the flaps so it's open but I don't want it to be cheesy/cheap. I guess I could go to good will and look for baskets but even used baskets here seem to be really expensive. And I guess I'm thinking about giving the entire clinic a little gift (I was thinking of making a bunch of little packages of doggy treats and people cookies or something) since I don't want anyone to feel left out if I give the Dr something since everyone has been nice. I don't think I could force myself to throw away money on three baskets.

If you have several items that group well, I've found that cellophane and some nice ribbon works well...it looks sort of like a big bag of candy.

Just wrap it like you would with a basket, but without the basket part - still looks decorative, but cellophane is much cheaper than the average basket.

I don't think theres anything wrong with the box idea at all. My other thought would be a plastic container.... Like a bowl, or a rubbermaid type container... They could reuse it for storing stuff, so it would be dual purpose AND it would fit everything

You could decorate it with ribbon and bows, or if you want more than that, use glitter clue to "draw" on it.

I've seen gift baskets in planters, too, those metal ones. In fact, you could look around some hardware stores for containers that are on sale, just about anything would work with a nice ribbon on it.

A box wrapped with Christmas paper would look nice, there's nothing wrong with that at all. So nice of you to give these gifts!

Possibilities are endless, particularly if you have a dollar store close by: canisters, oversized bowls, dog dishes, storage boxes, just endless. If you find a real box easier to wrap, a wildly inappropriate box (toaster oven, giant cereal box, etc) works well and confuses the heck out of the recipient. I have packaged stuffed toys in coffee tins, a cut and polished rock in an oversized box with lots of paper stuffed around it to prevent scratching, money for older kids inserted into store packaging by carefully cutting the blister pack, fancy candies in a giant cheerios box..........but I come from a long line of practical jokers so have a somewhat creative streak that way (my father was prone to the box in box in box gag, each box beautifully wrapped and ribboned), and my uncle would stuff the good stuff in a bunch of junk and paper, and I have been known to put gift certificates in candy or shirt boxes along with decorative pebbles. Whatever the end result is, just make it look special, take the time to use a decent paper and wrap carefully and neatly

We once got a gift pack at the shelter in a cat carrying crate (it was a prize for a raffle) - anything can work!

Dollar store it!

They always have lots of interesting containers but I think you've got a good idea!

My step mom made me an adorable gift basket for my birthday and she out it in a little bucket/pail thingy.

I love "wrapping" gifts in reusable items. One of my favorite things has been for baby showers, finding a basket or bin in the theme colors and putting all the presents in there. Heck, for a vet I'd probably go so far as to use a litter bin, lol. (If you happen to buy litter that comes in a bin-like container. We used to but have since switched to swheat scoop.)

Good luck!

Do you have any of those vases that you get flowers in? How about if you buy some sunflower seed mix and put it in the vase? Then take some tree branches and attach the pet and human treats to them and then stick the branches in the seeds in the vase. That way, it is all natural, you are recycling that ugly vase, and the staff can feed the outside birds!

Do you have a dollar store near you? I live across the street from one and they have tons of baskets for only $1. they are not very big, but seem big enough to fit the things you have mentioned.

How about a fancy gift bag instead of a basket?