The Best Christmas Gift Baskets Are Actually Boxes

Filled with really good granola and Italian-made socks.
Assortment of Christmas Gift Boxes and Bundles with Gift Guide Logo.

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For those who haven’t plugged “best Christmas gift baskets” into their browser’s search bar lately, allow us to give you a rundown on the pickings: They’re slim. Save for cured meat, pasteurized cheese, and milk-chocolate-pretzel–heavy assortments, finding present-worthy bundles outside of the edible realm is no easy feat. So here’s the gist: The best gift baskets are actually boxes. As in no, they don’t come in a wicker vessel or arrive doused in cellophane but rather dressed up in a proper package or easy to wrap yourself. Among our top picks, you’ll find surprising gifts like martini-making ingredients, full-blown gardening kits, luxury skin-care regimens, and Italian-made sock sets.

Read on to shop our selection.

Blue Cove and California Caviar Set

Tinned Branzino + Classic White Sturgeon + Sake Infused Trout Roe Set, Blue Cove

$165

Send the tinned fish lover in your life a three-in-one punch with Blue Cove and California Caviar’s set. It comes with two types of tinned branzino (one olive-y, one spiced); white sturgeon caviar; sake-infused trout roe; and a wood plate and gold serving spoon. It’s packaged in a smart magnetic-closure box.

Bella Cucina Antipasti Party in a Basket

Bella Cucina Antipasti Party in a Basket, Afternoon Light

$255

The woven market basket alone is a worthy present, but filled to the brim with Italian treats? That puts it on another level. This “party in a basket” from Bella Cucina includes artichoke spread, olivada spread, an olive-wood knife, dipping crackers, Pane Rustico flatbreads, balsamic roasted peppers, preserved lemon cream, crostata pastry tarts, and an olive-wood serving utensil.

Filthy Martini Kit

Martini Kit, Filthy

$40

In the year of the martini, Filthy’s smartly curated kit will offer your giftee everything they need to shake up their own batch at home: three pouches of olive brine, 12 olives stuffed with Wisconsin blue cheese, 12 olives stuffed with pimento pepper, and four stainless steel cocktail picks.

Sweet Deliverance Deluxe Gift Box

Deluxe Gift Box, Sweet Deliverance

$75

Like great olive oil, there will always be a space in any giftee’s pantry for really good granola. This gift assortment from Sweet Deliverance features three inspired blends made with nutrient-dense seeds, spices, and nuts, along with two bonus surprises from Diaspora Co. (a tin of chai tea) and Smoking Tiger (incense discs). The flavor highlights include Strawberry & Salty Peanut, Sour Cherry & Pistachio Rose, and Turmeric & Super Seed.

Avaline The Holiday Collection

The Holiday Collection, Avaline

$175

Since a basketful of wine isn’t the most secure gift idea, we’re opting for a more thoughtfully packaged box of Avaline. Cameron Diaz’s organic and transparently produced wine just debuted The Holiday Collection, a hand-selected lineup featuring six bottles of Italian classics—Pinot Grigio, Bianco, Sangiovese, and Lambrusco. Think: light and juicy whites and bold and fruity reds.

Masienda CORNucopia Kit

CORNucopia Kit, Masienda

$280

A Doña Rosa tortilla press accompanies two bags of heirloom masa harina, a cotton tortilla-warmer pouch, Made In x Masienda’s carbon-steel comal, and the MASA cookbook in this highly rated tortilla starter kit. Reviewers say “the leverage of the press takes all the work out of making the tortillas” and it’s “the best tortilla press I’ve ever used.” The masa harina gets equally high praise; it’s been dubbed “delicious” and “top-notch.”

Levain Bakery Cookies & Devoción Coffee Bundle

Cookies & Coffee Bundle, Levain Bakery

$49

New York City–based Levain is legendary for its larger-than-life cookies—which, lucky for non-Manhattanites, are now deliverable nationwide. Our favorite gifting bundle from the sweet shop this year is a cookie-and-coffee duo featuring the bakery’s exclusive in-house brew, Devoción. The beans are sourced from Colombia and roasted locally in Brooklyn, and they pair perfectly with a big chocolate chip cookie.

Eadem Bare-Skin Confidence Brightening Trio

Bare-Skin Confidence Brightening Trio With Niacinamide and Vitamin C, Eadem

$45

We consider a box filled with good skin care a gifting boon—especially when the contents contain products by beloved brand Eadem. This streamlined set features three clinically tested bestsellers that are formulated to repair damaged skin barriers while brightening and evening skin tone. Aside from loving the benefits, reviewers rave that the brand’s packaging is beautiful and the products are perfectly sized for travel.

Ghia The Cozy Kit

The Cozy Kit, Ghia

$90 $75

Filled with a festive assortment of goodies from Ghia, this cozy kit includes a four-pack of the brand’s nonalcoholic Le Spritz cans, two jars of hazelnut spread, and a limited-edition puzzle.

Sfoglini x Diaspora Co. Pasta & Spice Set

Turmeric Reginetti Pasta & Spice Set, Sfoglini X Diaspora Co.

$38

Diaspora Co. is on a roll: It also teamed up with the pasta geniuses at Sfoglini to bring us this stacked gift set. The curated contents include two boxes of Sfoglini Turmeric Reginetti; a “Home Is Where the Pasta Is” dish towel; and jars of Nandini Coriander, Aranya Black Pepper, and Sirarakhong Hathei Chilies. Oh, two recipes from the Sfoglini chefs to help your giftee whip it all up is in there, too.

Boy Smells Fantome Trio

Fantome Trio, Boy Smells

$130

Not all Christmas gift baskets and boxes need to be edible. Take this trio of sumptuously scented candles from Boy Smells as proof. The smoky holiday-inspired votives are prime present material, featuring scents infused with festive notes of mandarin, nutmeg, pine tar, leather, smoked papyrus, and charred clove, to name a few.

EkuBox Let Your Garden Grow Gift Box

Let Your Garden Grow Gift Box, EkuBox

$175

For your favorite gardener: a best-selling gift box filled with everything they’ll need to cultivate their own herb or microgreen garden—plus a few extra bells and whistles. Bonus treats include Bella Cucina’s artichoke lemon pesto sauce (one of Oprah Winfrey’s favorites), butterfly-shaped Sugarfina gummies, organic hand soap, and a tomato-scented candle with a box that your giftee can plant and grow into a tomato plant.

Bite Society Champagne & Chocolates Gift Box

Champagne & Chocolates, Bite Society

$150

For anyone who isn’t already sold on the magically delectable combo of champagne and chocolate, Bite Society’s luxe gift box is here to welcome you into the fold. Choose from R. Dumont Brut, Thierry Triolet Rosé Brut, or the alcohol-free Pierre Zéro to complement two fine chocolate bars.

Compartés Signature Chocolate Gift Tower

Signature Chocolate Gift Tower, Compartés

$110

This colorful collection of Compartés luxury chocolates will dazzle the most selective sweet tooth in your inner circle. The enviable lineup features a 20-piece gift box of chocolate truffles, two chocolate bars, and a smaller box stuffed with chocolate-covered confections.

Flamingo Estate The Chef’s Kiss

The Chef's Kiss, Flamingo Estate

$106

Now here’s a gift box fit for a host. The contents include a jar of bio-intensive native wildflower honey, smoked chipotle salsa macha, and a bottle of heritage extra virgin olive oil.

Flowerhead Tea the Rose Garden Gift Set

The Rose Garden Gift Set, Flowerhead Tea

$92

Flowerhead—the 100% female-owned tea company based in Los Angeles—offers a range of gift-worthy loose-leaf bundles. Our favorite for holiday gift giving is the Rose Garden set, which includes a mix of tea and body treats: from mint-rose tea and caffeine-free red rooibos tea to floral bath salts and rose-infused CBD facial oil.

Paul Smith Mixed Stripe Socks Gift Box

Mixed Stripe Socks Six Pack, Paul Smith

$175

A clever take on the food-centric Christmas gift basket. This stylish box comes stuffed with six pairs of Paul Smith’s striped cotton socks that are crafted in Italy.

Teak & Twine The Front Porch Gift Box

The Front Porch Gift Box, Teak & Twine

$140

There’s an impressive selection of Teak & Twine gift boxes hiding at Anthropologie. Our favorite, however, is this lemon-infused lineup. The signature keepsake box is brimming with best-selling gourmet goodies by Sugarfina and Big Picture Farms. There’s even a reusable Carter mug by Domino-favorite brand Fellow tucked inside.

Mouth Cheesy Gift Box

Cheesy Gift Box, Mouth

$93

The holidays and cheese seem to go hand in hand—a sentiment that makes this cheese-curated box a no-brainer Christmas gift “basket” idea. It’s packed with an assorted selection of quality nibbles from small artisans such as Vermont Creamery’s Coupole goat cheese, Potter’s rosemary and thyme crisps, and a jar of Slow Stir Foods figgy preserves.

Brightland the Mini Artist Series

The Mini Artist Series, Brightland

$85

This collection of culinary staples from Brightland will give them a taste of better vinaigrettes and crispy sears. Among the offerings are Arise, a cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil infused with basil; Lucid, a lemon-infused version of the former; Rosette, a garlic-infused rendition; and Ardor, a spicy blend featuring red chili peppers, jalapeño peppers, chipotle peppers, and paprika. Each of the petite bottles is adorned with limited-edition artist-designed labels.

Chamberlain Coffee Variety Bundle

Variety Coffee Bundle, Chamberlain Coffee

$50 $35

We want to meet the coffee enthusiast who resists the urge to keep this Chamberlain Coffee box to themselves. This giftable variety set includes five of the brand’s best-selling blends, with a choice of freshly ground or whole-bean bags.

Omsom Try ’Em All Set

The Try 'Em All Set, Omsom

$99

This a unique gift-box assortment for anyone who enjoys cooking, Vietnamese food, or punchy packaging. Omsom—the word translates to “noisy”—is a family-founded brand bringing authentic Asian cuisine to the home kitchen with its collection of gluten-free and vegan sauces. The Try ‘Em All Set includes 15 starter sauce packets spanning Thai, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, and Vietnamese flavors. All your giftee needs to do upon receiving is tear one open and add it to their protein, veggie, or grain of choice.

Nuts.com Taste of Excellence Gift Basket

Taste of Excellence Gift Basket, Nuts.com

$100

The single Christmas gift basket on our list is a snacker’s delight from the one, the only Nuts.com. The robust assortment includes a variety of best-selling nut blends, candies, chocolates, popcorn, and crisps, all nestled in a true basket.