Six Easy Friendship Baskets
by Jane Jarrell

1. Beach Basket: Line a basket with a beach towel. Fill the basket with sunscreen, a beach ball, a shovel and pail, moist hand wipes, flip-flop shoes and a Beach Boys CD.
2. Relaxation Basket: Line a basket with a soft floral towel. Fill the basket with fragrant votive candles (try getting the same fragrance as the flowers on your bath towel), add a container of bath salts, bath oils, moisturizers and a CD of classical music.
   
3. Barbecue Basket: Line a basket with a red and white tablecloth, fill with plastic corn-on-the-cob skewers, flashy red-and-white napkins, a long-handled barbecue brush, your favorite sauces, your best picnic recipe, bug repellent and colored plastic cups and plates.
   
4. Favorites Basket: Line a basket with colorful tissue paper. Fill the basket with your friend’s favorite things: favorite candy, fruit, gift certificate to favorite music store, a favorite book and a gift coupon to favorite ice cream store.
   
5. Kids’ Fun Basket: Line a basket with the comic section of the newspaper. Fill the basket with Silly Putty®, face paints, a great funny movie, microwave popcorn, M&Ms®, washable paints and sponges, solid color paint smocks and crazy straws.
6. Garden Variety Basket: Line a basket with a plastic bag. Fill the basket with small gardening gloves, a great straw hat, sunscreen, seed packets and a six-pack of your friend's favorite bedding plants.