A boo basket is a small Halloween gift filled with treats and a few things you’ve chosen for someone. You can leave it on a neighbour’s doorstep, surprise a friend or give one to your partner.
In the neighbourhood version, you leave the basket with a “You’ve been booed!” note. The recipient puts a sign in their window and passes the surprise on to two more houses. For a friend or partner, you can skip the rules and simply give them something they’ll enjoy.
We like the idea of a basket that gives someone something to do on Halloween. A puzzle to open, something good to eat and a little surprise waiting at the end.
We’ve also made a free printable Boo Kit to dress up your basket. Grab it below, then here’s how we’d put the basket together.
What to put in a boo basket
Choose the main gift first. Once you have that, it’s easier to pick the extras.
You only need a few things:
- A container: a basket, pumpkin bucket, gift box or decorated paper bag. The Boo Kit label dresses up a plain bag or box.
- One main gift: a puzzle, book or something else they’ll enjoy.
- A few extras: their favourite sweets, a drink or a small Halloween decoration.
- A note: signed or anonymous, depending on who’s getting it. There’s a note card and a tag in the Boo Kit, ready to fill in.
Use a little tissue paper to help smaller items sit around the main gift. You don’t need to fill every gap.
Our pick: a spooky puzzle
We’re biased, of course. But we’d happily find a haunted puzzle tucked between the chocolates.
A Flipsi has artwork on both sides. You build the picture on the box, then flip the finished puzzle to discover a second artwork we keep secret.
That makes it a particularly fun Halloween gift. They get to unwrap the box, settle into the puzzle and discover what’s waiting on the other side.
For a spooky basket, we’d choose from these worlds:
- Haunted Places: our original collection, with a haunted house, castle and farmhouse.
- Haunted Places 2: more places to explore, including the Haunted Carnival.
- Horrors Unearthed: for someone who enjoys darker stories. The Set comes with story cards to read alongside the puzzles.
Browse the Flipsi puzzles and check availability and dispatch estimates before ordering for Halloween. Allow time for delivery, especially if your gift is travelling overseas.
Three boo baskets we’d put together
For a friend who loves horror
Start with a Horrors Unearthed puzzle. Add their favourite sweets and a drink, then tuck a card beside the box with a scary film you think they’d enjoy.
If you choose the Set, the story cards give them something to read as part of the puzzle. Keep the basket simple enough that the puzzle has room to be the main event.
On the note: “Something’s waiting on the other side. Finish the puzzle before you meet it.”
For your partner
Choose a haunted puzzle you’d both like to build. Add a snack to share and something to drink. If October evenings are getting chilly where you live, hot chocolate and a pair of socks would fit nicely.
Then make time to sit down together. You could leave the basket on the kitchen table with a note suggesting a night for it.
On the note: “Halloween plans? I’ve got the snacks. You sort the edge pieces.”
For someone who prefers a gentler Halloween
Choose a puzzle from Enchanted Places and pair it with biscuits, tea or their favourite chocolates. A little paper ghost tied to the handle is enough to give the basket its Halloween touch.
They’ll still have a secret artwork to discover when they flip the puzzle.
On the note: “A little October surprise. There’s another one inside the box.”
Giving a boo basket to a neighbour
If you’re playing the neighbourhood game, keep the basket easy to pass on. A bag of treats and a small gift work well.
The Boo Kit’s “You’ve been booed!” label can go on the front. Add a sign for their window and a short note asking them to surprise two more households. Giving it early in October leaves more time for the game to make its way around the street.
For friends and family, there’s no need to be anonymous. Hand it over, leave it somewhere they’ll find it or bring it along when you visit.
When should you give a boo basket?
Any time in October. If you want them to enjoy the contents on Halloween, give it a few days beforehand so they have time to plan.
And if there’s a Flipsi inside, we’d add one final instruction to the note: no flipping until the last piece is in.
If you make a boo basket with one of our puzzles, tag us on Instagram. We’d love to see what you picked.
Demi & Melissa
