Do you have a loved one in need of a pick-me-up? Put a smile on their face by gifting them a box full of sunshine. Take one box or basket, fill to the brim with fun yellow items and treats, decorate with ribbon and one of my free printables, and ta-da! The perfect cheerful yellow care package!
Do you ever talk to a friend or loved one, only to realize that they’re feeling down in the dumps? Maybe they’ve had a rough few days at work, or maybe they’ve been battling a cold and don’t feel well.
Want to know a great way to cheer them up?
A good phone call is nice, but I like to go one step further and send a gift. It’s amazing how far a surprise delivery can go to turn someone’s sad news or bad day around. And what could be more perfect than combining an unexpected gift with a ray of bright, cheery yellow sunshine?
The internets new favorite trend, the box full of sunshine, is the perfect pick-me-up.
What is a ‘Box Full of Sunshine’ Gift?
Your friend is having a tough time. She’s feeling sad, stressed, and lonely. Until she opens up a package to release a ray of sunshine. She realizes she’s not alone, and maybe things aren’t quite so bad after all.
THAT is a box full of sunshine.
Similar to Boo baskets and You’ve Been Gobbled surprises, box full of sunshine gifts are a basket crammed with treats, gifts, and little luxuries that deliver love and joy to anyone that needs it. The perfect way to let a friend or loved one know you’re thinking of them.
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A Box of Sunshine Gift is Perfect for:
The good thing about the box full of sunshine is that it’s incredibly flexible. You can choose the items you put inside to suit the person and occasion. You can choose what it looks like, make it more or less feminine, for adults or more kid-friendly. It really is the perfect gift for anyone.
College student – Have a kid that’s feeling homesick, or maybe has important finals coming up? Give them a dose of home and positivity with a box of sunshine.
A struggling friend – Maybe they’re going through a break-up, or have recently lost a beloved pet. Perhaps they’ve received some bad news, or have just had a really terrible week at work. A box of sunshine might not be able to solve their problems, but it will let them know they’re loved and supported.
A celebrating friend – The box of sunshine isn’t just for those in need of cheering up! Maybe your friend got a promotion, or just moved house. Send them sunny vibes, and celebrate with them.
Teenager – From worrying about grades to friendship dramas, the teens in our lives are often in need of a pick-me-up. Fill a box of sunshine with snacks and self-care essentials and you’re sure to make them happy (for a while, at least).
Pregnant pal – A mixture of luxuries for Mom and gifts for baby would make a lovely box of sunshine for an expecting friend. And yellow is the perfect neutral color for parents that don’t know if they’re having a boy or a girl.
Yellow Items to Put in a Sunshine Gift Box
It’s so easy to find a range of different items for your sunshine gift box. Just head to your local Dollar Tree or Target, walk up and down the aisles and think YELLOW. You’ll see all sorts of things pop out at you and, if you head down multiple aisles, it’ll guarantee that you’ll get a range of items, instead of just snacking or self-care.
Here are some of my favorite ideas to get you started:
- Candle – Look for one that’s yellow – like a lemon or floral spring scent
- Candy – Lemonheads, peanut M&Ms, Juicy Fruit gum – there are lots of sweet treats that come in yellow packages
- Nail Art – Bring sunshine to your manicure with yellow nail polish, stickers or decals
- Hair accessories – Match your hair to your nails with yellow scrunchies, clips, or barrettes
- Snacks – Classic Lay’s potato chips = the most iconic yellow snack there is
- Herbal tea – Sachets of lemon or chamomile are perfect
- Bath products – Soap, bubble bath, moisturizer – there are so many indulgent yellow-packaged products perfect for a pick-me-up
- Keychain – A little piece of sunshine the recipient can take anywhere
- Sunflower – This could be real if you’re hand-delivering your gift but, if you’re posting it, you can get cute fake stems that look just as good as the real thing
- Socks – Look for cheerful yellow socks
- Notepad and pencils – Perfect for journaling and positive affirmations
- Drinks – From San Pelligrino to Corona beer, there are plenty of both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages with fresh yellow labels (just don’t mail anything fizzy, and package glass securely to avoid breakages!)
- Fidget toy – Little hand-sized toys aren’t just for kids! Fidgets and squidgy balls are great for relieving stress, and you can get really cute yellow smiley face ones to match the theme
What to Use for the Box or Basket
What you use for your box or basket depends on whether you’re hand delivering or mailing. Your budget will also be key because you don’t want to buy a huge hamper if you don’t have the budget to fill it!
Pizza-style boxes – Small cardboard boxes, similar to the ones I used for my pizza box money gift, are perfect for mailing. These boxes are wider, but they’re not deep, so choose gifts to suit this style – socks, notepad, tea sachets, and small items of candy or snacks work well.
Mailer Boxes – Also cardboard and suitable for mailing, these come in a greater variety of sizes. You can choose different shapes and depths so you can have more flexibility when it comes to the gifts you choose to fill it. These are the mailer boxes I used in this post.
Gift basket – These are usually slightly larger in size so, unless you want to pay extra for a courier, you’re going to want to hand-deliver. There are so many cute options available online from places like Etsy, or in local craft or gift stores, from bamboo boxes with folding lids to beautiful woven gift bags to luxe boxes tied with ribbon.
Small cellophane bags – These are great for creating smaller yellow sunshine gifts to drop off on a friend’s porch! Add a few yellow snack or candy items for a less expensive sunshine gift idea!
Sunshine Gift Printables
Once you’ve chosen your box or basket and filled it with goodies, you need a label to tell the recipient you’ve been thinking of them.
I’ve created a range of larger signs and smaller gift tags to suit whatever size package you’re gifting. Choose a printable, download and print, add a personalized message, and attach to your box or basket – with some extra ribbon or bows, if you’re feeling fancy.
Click HERE for the Free Printable Box of Sunshine Gift Tags
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