How to Make Unique Family Movie Night Gift Baskets on a Budget

I love to give movies as gifts. One – you can always score amazing deals on Amazon, like the big list I have here for you today. And, there are so many fun ways to give movies as gifts… We have an Elf Magic doll that brings little random gifts for the kids during the month of December – things like a new movie to watch that night, candy and treats, or a new holiday story book. Or, they’re perfect for gift baskets – you can go basic and make a family movie night gift basket: Use a big popcorn bowl or bucket, add a movie or two, snacks and popcorn, maybe even send it with a big cozy blanket too. Or, get creative and build a basket around a favorite movie – I’ve added a bunch of ideas below each of these awesome movie deals. {But remember – prices flip fast at Amazon, especially this time of year. I’m posting this on 11/30/13 – the further away from this date, the more the prices may vary!} So whether you just want to buy some classic family favorites for yourself at a total steal of a price, or build some fun gifts, I hope you enjoy my ideas and deals!

Everyone loves The Goonies, right? It’s perfect for all ages – and you can get it right now for only $4. To build a gift around this, get those gold coin candies, candy rings and candy necklaces, Baby Ruth candy bars, truffles {ala the Truffle Shuffle}, pirate eye patches and accessories, a The Goonies T-shirt or two, and pack it all into a little $3 dollar Treasure Chest gift box. Fun, right?

This is one of my favorite movies – I could never watch it enough times: The Princess Bride. Right now it’s on sale on Amazon for only $3 bucks! If you wanted to make this into a giftable basket, here are some ideas of things to add: Princess Bride pub glasses, cute little love notes – “I’d come from mostly dead for you,” a bottle of Princess Bride wine, some Reece’s Peanut “Butter cups”, Pirate Sword Picks with a little ham and cheese gift set, and this awesome Storming The Castle Card Game. And just for fun, add a set of “Hello, My Name Is” Labels that you can personalize to finish the phrase – “Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die…”

Was there anyone in the world who didn’t read – and love – this book as a little kid? And the message is so wonderful for little kids to hear – that a person is a person, no matter how small. It’s a great message of compassion and empathy. This updated telling of the story is only $4.99 today on Amazon – Horton Hears a Who. For a gift package, obviously you’ve got to include the book – two fun new versions are the Horton Hears a Who! Can You? for babies and toddlers, or Horton Hears a Who Pop-up for bigger kids. You could add a set of Horton Hears a Who party plates and accessories, and if you’re feeling crafty – make rainbow cookies and elephant ear headbands. Then you could sprinkle some of these sparkly pom poms on top, to look like the little clover flower he finds.

This is another oldie, but goodie. I absolutely loved Honey, I Shrunk the Kids as a kid – there was something kind of magical about seeing this whole other world, that exists right here with us. And you can get that magic for just $4.49. Put together your gift package – start with some fun scientist stuff, like Magnifying Glasses, and one of my faves from The Everything collection – Science Experiments Book. Add an Ant Farm Kit – that’s one of the parts of the movie that I always remember most, when they meet the giant ant. And add a box of cheerios and a big cereal bowl – like when he almost eats his son in the bowl of cereal.

Absolute classic – grab E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial Anniversary Edition for only $5.02 right now. {Yes, I know that’s slightly over $5 bucks, but it’s such a good one, and close enough :)} If you use this one to build a gift around, here are some fun additions: Reese’s Pieces, glow sticks, a cuddly E.T. Plush toy, or some of the cool ET merch on Cafe Press. And you’ve got to include this amazing a Retro Speak and Spell Phone Case – it brings in two parts of the movie, the Speak & Spell, and the whole “phone home” thing. Love.

This movie still makes me laugh, after all these years. Robin Hood – Men in Tights is on sale for just $5 bucks right now – and you can get your kids singing and dancing to, “We’re MEN. We’re men in TIGHTS. TIGHT tights…” Lol. Clearly, you’d start with enough packages of tights to fit the whole family, as you build a gift around this film! Then throw in a set of Crown Goblet Cups for the family to drink like royalty, and Plastic Swords, and a Robin Hood Hat. And get creative with some DIY arrow treats, that would be easy to put together and wrap up for movie night snacks.

I was NOT a fan at all of the new remake of this movie – I’m definitely a classic version of Grease kind of girl, all the way. And can you believe you can snap up the Rockin’ Rydell version for only $3 bucks?? This one would be SO fun to make into a whole gift package – include all of the ingredients for Pink Lady cocktails, along with some pretty glasses. If the giftee isn’t a drinker, include ingredients for rootbeer floats, or soda shop stuff, and include those cute little retro Striped Paper Straws. You could add in a cute little 50’s style apron, – Make these homemade treats that look like little vinyl records. Then, add in a few fun gifty things like a Grease Lightning toy set, a RYDELL HIGH T Shirt, and/or a Retro ‘s Popcorn Machine. Pack it all up together in a DIY vinyl record album bowl.

This is a super cute movie, and very funny. But what I love most about Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is that it shares a great message about healthy eating. Which is important when you have a toddler, and they tend to believe what cartoon characters tell them more than they believe their parents, lol. And you can get it for only $4.49. And this one is SO easy to make a gift around – add in lots of fun ingredients for an epic pasta dinner – Pasta Machine to make homemade noodles, a Stainless Steel Meat Baller, and a great cookbook like Making Fresh Pasta: Delicious Handmade, Homemade Recipes or I Love Meatballs!. Add in things like a pretty kitchen towel and utensils too. Then – you of course have to include some fast foody/candy/unhealthy food options too, right? In addition to those snacks, add a funny game like Fast Food Panic. Add in a cute learning book like Spaghetti And Meatballs For All! for the kids, and some Milo’s Kitchen Chicken Meatballs for the furry family members!

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