Let me introduce you to the best White Elephant gift or creative surprise for a friend: The mini liquor bottle Christmas tree.
The IT guy in our office hit it out of the park at our wine and gift exchange last year with a wooden dowel Christmas tree covered in mini bottles. When it came time for our family’s adults-only white elephant exchange, I knew I had to make my own! Wouldn’t it also make the perfect surprise for a friend or family member this quarantine holiday season?
I picked up a 2′ mini tree for $5 from Target during one of their holiday sales. Total Wine has a ton of mini bottles for less than $1 – but you could pick them up anywhere you buy liquor (Total Wine will even let you purchase some for curbside pickup!).
Look for local spirits when you’re shopping for mini bottles. Western Son Vodka (my dad’s favorite!) and Rebecca Creek Whiskey are both made in Texas and were only $0.89 for a mini, while national brands like Jack Daniels were $2.50 each.
At home, I wrapped the twist ties of mini red velvet bows around the bottle necks, then slipped an ornament hanger through the twist tie on the back. Each bottle was then hung on the tree.
The glass bottles are heavier – hang them near the bottom or deep on branches to balance the weight.
The tree itself would have been a mess to wrap, so I bagged up just one mini bottle with a bow and hid the tree somewhere else. When the bag was picked, I went to retrieve the tree.
SUPPLIES
- 2′ mini Christmas tree
- Mini red velvet bows with twist tie backs (I bought mine at Dollar Tree; similar here)
- Ornament hooks. I used leftovers from my own tree.
- 10-15 mini alcohol bottles
TOTAL COST: $25 (the limit of our White Elephant exchange)
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