The winter season is really hitting us hard this year. And along with all the snow, sleet, hail, and ice come the dreaded winter flu, cold, and cough! While all you can do is wait out the symptoms, why not make the recovery period more bearable for family members, neighbors, work colleagues, and friends. How? By putting together thoughtful Get Well Soon Baskets or Winter Cold Survival Kits—and sending them over with lots of love.
The inspiration for assembling care packages like these is pretty amazing, as you’ll see in this post. Full of great ideas that you can duplicate in your own creative and caring ways! (*this post contains affiliate links)
DIY “Get Well Soon” Care Packages: Ideas to Try
Take cues from these heartwarming examples of care packages—and assemble your own, using containers you already have or can readily buy, comfort food faves, soothing brews, and practical cold and flu remedies.
What we love is how each package shows a customizable approach. You can add in items to best suit the weather conditions where you are, pick up on the patient’s special preferences, and help him/her pass the time while stuck in bed!
Details you can DIY, inspired by these care packages:
1 – Gift in a Tin: Winter Cold Survival Kit from The DIY Mommy
Container: country-style tin basket
Fillings: bottle of honey, tea cup and tea bags, cough drops, a pouch of epsom salts, Google Play gift card
Trimmings: yellow fabric scraps, printable chalkboard tags
2 – “Ray of Sunshine” Get Well Gift Basket from Busy Creating Memories
Container: white wicker basket
Fillings: honeypot mug and assorted cold relief items (cough drops, lozenges, raw honey, fresh lemons and oranges, hand sanitizer, tissues, nasal swabs)
Trimmings: fabric liner for the basket, a snuggly scarf
3 – Get Well Kit from The Merry Thought
Container: wooden berry basket
Fillings: throat drops, vitamin C, hand sanitizer, lip balm, pack of tissue, tea bags, jar of honey (not shown: magazine)
Trimmings: hand-stamped muslin jar topper and tea-bag pouch
4 – Get Well Gift Basket from Crayons and Cravings
Container: wire laundry basket
Fillings: snacks in single-serve packets, nasal spray, tea bags, a bag of coffee, immune-boosting supplements, a great book, a pair of fuzzy socks
Trimmings: a canvas liner for the basket
5 – Cough, Cold, and Flu Care Package from Hello Little Home
Container: woven basket
Fillings: box of green tea or chamomile tea bags, bottle of honey, healthy snacks, an apple, a coffee mug, a favorite magazine, book, or DVD
Trimmings: chalkboard-style care package printables (tags, bookmark, bag toppers, sick day checklist)
6 – Get Well Soon Gift Basket with DIY Chicken Soup Bowl from Dazzle While Frazzled
Container: a DIY “Get Better” chicken soup bowl (tutorial in the link!), box or basket
Fillings: cans of favorite soup varieties, crackers, tea bags, over-the-counter cold meds, tissues, a fun book, a volume of brainteasers or crossword puzzles
Trimmings: cheery ribbon to tie in a bow around the package
7 – DIY Cold & Flu Care Package from Salty Canary
Container: a good-sized box or bin
Fillings: cute coffee mug, tea bags, honey, cookies, flu meds, a cold rub, vitamin C, tissue packs, bedroom slippers, a mini plush blanket
Trimmings: festive pom poms strung on ribbon or twine
More thoughtful inspiration for DIY winter cold kits:
1 – Get Well Soon Care Package from A Little Tipsy
Container: reusable storage tote or bin
Fillings: a cozy blanket, portable humidifier, a giant mug, citrus and spice wassail (a hot mulled cider), a box of tissues, and saline nasal spray
Trimmings: tags, ribbons
2 – Miniature Get Well Soon Care Package from Evermine
Container: Chinese takeout box
Fillings: tea bags, lip balm, tissues, vitamin C
Trimmings: customizable snowflake labels (Evermine)
3 – Get Well Care Package from Mama Challenge
Container: any carton you already have
Fillings: packets of chicken noodle soup, bottles of fizzy soda water, menthol vapor rub, lip balm, hand sanitizer, cough drops, a big box of tissues
Trimmings: printable label (link in post)
4 – Get Well Soon Basket from Bigelow Tea Blog
Container: woven basket or tray
Fillings: assorted herbal teas made with ginger, lemon, and chamomile; a bottle of honey; fresh lemons; a mug; tea towels
Trimmings: thoughtful gift tags tied on with twine
5 – Get Well Soon Gift from Happy Family Blog
Container: recycled biscuit tin
Fillings: tea bags, small bottle of honey, water bottle or mug
Trimmings: printable get well soon tag (link in the post)
6 – DIY Get Well Care Package from Mod Podge Rocks
Container: recycled cardboard box
Fillings: assorted fruit juices, pajama pants, a small towel, tissues, cotton swabs, snacks
Trimmings: decorations for the box, painted and trimmed with cutouts (tutorial in the post)
How to Make a Simple Get Well Basket!
To make a quick get well basket, you only need 6-8 elements as fillings (e.g., a jar of Vicks VapoRub, a cup of noodle soup, a lemon, cough drops, a bottle of honey, allergy medicine, and a container. Place a thoughtful card or handwritten note for your recipient! You can also include funny or inspirational cards to gifts such as these:
- Manflu Greeting Card via Zazzle
- You’ll be back to yourself in no time card… via Amazon
- Mother Yourself with Some Soup, a Nice Nap…via Amazon
- Giggling Plush Happy via Amazon
- Teddy bear via Amazon
- Get well soon mug via Amazon
Such thoughtful and creative ways to send comfort to a special someone who’s sick! Now, you’re all set to assemble your own Get Well Soon Basket or Cold and Flu Care Package. Oh, and be sure to keep well yourself!