9 Things to Put in a Winter Self-Care Basket (For the Ultimate Cosy Night In)

I think winter is the perfect excuse to be a little bit indulgent.

In the little things.

A really lovely candle.

A delicious hot chocolate.

A body wash that smells so good you look forward to using it.

I've seen lots of winter self-care baskets online, and while they're lovely, I sometimes think they're all rather similar.

A face mask.

A pair of fluffy socks.

Some herbal tea.

And a little notebook telling you to practise mindfulness.

Which is absolutely fine if that's what you enjoy.

But personally?

I want biscuits.

I want a proper hot chocolate.

I want a big Christmas candle.

And I want skincare that actually helps when the Scottish winter has turned my skin into something resembling an old piece of parchment.

I also think a self-care basket should feel like a little luxury.

So here are nine things I'd put in a winter self-care basket, including a few of my favourite products, plenty of delicious treats and some ideas for making the basket personal to whoever receives it.

1. Really Good Hydrating Skincare and a Generous Lip Balm

Winter absolutely destroys my skin.

I don't know what it is about the combination of cold weather, wind and indoor heating, but my skin becomes unbelievably dry.

And my lips?

Don't even get me started.

So skincare is one of the first things I'd put in a winter self-care basket.

2. Proper Scottish Biscuits — Gingerbread or Clotted Cream Shortbread

Now we're getting to the important things.

Biscuits.

Because I don't think a winter self-care basket is complete without them.

And personally, I have two favourites.

Scottish gingerbread.

And clotted cream shortbread.

Both are absolutely gorgeous with a hot drink.

There's something about gingerbread that feels particularly appropriate in winter.

That lovely warmth from the spices.

The smell.

And the fact that it somehow tastes even better when the weather outside is miserable.

But clotted cream shortbread?

That's a completely different kind of luxury.

Rich.

Buttery.

Crumbly.

And absolutely perfect with a cup of tea or hot chocolate.

3. A Really Luxurious Hot Chocolate

I think hot chocolate is one of the nicest things about winter.

Especially when you've come inside from the cold.

I mean a really lovely hot chocolate.

Something rich and indulgent.

Perhaps with chocolate flakes, a little cream or marshmallows if that's your thing.

And I think this is one of the easiest things to personalise in a self-care basket.

For example, my best friend loves Baileys hot chocolate.

So if I were making him a winter self-care basket, I'd choose a beautiful hot chocolate and include a little Baileys for her to enjoy with it.

4. Beautiful Chocolates, Fudge or Caramels

I think winter is a lovely time to enjoy a few extra treats.

And particularly around Christmas, I don't see anything wrong with adding a little indulgence to the occasion.

For me, a winter self-care basket should include something delicious that you wouldn't necessarily buy every week.

Perhaps a beautiful box of handmade chocolates.

Some proper buttery fudge.

Or those lovely soft caramels that come individually wrapped.

5. Posh Glass-Bottled Lemonade, Pink Lemonade or Ginger Ale

This is one of my favourite additions.

And I don't see it included in many self-care baskets.

I absolutely love those beautiful glass bottles of posh lemonade.

Especially pink lemonade.

Or a really lovely cloudy lemonade.

And ginger ale.

There's something about having a few nice drinks in glass bottles that makes an evening feel a little more special.

I adore them.

6. One Big, Beautiful Christmas Candle

Now, this is an absolute essential for me.

A proper Christmas candle.

And I mean a big one.

I want something that makes the room smell wonderful.

I absolutely love the Christmas candles from NEOM.

They're one of my favourite luxury candle treats.

I love that rich, festive atmosphere you get from a really good Christmas fragrance.

And I think a beautiful candle can make such a difference to a winter evening.

You put the fire on.

Make a hot chocolate.

Light the candle.

7. Popcorn for a Proper Cosy Christmas Film Night

At this point, I think my self-care basket has turned into a Christmas movie-night basket.

And do you know what?

I'm not remotely sorry.

Because I think watching a lovely Christmas film with something delicious to eat is a perfectly good form of self-care.

Some people love traditional buttery popcorn.

Others prefer something savoury.

And some people have an enormous sweet tooth.

I'd choose from flavours such as cheese and chive, lightly salted butter-style popcorn or lovely sticky toffee popcorn.

You could even include two smaller bags.

One sweet.

One savoury.

Because sometimes you want both.

8. Christmas Bath Bombs and a Gorgeous Body Wash

Now we're getting back to the actual pampering.

Although I'm not convinced the biscuits and popcorn weren't pampering too.

I absolutely love a lovely bath product in winter.

Especially something that smells festive.

And for me, bath bombs are a must in a winter self-care basket.

I'd look for bath bombs with lovely winter fragrances.

Perhaps orange and cinnamon.

Warm vanilla.

Spiced gingerbread.

Or something fresh and pine-inspired.

You could choose two or three different scents and wrap them individually in tissue paper.

I'd avoid adding loads of heavily fragranced products if the recipient has sensitive skin, though.

Sometimes a gentler bath product is the better choice.

I also love including a really nice body wash.

And one I particularly enjoy is the Nature Spell Tone & Tighten body wash in the pink bottle.

It smells amazing.

9. Your Favourite Perfume — Mine Is IKON 914

And finally, perfume.

Because I think a self-care basket should include something that makes you feel wonderful.

And I have a very definite favourite.

IKON 914.

I absolutely adore this perfume.

Every time I go out wearing it, I seem to get compliments.

And I genuinely don't think I'll ever change it.

I've found my fragrance.

That's it.

I'm done.

I fully intend to smell like IKON 914 when I'm 94 years old.

And I think that's a reasonable life plan.

If I were making a basket for a friend, I'd try to find out their favourite perfume.

Or perhaps choose a small discovery set so they could try a few different fragrances.

For my own basket?

IKON 914.

Every single time.

And if you decide to try it because of this post, I really hope you love it as much as I do.

If I were putting my own basket together tonight, I'd definitely include clotted cream shortbread, pink lemonade, a NEOM Christmas candle and my IKON 914 perfume.

And a really generous lip balm.

But I'd love to know what you'd choose.

Would you go for luxurious skincare and bath products?

Or would your basket look suspiciously like a Christmas movie-night snack hamper?

Perhaps a bit of both.

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