As Halloween passes, boo baskets are out. People are now preparing burr baskets for their loved ones this holiday season. While this trend is a more personal way to gift-give, it prioritizes materialism in a lot of teenage relationships.
Boo baskets, burr baskets, and birthday baskets have been trending in the last few years, especially on TikTok. These are essentially just a small assortment of gifts that are aligned with a holiday. My boo basket consisted of flowers, pumpkin-shaped pop-its, candy, and a mug. A standard boo basket looks something like this, but people can put anything in them.
The problem with these baskets is not the content or the intention, but the expectation they have created in a lot of teenage relationships. Teen girls have been fiending over these baskets and are highly disappointed when they do not receive them. The trend has created an unrealistic expectation of boyfriends (and girlfriends) to show their love via gifts.
While there is nothing wrong with gift-giving, expecting a basket is ridiculous. TikToks of holiday baskets flood the For You Pages of teens and fill them with the idea that love is materialistic. Harmless comments such as “His for you page, not mine” are common on these types of videos, but some take their envy to an extreme. Sometimes on partner will threaten to break up over not receiving a basket.
Overall, people should not be expecting any kind of gift from their partners, especially without communication of even wanting one. Whether you receive a burr basket this winter or not, love comes in many forms, so do not expect it to be displayed in a certain way.
