The Subtle Art of Giftbasketry

This past spring I was asked to assemble a basket on behalf of Atlantia for the royal gift exchange that takes place at Pennsic every year. This was the first time I had ever heard of this tradition and so I had very little in the way of prior knowledge or example to work off of. I’m writing this as a guide for the next person who takes on the task or anyone hoping to complete a similar project. 

Gift giving is a long and storied tradition in the SCA, just as it was historically. Tokens and largesse act as a physical reminder that all the work that we do is seen and appreciated by others, whether that appreciation comes from a representative of the crown or a fellow member of the populace. Each gift, no matter the size, is given for a reason and that is where I start when coming up with a plan for larger gifting projects.

When I first met with her majesty Genievive, Head retainer Mistress Lucie, and their majesties largesse coordinator Lady Lily, we still did not know who exactly would be receiving the basket as there were still a few crown tourneys left to be fought across the knowne world. We determined though, that as much as the final gift basket would be for another kingdom, we really want to use the opportunity to feature Atlantian artists. Much like diplomatic gifts across history, the purpose of this project was to impress a foreign court with our kingdom’s finery and talents. 

Considering the underlying purpose of your gift helps determine a great deal of decisions down the line. If you are putting together something on behalf of a guild, then you’ll want to highlight guild members' work and your niche within the hobby. If you’re organizing a gift for an elevation then you may want to focus on the final recipient’s journey and interests. This project was a blend of the two. 

While I got started soliciting contributions, we got the update that we would be exchanging gifts with their majesties, Oliver and Grainne of Aethelmearc. Thankfully, their head retainer had put together a wonderful cheat sheet of their likes and dislikes that really helped me get started. I also reached out to folks in or from Aethelmearc to help with my snooping (special thanks to Magister Casimir, Sir Vlad, and Baroness Ingegerd for making my job much easier). With more detail I was able to come up with a wish list that made soliciting help a breeze. I’ve found with this and other projects where aggregating multiple pieces from many contributors, having a distinct list of what you're hoping to include encourages people to contribute far more than just a general call for any and everything.

Thinking again about featuring Atlantian groups, I also reached out to as many guilds as I could (many apologies if I did not reach out to your guild or group, I found several I forgot about or was unaware of after most of the planning and work had been done). I lead our kingdom's agriculture guild so it was easy enough to contribute something on behalf of my own guild. The foresters guild and our fiber arts guild, the company of the silver spindle also made amazing contributions. For future gift baskets I’d love to see more guilds and perhaps even households represented. Featuring groups like guilds that often have few opportunities to be seen on a larger stage feels like a win-win situation. 

Final printed version of the cookbook ‘From Atlantia’s Table’

I also used the opportunity to create a project I had been think about for some time, an Atlantian cookbook. Compiling receipes from many of the talented cooks amoung us, I tried to focus on the stories that came with them. Our food is so entwined with our culture and history and I wanted to share that as much as the recipes themselves.

Thus far in the process I had been able to put together a great selection of items. My own self imposed guidelines called for a showstopper feature item that could serve as a centerpiece. I had received info that Queen Grainne is an avid stargazer and initially thought of commissioning a scribe to illuminate a star chart that could be framed and hung. Unfortunately, I had the idea a bit late and I wasn’t able to find someone with the time to complete something of that scale before Pennsic. While at my local reuse center I found two pieces of fabric that inspired me to embroider a nighttime scene as a wall hanging. I came up with a layered design with scattered stars across the background and beaded constellations on top of a sheer layer of fabric to give the illusion of depth. I did my best to arrange the constellations to match the night sky on the night of their coronation to add a personal and hopefully meaningful touch. 

Embroidered wall hanging showing the night sky on the night of King Oliver and Queen Grainne’s coronation

This was my first real kingdom level service and gave me just a taste of the work that goes into creating those special moments that we all treasure in the SCA. Below is a full list of every item that was given, who contributed it, and if applicable, why we chose it for the basket. A massive thank you to everyone who gave their time, talent, and resources to make it all possible.

The full gift basket right before it went out

A wire wrapped pendant: inspired by minoan garb made by Queen Grainne - contributed by Lady Margaret Moss

Two necklaces - contributed by Baroness Wanda the Wanderer

Taster cup/Torch work beads/ Pilgrims bag: pilgrims bag inspired by King Oliver's persona - contributed by Baroness Ingegerd Kastanrazi

A set of historical spice blends - contributed by Dama Mariana Ruiz de Medina

Historical games: inspired by King Oliver’s persona and personal interest -  contributed by Dame Mor the Merry

Illuminated card - contributed by Royal Scrivner, Lady Christina Temperani

Fabric - contributed by Lady Evelyn

A set of four tea blends: inspired by Queen Grainne’s love of tea - contributed by the Atlantian Agricultural and Animal Husbandry Guild

Fire starters/Walnut ink - contributed by the Atlantian Royal Forestry Guild

Handmade Scarf/Wrap - contributed by the Company of the Silver Spindle

‘From Atlantia’s Table’ cookbook: inspired by Atlantia’s many talented cooks 

Embroidered wall hanging