Looking back at this thread (because I've enjoyed it, as creating and giving Christmas gift baskets is one of my favorite things), I see one of your original questions is one none of us really addressed -- how much of everything?
I can only tell you what I usually do.
- Spiced or candied nuts, about a cup per small bag, one bag per basket
- Cookies or crackers, about a dozen per treat bag, one bag each of maybe two or three kinds per basket, except meringue cookies, which I'll for some reason package in larger bags, maybe 18 cookies, and I'm not sure why.
- Canned goods -- half-pint or pint jars
- Eggnog -- quart bottles
- Quick breads -- I usually use my 8 x 4 pans
- Chex mix or other snack mix -- bags I use hold a bit more than a quart, one bag per basket
- Pralines or other candy -- 6-8 per bag, one bag per basket, one or two (if more than one kind of candy) per basket
- Fudge -- a dozen pieces in a container, one container per basket
You mentioned truffles -- I've never made those, beyond the basic Martha Washington candy, but I've found about six-eight pieces of candy per bag is about right.
I shoot for maybe 8-10 different items per basket, bearing in mind the centerpiece (the quick bread, in my case) is the largest item and takes up a good bit of space. I can usually put three things on each side and two on each end.
Oh, one I forgot was canned pickled quail eggs and chunks of knockwurst sausage. I do those in pint jars, a mix of eggs and sausage in each. Most people have never seen them, and it's a big fascination factor. I have also done what @Kim Shook calls "cheater" pickles, where you get a gallon of hamburger dill chips, pour off all the brine, and then repack them in the jar with sugar and hot sauce and let them sit for a couple of weeks, then re-can in smaller jars. Damn good sweet-hot pickles! I'll usually put a pint of pickles, a pint of eggs/sausage, and then maybe a half-pint of jam or jelly in a basket with the other items. I have done all-canned-stuff baskets, when I had a surplus of that and not enough time to bake.
