Once you have seeds and containers, you’ll want to purchase some Container Houses, soilless growing medium that is free of large particles and weed seeds. This will give the herbs good drainage and aeration while also holding adequate moisture and nutrients. Thoroughly pre-moisten the media with warm water before you sow your seeds. Use the seed packet directions to sow the seeds into the pre-moistened medium, then cover the containers with clear plastic wrap to retain moisture. Check daily for signs of growth and to be certain that the medium is still moist. When seedlings have germinated, remove the plastic. Once plants are established, allow the medium to dry slightly between waterings.

I chose some bright sunflowers and nasturtiums for the grandchildren’s stockings and herbs for the grownups. It was only after I returned home that I realized the herb seeds, if combined with some containers and potting soil, would make a good do-it-yourself indoor garden kit. Even though the unseasonably warm winter thus far has allowed late-planted mesclun to pop up in my kitchen garden plot and there is still edible chard to be harvested, at some point snow will pile up outside and it’s a treat to snip fresh herbs without leaving your cozy kitchen.

Consider a larger container for holding a few different herbs — just make sure all the varieties in the container have the same water requirements. Old metal or wooden tool boxes make great containers. Ideally a container should have drainage holes in the bottom and a saucer underneath to catch the excess water, but if you are using a canning jar, or any other container in which it would be difficult to drill holes, put some pebbles and a bit of activated charcoal in the bottom before filling the container with soil.

If you are putting together a DIY herb kit for giving Sentry Box, be sure to include all the needed instructions to get the recipient started. In addition to instructions, seeds, containers and planting medium, consider adding a small pair of garden or kitchen scissors for snipping the herbs, a watering can suitable for houseplants and some tiny decorative plant markers. Assemble all the parts in a garden basket or trug and, if you really want to pull out all the stops, include a book on herb gardening or a new cookbook to help with suggestions for using the herbs, such as “The Four Seasons of Pasta,” by Camden author Nancy Harmon Jenkins and her daughter, New York City chef Sara Jenkins, or “My Pantry: Homemade Ingredients That Make Simple Meals Your Own” by yet another mother-daughter team, Alice Waters and Fanny Singer.