To Hell in a Handbasket

Many years ago, a friend gave me a gift basket. I don’t remember the gift, but I still have the basket. It is a simple, wooden, woven handbasket. She told me we should all have a handbasket so that if things go to hell, we would be ready.

Going to hell in a handbasket is a phrase that refers to a situation that is quickly deteriorating or headed for total ruin. The phrase first appeared in literature as early as 1682 and may share origins with going to hell in a wheelbarrow and going to hell in a handcart. Why a handbasket is necessary for a trip to hell is unknown; however, some speculate the addition of the word handbasket was simply an alliteration.

I understand that the phrase doesn’t literally mean taking a trip to the underworld, but this interpretation has provided me a humorous exploration that distracts me from the constitutional crisis facing the US. What might I pack in a handbasket for a trip south of the sod?

I think it’s safe to assume that this would be a one-way trip. Ice would be my first thought, but I doubt that would keep well. It would melt quickly and leak from the basket without adequate insulation and waterproofing. It also seems like a Sisyphean task to keep ice from melting in hell. Would Hell’s Hotel allow you to bring luggage for your stay? Typically, you pack necessities that will make your travel/stay more comfortable. Hell is all about discomfort, so a handbasket with any creature comforts would likely be strictly prohibited.

ChatGPT response to “Create an image representing going to hell in a handbasket,” OpenAI, January 28, 2025.

Maybe that is part of the hell: no matter what you put in your handbasket, you can’t keep it. Additionally, baskets are traditionally made of flammable materials like wood, rope, or plastic. The fires of hell would waste no time consuming a handbasket, regardless of the contents. Ending up with a handful of ash seems like an unnecessary and messy end to a perfectly good basket.

Perhaps it’s best to forgo the handbasket when you are hellbound and just enjoy the journey. I tend to find trips are better when I travel lite anyway.

References

ChatGPT response to “Create an image representing going to hell in a handbasket,” OpenAI, January 28, 2025.

Martin, G. (n.d.) Going to hell in a handbasket. Phrase Finder. https://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/hell-in-a-handbasket.html#google_vignette