Christmas Hamper 24 November 2004 at 4:14PM in Special occasions & other celebrations 39 replies 17.3K views

Galtizz

THIS thread is asking for cheap bought hampers but it got me thinking, I'm doing a hamper this year and I'm sure other people are, perhaps we could share ideas of what to put in it.

so far I've got:
Apple and walnut chutney
Apricot chutney
gonna have a go at peaches in brandy
and a Mini Christmas Cake

Doesn't have to be homemade:
I'm Going to Lidl to have a look at there ginger cakes and other German Christmas market looking treats. I've got a French Christmas market (very small) coming to a village near me soon so I'm going to get some cheese from their.

Any more ideas?

Lillibet_2

What about home made sweets? I have a Delia receipe for really easy petit-fours & stem ginger dipped in plain chocolate is good too.
What about a bag or box of home mixed musleli? I mix cheap porridge oats with a little brown sugar & chopped dried fruits to preference, a bit of bran or similar & occasionaly adding choc-chips for a decedant touch. Keeps for ages if air tight.
I did a Xmas day breakfast hamper for a couple once , using home made museli, a home cooked loaf, a jar of home made jam, blueberry muffins, a carton of good orange juice & a half bottle of champange.
HTH

r.mac_2

lillibet

that sounds an a amzeing hamper - and I am going to try your idea.

Other things to include -

homemade shortbread, homemade jam (raspberry is easiest, and my favourite), preserves, flavoured oil.

The oil can be a good present by itself if in a nice bottle, add herbs and chillis , or make raspberry vinager (sp?).

what about hemming some fabric and including napkins?

One year friends bought my family a set of glasses - just plain, inexpensive glass. But they went to the trouble of engraving each individual name on a glass - so we got one each and never loose our drinks when we put them down! ;D

I'll post if I can think of any more.

Rx

Lillibet_2

Oh yes, Flavoured oils are very good & so easy to make (If you do any with garlic remember to blanch the segments first to kill off the bacteria which otherwise makes it go mouldy in oil).
Also if you are a home brewer a bottle of homemade wine might be good.
My cousin makes homemade Xmas table centerpeices & Xmas wreaths which you could do if you are crafty.
I have also made bath salts using a mix of rock salt & epson salts, a little food colouring & aromatherapy oils, pop them in a posh jam jar & attach a label naming the scent & what it is good for.
Excellent, I think we are on a roll..........shame I have finished my Xmas shopping or I might be tempted to give this a go!

halloweenqueen_2

It wouldn't be xmas without pickled onions! There are other things like piccalily that can be home made - theres always beetroots to pickle. Oh I'm so hungry now! ::)

halloweenqueen_2

Just thought if yo have a gardener to buy for what about a few packets of seeds? You may have some that came with a magazine or some you've harvested yourself put into little packets?

Anne_Marie_2

What about a themed meal hamper.
Italian - things like jar of tomato sauce, pesto, dried pasta, herbs, olive oil, garlic, tomato puree, arborio rice, dried mushrooms - list is endless, and Caterina will be able to suggest more I am sure.
Indian - Basmati Rice, poppadoms, pickles, spices, jars of paste or sauce, naan bread (make sure has fairly long shelf life).
Am sure others can come up with more suggestions.
Can't say what I am doing this year, as have told all my family about this site, and we like our surprises!

16011996

wow, there are some wonderful ideas on here.

i usually do my grandad a cheese hamper at xmas, as he loves all the smelly ones, so i get all different cheeses from my local deli, about 2oz of each or they'd go off quick, some posh crackers, and then some beer to wash it down with, all packed in a wrapped box. i think its about what the person will enjoy, so go with what they like.

Galtizz

Some brilliant ideas, thanks.

I think you're right, it is nice to do a themed hamper based on something they like. My Grandad was a big fan of ginger and I used to make him a ginger hamper including all the things he'd discovered he liked (ginger wine and jamaican cake) and trying to find something different that he hadn't tried (cheese with ginger etc.).
He would have loved the chocolate covered ginger idea.

Galtizz

Just had another idea using the themes as Ann- Marie suggested and expanding on Halloween Queens idea.

How about including a food plant eg.

Italian - a mini bay tree or mini olive tree in a nice pot
Indian - (I don't eat indian so I'm not sure about this one) Saffron plant ???
Mexican - A mini chilli plant or, a nice pot and some chilli plant seeds.
Breakfast - Some strawberry seeds and a nice pot so that they can make there own jam next summer.

Lillibet_2

Several times I have done a "gardeners basket", more a gift set than a hamper, including seeds & plants, small gardening tools, twine & lables, kneeling pad, gloves, stong tea & an unbreakable mug all packed together in one of those green plastic gardening baskets or a nice pot.

This year for my nan & great aunt who are both into their 70's & want for nothing I have done "kitchen gifts", kitchen scissors, jar openers, plughole strainers, oven gloves, wooden spoons, pastry brushes, spices & herb seeds, all wrapped up indvidually in jay-cloths & packed into tupperweare boxes, with washing up sponges filling the gaps so that nothing rolls around in the post! It's all stuff that they can use so it won't go to waste & they won't tell me off for wastign my money but they still get the fun of opening the gifts. Last year I did toilteries like bars of soap, handcream & talc wrapped in face cloths then wrapped again in big bath towels. For a couple of older male family members this year I have done "car gifts" of screen wash, de-icer, wash mits, dashboard wipes & travel sweets all wrapped in big red fleecy blankets which I have embriodered with "Car Rug".
At the start of the year I tend to pick a couple of themes for some of the more diffcuilt people to buy for then collect bits & peices to match the theme as I see them throughout the year. Most of the car & kitchen bits have come from the reduced section in Wlikinsons over about 8 months.
Sorry, a bit off the topic of hampers. don't know how I got distracted ???