Christmas Hampers 2014

kingfisherblue

My friend's daughter is fascinated by the Disney film 'Frozen', so I have decided to make a hamper for her based on this. I found a plate, dish, sports bottle, and sandwich box in the poundshop. I'm adding a pair of fluffy socks (in case her feet are frozen!), and I'm looking round for other stuff. I managed to get a bottle of bubbles from The Works with a 'Frozen' design. Pens and pencils aren't any use, as she has special needs and uses thick, triangular shaped ones. I'm hoping to find a pad of plain paper, bracelet, or something else suitable though. She has the DVD, and her grandma has made her the dress (shop bought ones don't fit, as she is quite tall).


I'm thinking of popping it all into a hamper lined with pale blue fabric, possibly sparkly. I have plenty of cellophane, and can top it with a large blue ribbon.

mum2one

Heres a recipie for fudge - if its help for anyone xx

Ingredients
• 75 g butter
• 4 tbsp condensed milk
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 400 g icing sugar, such as Tate & Lyle Fairtrade
• 25 g cocoa powder

Method
1. Put the butter, condensed milk and vanilla extract into a bowl and beat together until smooth. Sift the icing sugar and cocoa together then gradually mix into the butter. Eventually you will have to use your hands and work the mixture well until it comes together into a firm ball.

2. Lightly dust the work surface with icing sugar, place the fudge ball onto the surface and roll evenly about 1.5cm/½” thick.

3. Use Christmas novelty cutters and cut out shapes, transfer them to a flat tray lined with baking paper. Alternatively roll into a square and cut into squares. Gather up the trimmings and continue to cut out shapes.

4. Leave to dry overnight before serving or packing into pretty boxes if you want to give them as a gift.

Cooks Tips...
Variations
• When kneading the mixture, stir in 75g seedless raisins or dried fruit.
• For treacle fudge add 1tbsp black treacle, such as Tate and Lyle’s, to the basic mixture at step 1.
• For cherry fudge leave out the chocolate and knead in a little vanilla extract and 50g finely chopped glac! cherries

 

mum2one

homemade recipie for a "baileys2 version - it is lush, but doesn't last long in our house. xx

Ingredients
• 150 g dulce de leche
• ½ tbsp coffee liqueur
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 150 ml brandy
• 325 ml single cream

1. Spoon the dulce de leche into a bowl, and stir in the coffee liqueur, vanilla and brandy until combined.

2. Stir in the cream until well mixed.

3. Pour into 1 large, or several smaller, sterilised bottles. This should keep in the fridge for 2 weeks.

4. Serve cold over ice.

mum2one

Home made coffee hamper

Get a nice pair of mugs
then make a selection of the coffees
add some chocolates


COFFEE MOCHA
4 tablespoons coffee
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
4 tablespoons coffee whitner

mix together, and pot up


CAFE VIENNA
4 tablespoons coffee
1.2 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix together and pot up


SWISS MOCHA
4 tablespoons coffee
4 tablespoons drinking chocolate
4 tablespoons whitener





CAFE Au Lait
4 tablespoons coffee
4 tablespoons whitner

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by using a 4 spoon ratio you get about 4 servings, per mix, but there easy to double or triple up as needed.

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I usually get the coffee, choc, etc from £1land or homebargains - tend to be the best value x

mum2one

More Hamper Ideas - all £5 ish

A girly hamper - hair turban, bath bits, chocolate, wine, make up, etc

A food hamper - homemade cakes, buscuits, chutneys, sauces

A pamper hamper - a blanket, candles, mini bottle of wine and a glass, a girly dvd, a book

A gardening themed one - gardening gloves (pound shops sell these), a kneeling mat, a gardening themed mug, gardener's soap, a nail brush, gardening seeds

An alcohol one - mini alcohol bottles most supermarkets do 4 small bottles for £5. two glasses, a wine or cocktail book

A movie themed one - a dvd, popcorn, pick and mix

Drink + choc mug – mug, sachet hot chocolate, sachet cappicuno mix, mini whisk, couple of mini bars of chocolate, - wrap in cello

Whisk u Merry Xmas – Large Whisk, fill the bottom with chocolates, toffees etc, wrap the whisk in cello wrap

Ladies gardening hamper – hand cream, nail brush, kneeling mat, garden gloves, garden mug, garden tools – fancy designs

A girly hamper – hair turban, face mask, toe seperators, nail file, tea light candles, nail varnish,

Car hamper – Steering wheel cover, bucket, sponge, shammy, carwash, windscreen cover

Mini pamper set- colour scheme, shower squidee, sponge, flannel, bubblebath, showergel,

Mini food package – Mini jars jam (Morrisons 4 for £1), small box posh tea bags, shortbread biscuits (buy multi pack and split between people), add a mug, put it on a small tray

Kitchen goodies – mini scales, teatowel, oven glove, fancy rubber gloves (kim and aggie gloves – posh style £1.00 shop)

Drinks Tray
Christmas tray, small cafeteria pot £1.00 poundland (boxed) they also do a matching teapot (again £1.00) add a small packet fresh coffee, some fresh tea, a couple of teatowels and 2 mugs.

(these were borrowed from a christmas thread a couple of yrs ago) xx

kayandy_2

Hollycupcake - thank you for that yeah she has long hair I didn't even think of bobbles and clips haha!! So thank you!!


peppapig - ooo ill keep my eye out for them when I pop into pound land and bnms

FieryAngel

Wow Mum2one, thanks for all the hamper ideas, genius! I love all these homemade hampers and love making them for people. It's nice to fill them with things you know the recipient will like and you know they'll like everything in there - shop bought ones run the risk of having lots of bits you don't like as well as those you do and are so much more expensive.

It's so exciting! I always love Christmas but am feeling a little obsessed this year. I had 3 parcels arrive yesterday with Christmas crafty bits and bobs so that was very exciting!

Hezzawithkids

Mum2One - I second that! Lots of fabulous ideas for hard-to-buy-for people, you are a star!!:beer:

emsi_b

mum2one, thanks for those great ideas! Definitely making the coffee ones for my mum, she loves fancy coffee but not the headaches the ready made sachets give her! Think she'll really like the Mocha one & the Cafe Vienna one :T

mum2one

thank you, - glad you dont mind me coming in like a bull dozer....

The coffee mixes are all lovely, - did them the xmas before and got asked last yr if I was doing anymore.... hadn't planned to regive them to the ones who had them - I use cello bag - come xmas time £1 shops or the works have them in around 20 bags for £1. xx