Christmas hamper help

Prinzessilein

I think this is a lovely idea!

I would be looking at longer-life products...she may be blessed enough to receive gifts from other places to help her and the family at Christmas - and I'm sure that stuff that will last would be appreciated!


I would be tempted to include a few festive treats for the children - selection boxes are often a decent price -and if you go to Lidls, the Favorina range is different and very good!...and maybe a comic or two?
(although I must admit to being horrifiedat how expensive these are today...I used to get my Whizzer and Chipsfor 2 1/2 d!!!)

And something of a treat for the Mum too! I recall in days when I was in a very bad place (I relied at times on handouts and sfa-surfed for a while) - I used to drink the value brand of coffee (I tried value teabags and couldn't face them!!!)...someone once gave me a small pack of 'good' coffee as a treat, I was over-the-moon!

You might like to consider a non- grocery item or two...washing up liquid?...a copy of the Christmas TV listings? (I KNOW you can access these elsewhere, but Christmas is special!)...a puzzle book and pen?....a book of stamps?

Whatever you go for, I am sure it will be appreciated!

VfM4meplse

PasturesNew wrote: »

It can be hard to know what people like though - the wealthier have different tastes to the less wealthy simply because they're exposed/used to different ranges which, to the poorer, are simply "weird/alien, what's this??" which is why you first said a formal hamper's ingredients are too rich.

This takes me back to a conversation with a friend when we were 17 and planning for university life. We were talking about what we would do with more money to spend. I said I would buy nicer food, she said she would buy the same food that she does now - she referred to supermarket mangoes, which at that time (1990) were ridiculously expensive - but more of it.

Just yesterday my dad was telling me how unimpressed he is that I buy YS food sometimes, even though he hoovers it up himself! At which point I declared that it doesn't matter how much I have, I will never enjoy spending lots of money on food. For some people having "premium" food is important: after years of habit, it's just not my thing.

tiredwithtwins

Bigjenny wrote: »

Another suggestion, make the hamper slightly smaller and include a supermarket card with some money on it.

that would be my suggestion too .. unless you know exactly what she buys as everyday staples, it would probably be more welcome then she can buy what she needs as she needs it, but still enjoy a nice xmas hamper with treats.
what a lovely gift

Spendless

mrs_motivated wrote: »

Hi Spendless

She has no real family to speak of and is normally at home on her own with the children on Christmas Day, but I take your point about the turkey. Maybe a couple of chickens she could freeze if need be would be more useful than a turkey?

Hmmm I suppose turkeys can be expensive so I'm sure your friend would be very grateful of receiving one, the issue will be if she has already got one before you give yours, or as someone else has pointed out if she receives one from another source also.

I like the supermarket gift card idea, even though I think Asda can be expensive at the side of Aldi & Lidl, who don't do gits cards (IIRC).

The things my own newly at Uni student son has complained about the cost of so far are:

cereal, chicken breasts (we told him to get thighs!), lemsip (or other cold remedies), decent sausages and fizzy pop.

Just in case that gives you some ideas.

[Deleted User]

I make small hampers for my housebound friends and get them things that are a treat ie a jar of honey or nice jam ,decent biscuits little treats as well as the tea bags etc a nice smelly bar of soap, some shampoo and conditioner one friend I know I bought a bottle of garlic olive oil in a nice bottle when I was on holiday and tucked that in and she was delighted as she wouldn't have bought it herself
another friend I also put a puzzle book in as she loves crossword puzzles.

Bits for the children ,perhaps that she maybe couldn't afford, doesn't have to be over expensive as children are usually more than happy to get almost anything and opening a hamper is like opening a box of treasure

Lance_De_Boils

Best present I ever got was a hamper at Christmas. I was paying off debts and was really skint and my friend knew this.

There were lots of the basics and she also put some luxury things in that I could never afford. She even put some of those giant sized prawns that they serve in restaurants. Obviously she kept them in her freezer until the great hamper reveal.
I will love her forever for such a thoughtful present.

The second best present I ever got was a back scratcher. Oh the joy after months of suffering with frozen shoulders.

micky2phones

mrs_motivated wrote: »

Hi everyone,

I have a friend with 2 children and they are really struggling financially at the moment. For Christmas I would like to give them a food hamper, but the commercial ones are not really practical (to fancy and not very good value)so I want to make my own, filled with more practical food.

My budget is about £80 to £100, so far I am thinking a small turkey crown, pigs in blankets and mince pies.....but not sure what else to put in Any ideas? I have set aside a shelf in my freezer and will give it to her a week before Christmas , but want it to be a surprise and be I know she will really appreciate it.

I have invited them over to mine on Boxing Day, when we normally have a buffet so that sorts that day out for her, children are 10 and 12 and will eat just about anything.

Do you think it would be best to fill the rest of the hamper with things like teabags, cereal, and everyday food or would you stick to Christmassy treats?

Hi, do you know what she and her children like/eat, could you shop with her to find out ?

What i have done before at Christmas is when there bogof i have one and donate the other one, some times it 3 for 2 and i donate the other two.

I would give small gifts to the children as i would think presents for them would be hard on a budget and maybe a game or games for them to play

Also cleaning things maybe needed, washing powder, washing up liquid etc, does she use a key or card to put electric/gas on her meter.

Just trying to be practical and cover all angles

Greying_Pilgrim

silver-oldie wrote: »

Just discovered Milk Chocolate Oatie Crumbles biscuits from Asda, best chocolate biscuits and only 41p for 300g. I'm sure they would go down well.

https://groceries.asda.com/product/chocolate-biscuits/asda-milk-chocolate-oatie-crumbles/910000424916

silver-oldie - can I just say thanks for posting the info about these biscuits. We're currently putting together our chrimbo donation to a foodbank, and Baby Greying will be handing over a tote bag of biscuits. We don't routinely buy biscuits, so I didn't know these were available. I picked up a couple of packets this am and will add to them with other 'interesting' types of biccies over the coming weeks.



Cheers!



Greying X

RainbowHippie

What a lovely thoughtful idea!! Lots of good ideas on here - i would add if you are planning to include wine, as she's on her own Aldi have started doing small bottles (about one large glass) and sometimes have half bottles of Toro Loco which is a lovely red. Our Lidl seems to have small bottles of white but not red, shopd in other areas may be different though! It works out a little bit more expensive per glass than a normal 75cl bottle, but worth it if she wouldn't finish the bigger bottle in a couple of days. A single friend of mine with a small child loves a glass of wine but rarely drinks more than a glass at once, so i always get her a selection of small bottles so she doesn't have half a large bottle left going manky on the side.



Could you do a more 'practical' hamper for Mum and mini hampers for the kids so they feel special having their own thing to open? Thinking a couple of small packs of sweeties and a book/small toy/colouring etc (depending on age and what they're into) each?


Definitely agree with the supermarket gift card being a good idea. Might be easier to do a smaller 'little luxuries' hamper with gift card for essentials, as with such a large budget the amount of stuff you could but might take up loads of room!



However, the idea of including some equipment (such as a slow cooker) as well is a great one, can you find out if there is anything she is lacking or has been dreaming of that you could afford to include within the budget? I once made up a 'fancy pasta bake' pack for a particularly skint friend at uni, with a cheap but nice ceramic oven dish, enough pasta/sauce/tuna/olives/sweetcorn etc for a few meals, and a £5 gift card for any fresh stuff like cheese, onions etc (i was also skint lol). It was very much appreciated. xx

[Deleted User]

Bigjenny wrote: »

Another suggestion, make the hamper slightly smaller and include a supermarket card with some money on it.

This


I would do a small hamper of Christmas treats and leave the bulk of the money for her to spend. She will know what she has store cupboard wise and can use the card to add things for meals.


TBH although it is a lovely thought nothing would highlight her hardship better than a box of basics and I myself would find that a bit demeaning. It would be like oh you recognise I can't feed my children. maybe I'm weird but I would feel awkward.