Christmas is a time for feasting, and if there is one gift that really shows someone you love them, a festive hamper made up of their favourite foods is perfect.

Putting together a basket filled with Christmas delights doesn’t need to be expensive, a few well placed things wrapped beautifully will do just the trick. All you need to do is find a basket and use tissue paper to fill in the gaps between the gifts. In fact, for a cheaper version, a cardboard box wrapped in festive paper will look just as lovely with a ribbon on top! Here are some ideas of things you could put in your hamper. I hope you’ll find them useful.

Mince Pies

You can’t have Christmas without mince pies and homemade mince pies are the crowning jewels of any hamper. Use ready to roll sweet pastry and a jar of the best mincemeat you can find – it’s really that simple. Give them a festive snow flurry of icing sugar and wrap in a cellophane bag to keep them fresh. Make sure they go at the top of your hamper to prevent them getting squashed!

Chocolates

Everybody likes chocolate and at this time of year, luxury chocolates are a real treat. They will really raise your hamper game, especially if they come already wrapped and presented. A selection of Christmas flavours like ginger, mint and festive spices will always go down well.

Chutney

Chutneys are such a festive item and you can buy all sorts of delicious chutneys from the supermarket. But there are also some lovely recipes you can use to make your own, like this Christmas chutney by Nigella. Jam jars aren’t expensive to buy on the internet or just collect your old jam jars for reuse. Add a festive ribbon and a label for a personal touch.

Mulled Wine

The warmth of mulled wine is so evocative of the festive period, especially of the Christmas markets that pop up around Europe. You can use any cheap red wine, all you need is a few ingredients to add in for that extra flavour. Of course, if mulled wine isn’t their choice of drink, mulled cider is another option and as  gin has had such a renaissance this year, it wouldn’t be misplaced in a hamper either.

Christmas Pudding

The final piece – the Christmas pudding! Again, there are some lovely Christmas puddings on offer this year but you could always make your own. Alternatively, a small iced Christmas cake or a yule log will be just as gratefully received depending on their tastes.

There are all sorts of things you could add to a Christmas hamper and these are just a few ideas you could use. The perfect hamper will always reflect the recipient’s personal tastes so try adding a few of their favourite foods as well as the classic Christmas things. 

Though the ingredients don’t need to be particularly expensive (it’s the flavour that matters), the wrapping is going to make all the difference. Sit your collection on a ruffled pillow of tissue paper and arrange everything so that all the labels are instantly visible. Adding ribbons will give a sense of cohesion to the group, even if there is no other particular theme.

Have you ever made a luxury hamper as a Christmas gift?
I’d love to hear what sorts of things you put inside if you have!
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