Choosing a Hamper for the Best Christmas Gift
The festive season simply wouldn’t be festive without an array of indulgent sweets and snacks to keep you fuelled up through the holidays.
A Christmas food hamper makes the perfect gift for any foodie in need of a pick me up after wolfing down a wonderful Christmas dinner.
They are often thought of as a festive family treat, so they’re perfect for gifting to a friend or family member, or as a general gift to share between your whole family.
Since Christmas is the busiest time of the year, we’ve gone ahead and compiled a list of the best Christmas hampers that Amazon has to offer.
And with each item qualifying for Prime delivery so that you can rest easy knowing even your last-minute gifts will be delivered in time for the big day!
A Brief History of Hampers
Over time, hampers have evolved from serving as picnic baskets to being fashioned into complete gifts, containing all manner of products, such as shaving kits, beauty items, clothes, games, and much more, tailored to perfectly match your recipient’s desires, whatever the occasion.
The earliest recorded use goes way back to the 11th century when William the Conqueror is credited as having brought them to England. Once the Victorian era rolled around, it had become a tradition for wealthy families to give baskets full of food and drink to their poorer staff at Christmas, as a way of saying thank you for the year’s work.
Soon, the railway system enhancement and easier methods of importing meant that the popularity of these Christmas gift baskets soared.
People didn’t want to limit their gift-giving to just the festive season, so they started to send them during all special occasions. Birthdays, anniversaries, and even as donations to the Red Cross during World War One!
Today, the term ‘hamper’ encapsulates the idea of gifting someone else a range of treats in a nice package, not just for personal use, and in the UK at least, they’re given for a wide range of reasons or occasions.
Review of the Best Christmas Hampers on Amazon
1. Clearwater Hampers – Senior Choice Gift Hamper
About:
The Senior Choice is one of the best hampers for Christmas, offering fourteen sweet and savoury snacks to keep your older guests happy and full throughout the celebrations, as well as a selection of rich British teas. Expect delicious treats such as flapjacks, sherbet lemon sweets, sea salted crisps, orange marmalade, and much more. Make their day even more special by adding your own free personalised gift message, for that personal touch.
Good Gift For:
The Senior Choice is the perfect Christmas hamper for any of your older friends or family members. Give your elderly loved ones a taste of the luxurious life!
2. Just Treats – Lunar Sweet & Candy Selection Box
About:
The Just Treats Lunar Sweet & Candy Selection Box is the best food hamper for that sugary buzz your kids or family crave so highly during the holidays. From Sherbet Fountains to White Mice and Jazzies, your loved one will find all of the delicious treats they desire, and more! This box also comes with at least two of every sweet, so this Christmas you can give them the gift that truly keeps on giving.
Good Gift For:
Filled to the brim with sugary goodies, this hamper is the perfect gift for your children, nieces or nephews, or any of your adult friends and family who enjoy reminiscing over the ‘good old days’. Take your loved ones back in time this Christmas, with this wonderful array of retro sweets.
3. Clearwater Hampers – Wine, Cheese and Pate Hamper
About:
Our second offering from this best-selling brand is the Wine, Cheese and Pate Hamper, which we’ve included because they’re basically the epitome of luxury when it comes to Christmas hampers. This particular choice is no different. Featuring an authentic Australian Shiraz red wine and a host of gourmet award-winning cheeses, this Christmas hamper oozes decadence from every angle.
Good Gift For:
The Clearwater Hampers Wine, Cheese and Pate Hamper contains a luxury wine and therefore isn’t suitable for children.
However, feel free to spoil an adult friend or loved one with this fantastic hamper which comes presented in an open wicker hamper, great for reusing later.
4. The British Hamper Company – Vegan Gourmet Hamper
About:
If you’re stuck on good Christmas hamper ideas for your vegan or plant-based friends and family, The British Hamper Company’s Vegan Gourmet Hamper is the perfect solution. This wonderful vegan selection contains a range of delicious sweet and savoury treats from Britain’s best artisanal producers and comes carefully presented in their bespoke lidded gift boxes for chic festive style.
Good Gift For:
The Vegan Gourmet Hamper is the ultimate Christmas hamper for your vegan or vegetarian loved ones. Filled with a variety of cruelty-free treats, including Venezuelan Gold Dark Chocolate, Sweet and Salty Popcorn, Air-dried Apple Crisps, authentic Columbian coffee, and much more, to keep your vegan friends and family stuffed throughout the festivities!
5. gifthamperz – Deluxe Large Sugar-Free Diabetic Gift Food Hamper
About:
Struggling to find a selection box suitable for your diabetic friends? The gifthamperz Delux Diabetic Food Hamper is the answer to your prayers and contains a multitude of sugar-free sweet and savoury snacks to keep your loved ones’ health and tastes fulfilled throughout the festive season.
Good Gift For:
Jam-packed with a speciality assortment of biscuits, jam, chocolates, crisps and so much more, the Delux Diabetic Food Hamper is the perfect present for any diabetic that wants all of the flavour and fun without any of the risks. Make someone’s Christmas a luxury Christmas with this delicious diabetic-friendly treat selection!
The Guide to Christmas Hampers: Common Questions and Themes
How to Make a DIY Christmas Hamper
Gifting someone a luxury Christmas hamper to put under their Christmas tree is truly a magical feeling. And the more homemade it is, the smugger you can feel. It makes a thoughtful, personal gift, and you can save those all-important pennies by forgoing those expensive shop-bought versions.
There are two main options when it comes to crafting your own Christmas hamper:
1. Make one entirely from scratch: wicker weaving, gourmet food cooking and all. This is a much longer process and takes a bit of wicker-weaving expertise, but you can find plenty of in-depth tutorials online. Here’s one we’ve picked out for you – just click the link and take a read!
2. Alternatively, you can buy an empty wicker basket from Amazon or another retailer and fill it with whatever items you want. This is the more common option, as it’s far easier, cheaper, and quicker to fashion, so you get all of the style without having to do any of the work. Another bonus of opting for this choice is that you can make your basket as simple or as you want. Check out Amazon’s best wicker gift baskets to find your perfect fit.
Do Christmas Hampers Come in a Wicker Basket?
Unfortunately, it’s important to note that most hampers found on Amazon will be packaged in cardboard boxes or small wooden baskets, rather than in traditional wicker baskets.
Therefore, if you’re looking for the authentic, rustic, ‘picnic basket’ look, we would recommend purchasing a separate wicker basket to fill with treats and decorate as you please as per the DIY guide we’ve created above. Check out Amazon’s best wicker gift baskets to find your perfect fit.
What Can I Put in a Christmas Hamper?
When it comes to deciding what to fill your hamper with there’s typically no set rules for what to include since they tend to be used for a range of occasions.
Traditional Christmas hampers contain a variety of food and drinks since Christmas is one of the only times of the year that we don’t have to feel guilty about eating for England!
Traditional foods we eat during the Christmas holidays are cheese and crackers, chocolates (Quality Street, After Eights, or Celebrations), fruits, jams and marmalades, and various sweets.
The wines, cheeses, and fresh fruits make a great selection for your older friends and family, whilst the sweeter, more naughty items such as the cookies and various sweets, make for the perfect treats for your children or young family members.
For the ultimate wow-factor, try some homemade gifts. Have a read of our easy and unique homemade gifts for some great ideas.
Our Final Thoughts and Summary on the Best Christmas Hampers
So, there we have it. An all-inclusive guide to Christmas hampers, their history, and the different styles and options available to ensure you’re as prepared as you can be when the most wonderful time of the year finally arrives.
Thanks to our selection of the best Christmas hampers available on Amazon, you can rest easy and still celebrate in style. After all, it wouldn’t be Christmas without a giant hamper full of decadent treats and tipples to tickle your loved ones’ fancies.
Related Articles on Christmas Gifts:
- The Best Christmas Gift Baskets This Year
- The Best Christmas Gifts For Couples Who Have Everything
- 14 Best Gifts for Cheese Lovers and Best Cheese Board Gifts
- 19 Best Gifts for Chocolate Lovers UK and Unique Chocolate Gifts
- 6 Best Ethical And Eco Friendly Gifts This Christmas
- 150 Best Stocking Filler Ideas For All Ages This Year
- 15 Easy & Unique Homemade Christmas Gift Ideas
- 5 Best Gift Ideas for Families Who Have Everything
