Christmas hampers and corporate gifts: what to order and when

Gift guides and food retailers begin promoting Christmas hampers and food gifts in October, as people look for presents that are easier to choose than another jumper.

A good hamper suits almost everyone: clients, colleagues, neighbours, grandparents and the person who says they want nothing. Here is how to get it right.

Start with who it is for

The best hampers feel chosen for the person. Before you think about contents, ask a few questions.

• Is this for a client, a team member, a relative or a friend?
• Do they have dietary needs or allergies?
• Will they open it at home, in the office or at a shared event?
• Is there a budget per hamper, and how many do you need?

A client hamper may suit a polished, classic selection. A hamper for a family might lean towards treats to share around the table on Christmas Eve.

What goes in a good hamper

We make hampers around the best of local fayre, using locally sourced products wherever we can, along with our own fresh preserves, desserts and treats. Our hampers page explains how they work.

When you are choosing contents, think in layers:

1. Something savoury: chutneys, relishes, biscuits for cheese or locally made produce.
2. Something sweet: preserves, a dessert or a traybake.
3. Something to share: a treat that gets opened straight away.
4. Something with a story: an item that comes from a named local producer.

The aim is a hamper that feels generous but not cluttered. A few well-chosen items beat a box full of filler.

Presentation and the personal touch

A hamper is opened twice: once when the lid comes off, and again when the contents are laid out. Both moments count. Tidy packing, a handwritten or printed gift tag and a sensible arrangement of the items make a modest hamper look considered.

For corporate gifts, a short personal note usually means more than a logo. Think about who will be reading it and what you want them to remember about your business. For family and friends, a line about why you chose a particular item makes the gift feel thoughtful rather than bought in a hurry.

It also helps to think about how the hamper will travel. Heavy jars and fragile items need careful packing, and perishable items need a plan for how soon they should be eaten. If a hamper is going to be posted or carried on public transport, say so when you order.

Setting a budget

You can choose a pre-planned hamper, or have one tailormade to suit. If you tell us what your budget is, we do the rest. The prices we quote include packaging and gift tags, so there are no surprises when it comes to presentation.

For larger orders, such as gifts for a whole team or client list, it helps to decide a budget per hamper and the total number of hampers before you contact us. That keeps the conversation simple.

Think about dietary needs early

Allergies and dietary requirements are the main reason a hamper goes wrong. If you are ordering for a group, collect the information before you place the order.

• Ask about nut, gluten and dairy allergies.
• Consider vegetarian and vegan recipients.
• Decide whether an alcohol-free hamper is a better choice for certain people.

Tell us what you know and we will plan around it. For a large list, a standard hamper with a smaller number of tailored versions is often the easiest approach.

Ordering dates to work back from

• Mid to late October: decide recipients, numbers and budget.
• Early November: get in touch with your brief and agree contents.
• Late November: confirm delivery or collection arrangements.
• First half of December: send corporate gifts early so that they arrive before offices close.

Ordering earlier is less stressful for you and gives time to source local products in season.

Gifts for occasions beyond Christmas

The same thinking applies all year. Our hampers also suit weddings, birthdays and thank-you gifts, so it is worth keeping a note of what worked well for a recipient. If someone loved the preserves this year, you will know what to choose next time.

Hampers as part of a bigger plan

Many people combine hampers with other Christmas plans. A business might send client gifts and also book a party. A family might order a hamper for a grandparent and arrange catering for a get-together. If that sounds like you, see our outside catering page.

Get in touch

If you would like a hamper for someone this Christmas, contact us with your budget, the occasion and any preferences, and we will put something together.