Food hamper contents

[cocodidit1]

I think I'm going to make a food hamper for the inlays this xmas, as their Ds can't be bothered to come up with any suggestions and looks at me wide eyed on Christmas eve every bloody year.
So i am thinking of all the usuals, choices, crackers for cheese, baileys, chutneys, festive mugs perhaps.

These are old people and wouldn't be into any fancy new food. Is there anything I'm forgetting? Im thinking of starting to buy one item a week now so i have it ready early.

[cocodidit1]

Inlaws not inlays ooops

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeG0es]

Nice tea, coffee or hot choc to go with the mugs.

[BlueKarou]

I did one last year; mostly what you've already said; cheese, crackers, some bacon salt, some flavoured vodka miniatures (bacon salt and vodka being things I knew the recipients would like.) and some Hotel Chocolat goodness.

How about some jam/marmalade? Definitely tea/coffee/hot choc as Who said. Maybe chuck in a couple of oranges just before delivering, or some nuts - very festive (chocolate brazils, maybe, if nuts alone not their sort of thing)

[cocodidit1]

Great thinking about the drinks and nuts. might go with some lemons and oranges scattered too.

cheers ladies!

[SpaceDinosaur]

Cake!

Cured meats. Some nice cordial? Wine? Mulling spices/mulled wine? Olives. Look in the "extra special" aisle of jars. Stuffed peppers?

Can you make me one too please?!!

[CarrotVan]

Maybe go with a theme like afternoon tea, luxury breakfast, luxury snacks, brunch...

[Petitcanard]

I do a hamper for my parents using Asda Extra Special goodies- they love it and I add different products every year. Pasta is a great bulky filler, as are the crisps and popcorn. I buy a few items every week in the run up to Christmas too so the cost is spread out too.

[NotAMammy]

Oh exactly what I'm looking for. Planning on doing similar for both my family and inlaws too. So far I have listed:
mulled wine (neither set of parents drink, but I know it will be used in our house, not getting this for inlaws)
panettone
flavoured cheese (the nice stuff from the markets),
crackers and chutneys,
chocolates (might go extra posh for inlaws to make up for no alcohol) Christmas pasta shapes
I'll get a small christmas cake for my Mum, but DH's uncle is a baker and provides loads of goodies so no point getting any for inlaws.
Maybe some chocolate coins?
I think if I see something a bit fun and christmassy on my travels I might pop that in.

I'm planning on making the crates myself and putting the family names on them so that will be a personal touch. I'll see how these fill up the crate, I might need to put a bit more in because it feels a bit lacking at the moment. Like others, I'm planning to buy bits at a time to spread out the cost. My house will be full of people over Christmas so my Mum would prefer something that gets all used up.

[bimbobaggins]

Marks and spencer do a good range of Christmas products, Ie teabags, jam etc. I always do my mum a Christmas hamper and I include
Teabags
Coffee
Honey
Jam
Chocolate spread
Oatcakes
Several Christmas themed chocolates
A Christmas hand wash
And lots of other things I can't remember

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeG0es]

Lidl do some lovely Christmas bits too, the mini stollen, spiced biscuits and fudge are all delicious.

[AmyAmoeba]

I feel a bit meh about hampers because DH gets given a few through work every year and I get a cupboard full of stuff that doesn't really appeal to us. I absolutely love the idea of getting a hamper from someone who knows what we like and where to add the luxurious touches! Or a hamper of home made goodies (I'm so jealous of the recipients of the yummy hampers on the poncetastic threads!)

I think a hamper feels extra special when there are a couple of extra items hidden in the filler, like a second secret layer.

If your Inlaws are older crashing generalisation they might like homemade / handmade versions of some favourite food. Maybe some jam and shortbread from the farmers market.

Lovely ideas on this thread - all I can think to add is a festive tea towel and scented candle

[dillyduck]

crackers for cheese, baileys, chutneys, festive mugs perhaps

Do they like those things? If not it is just waste. We have been bought some hampers this year- many are lovely but I bet that we now have 12 jars or luxury jam and chutney. We do eat both but not at that rate. We also have tea from bettys, harrods, Selfridges and fortnums. I dont drink tea and DH only drinks it occasionally and then twinning English breakfast.

We give most of our hamper stuff away to the food bank. I would rather get a chicken or a joint of beef.

[cocodidit1]

yes Amy, they are definitely an older generation with no intent on changing their tastebuds at this stage. So I'm gonna keep it very basic with a twist of festive. I love the tea towel idea and it could be used as a nice base for the foodstuff.

I went to tesco last night and threw a bag of those new digestive bites and a small box of Lily o briens choices not the basket. Both were half price! So thats me started.

Notamammy, How are you going to make the crates? I would be interested to hear about that. Also does anyone know where you can buy that straw like stuff for the bottom?

[AmyAmoeba]

Aldi had hamper kits last year. I think Poundland did hamper kits too but I can't be certain. You'd probably get straw from a florist

[ShoeJunkie]

Hobby craft probably has bits to make the hamper and straw to fill it.
I think Waitrose had wooden crates and baskets to use as hampers last year too.

[JoylessFucker]

How about milk chocolate sprouts from M&S? Just bought some for himself who loves sprouts, might have to tease him with them, as he'd rather have the vegetables than the chocolate weirdo

[Princesspinkgirl]

Mugs choc biscuits maybe festive shaped choc

[NotAMammy]

I'm mostly planning on hammering some bits of wood together, painting it and hoping for the best coco! It kind of depends what wood I can get on the cheap, I'm hoping to end up with something like this: decorchick.com/diy-crate-shelf/
I'm sure I'll post updates.

I am adopting the tea towel idea and a festive candle. Does anyone know if they make adult Christmas activity books with themed crosswords and colouring and some soduko or something? I can imagine that going down well in both houses!

Amy and Dilly I think that's the good thing about making your own hampers, you can add what you know they'd like. In ordinary circumstances, cheese and crackers and chutneys, etc wouldn't be ate by my Mum, but at Christmas they'll be scoffed by the ravenous hoards!

[dillyduck]

but at Christmas they'll be scoffed by the ravenous hoards!

Then that is hardly a gift for her. You could take the items as your contribution to the food if you and other guests are going to eat them.

[Sniv]

NotAMammy

You can buy special Christmas crossword/puzzle books from places like The Works, but I've found it's better to buy the Christmas editions of the regular puzzle mags like Puzzler. For some reason they seem a bit less special that a specific christmas puzzle book (and they inevitably have the price on the cover which is a bit annoying), but the puzzles are much, much better quality.

[NotAMammy]

Thanks Sniv, I'll keep an eye out.

Dillyduck, my mum hates receiving presents, so something that has a mixture of stuff for her and stuff for others is perfect. We're also getting her a larger gift from me and my siblings that's all for her that she'll tell us off for. She lives alone for most of the year, and she likes a small bit of something fancy so she'll eat a bit, but most of it would go to waste. However at Christmas when everyone's around, she'll have a bit and the rest won't go to waste. I do actually consider what people would like when thinking what to give them.

[gratesnakes]

For my mum I would add the January Good Housekeeping Mag and some posh paper napkins. She likes that sort of thing but regards it as extravagant.

[AuntieStella]

Tastes of their youth perhaps?

I was thinking of Ovaltine. Lotus paste has been around for much longer than I realised, and my DM really liked marshmallow fluff.

Also, festive washing up liquid, and soap/hand cream set.

Festive paper napkins, tissues, kitchen roll, loo paper

[LunaLoveg00d]

Oxfam have really nice quality baskets with handles designed for hampers and they're Fair Trade and only £4. They are very well made and would be useful around the house in a way a crate wouldn't be.

Also have to give a big shout out for the Divine chocolate range which is gorgeous and would be a delicious addition to any hamper. My local Oxfam has all its Christmas food in now so it's well worth a look. Also things like olive oil, chutneys, jams and fruit cake - all Fair Trade.