What would you put in the hamper?

[Happyhamper1]

A local family has suffered a tragedy lately and I know they are not well off! So I have managed to raise 200 to put together a great Christmas hamper. I want to get things that they will enjoy but also NEED for Christmas.
So I’m thinking:
Box of chocs x2
Box of biscuits
A voucher for the local butchers (for their meat)
Some cordials??

BUT What else?? I am drawing absolute blanks. I would like a mix of fancy and basic!!
Thank you.

Voucher for a veg box for roast dinner?
Maybe then some cracker cheese etc and then maybe a voucher for the local supermarket to get a big shop before Xmas?

Ps lovely idea

Thank you @Namechanger23455

£100 Tesco gift card if there is one near by to them?

Teabags, coffee, long life juice and long life milk.

Yes instead of a hamper give them a voucher.

Cheese board
Olives
Wine
Asda/tesco voucher

Tea, coffee, selection boxes if they have children, bag of decent pasta with a jarred sauce, crackers, condiments like ketchup, mayo, mustard

Board game? Popcorn?

Give all of it as a voucher for a supermarket that's good value and they can get to easily.

A load of stuff they don't need, a voucher for a supermarket that's expensive or far away is much less of a help to people in their situation. Let them choose whether they spend the money on treats or make it go as far as possible on basics.

What's the make up of the family, kids, no kids, preschool, teen....?

I didn’t want to give them a voucher as such as I just felt that was a bit “meh” and I wanted them to have some nice treats about the house. Mum wouldn’t be the best at the moment and I’m guessing the idea of going to do the shopping would be daunting enough
@TorysSuckRevokeArticle50 2 kids, one teen and one under 10

If they’re short of money, small gift and voucher would be the nicest.

I'd do a small basket of nice things, biscuits & chocolates & mince pies, then give the bulk of the money as a voucher/gift card for a supermarket.

Then they have a treat with the hamper, and the personal choice to spend about £175 in the way that's best for them.

I think it's difficult to provide a useful hamper when you don't know exactly what plans have already been made, they may have put their food shop through online already or have plans to go to some one else.

I would be inclined to do something like £100 grocery store voucher, £50 cinema voucher so they can go for a family outing over the holidays thats low key, then £50 on some treats like biscuits, sweets, a board game, xmassy flower bouquet for the house, that kind of thing.

I'd get some treats specific to the family. Then add
a voucher to the hamper for a supermarket near to them. One that does lots of other things except food not aldi. Put some treats for mum in the hamper as she wont spend the voucher on her. Fancy chocs, some xmas smellies, xmas scented candle,

Some treats in there nice crisps, biscuits, mince pies, chocolate, crackers, cheese, wine if they drink and some soft drinks for kids then a £150 supermarket card.

She wouldn't have to go into the supermarket to do the shop. Vouchers can be used online.
Would she need to go out to the butchers?

We have done something similar in the past. A small basket of treats with things we knew they would enjoy, and the rest in vouchers.

Tea, coffee, long-life milk, cheese board, olives and alcohol would be of no use to some of us and would be wasted.

Yeah I definitely don’t want to do just a voucher! A balance is needed imo. Treats for all and practical vouchers too. They live near a square that has a butchers and great greengrocer so I was thinking the butchers would be great/handy and they have great meat!

I'd make up a hamper with 50 quid and give the rest as a voucher personally.

I agree with everyone else on the voucher as well as a small hamper.

How about toileteries for the hamper?

Will they need things like bedding?

Fill a stocking with sweets and little bits for the kids?

Batteries. Everyone needs batteries. Go for an assortment of sizes.

Even a board game might not be practical. They may already own it, or not interested in them.

And yes mum something a little bit extra. Something that you know she would really appreciate even if it's some cocoa butter. If she smokes, buy her some, I know someone will raise their brows to that, but no different to alcohol which is also harmful.

It also depends on the tragedy. I wouldn't necessarily get the same treats for mum if it was a redundancy compared to ill-health. And if ill-health I would look for something to make things a bit nicer for her specific needs. One of the most thoughtful gifts I was ever made was a bed table. Even an unusual stress ball or fidget thing can go down a treat.

Oh I wouldn't do a stocking for anyone else's child unless I had spoken to the parents first. For some, it's really a personal thing. It is for me, and even now, the adult dc's get one if they are staying over. Get them whatever you want, but leave the stocking alone.

Plus stockings in some houses are from FC, so you also need to see the list.

Meals from cook - easy to go in oven

No they don’t need bedding etc. I just wanted to ease their Christmas as such in this hard time.

I think it sounds like a lovely idea.

I probably wouldn't do the butchers voucher unless the butchers in question has a lot of really easy to cook options - such as an oven ready turkey - otherwise that might feel like too much pressure to cook a Christmas feast. If they've had a family tragedy they might not be feeling too Christmassy this year and might want to get stuff that you just bung in the oven without any effort.