Christmas Hampers

[bananarama05]

So I'm thinking of taking advantage of having some extra time on my hands yeah right on maternity leave this year and putting together some hampers for my adult relatives/in laws.

I'm pretty sorted on recipes and bits to put in them, chutney, biscuits, some nice cheese, wine, books etc, but wondered if anyone could point me in the right direction of what to actually put all this stuff in?

I've never done anything like this before and am not the least bit creative/artistic so am bloody clueless as to what to use/where to get it from? I wondered if anyone had some mumsnet wisdom they could share, please?! Half the point of doing this is being as poor as anything (god bless statutory maternity pay!) so the cheaper the better without actually looking shit- cheap if possible!

I gather I'll need some sort of box/basket type thing, then should I line it? What with? Do I need to wrap it....see this is the sort of thing that's making me think, oh sod it, just get them vouchers!!

Hi Bananrama

I used to be a buyer for a Christmas hamper company so can answer any questions you have. Are you planning on sending them in the post or presenting them by hand? If posting, you'll need A LOT of good packaging, layered properly and padding out with something suitable. Bear in mind though will all those jars, it will be heavy and cost a fortune to send.

If you're presenting them, shredded paper works nicely, red being a lovely festive colour. You can use cheaper un coloured stuff on the bottom and just cover the top in red.

You can either put it in a box or basket, although buying baskets separately can by more expensive than you think. A nice coloured box looks good.
A lot of people slate the lock of value in hampers but the amount of planning & cost that goes into just the packaging (to be flung around by couriers, because they're normally too heavy to go in the normal post) and postage, plus the costs of the baskets, means they actually come in at pretty good value.

Let me know if you need any more info?

Thank you mamalovebird

Sorry I didn't even think to point out they will all be given out by hand so no need to worry about postage as such!

The red paper sounds like a fab idea, thank you. Now to hunt down some nice looking boxes!

My pleasure! Another way to save some cash if you really want to use baskets is to get some cheap ones from a charity shop and spray paint them white. They'd look lovely with red paper and some fake berries (or real ones if you can find a holly tree) in a corner or something.

See I knew I could rely on MNers for help!

That sounds like an excellen plan, I will definitely start keeping an eye out for cheapy baskets. My town in full of charity shops and I only need 3 so fingers crossed I can get a nice selection in the next few weeks.

Thanks ever so

We get baskets from TKMaxx although I budget that into the overall cost and choose a nice one they can use for something else. They are usually between £3-8 each depending on size, colour, lining etc. Wilkinsons may do some (haven't looked) and if you're in the West Country I have got them (very) cheaply from Trago Mills before.

Bugger I passed tk maxx today but didn't have time to go in, shame that'll have to be another shopping trip, what a shame :)

That's really helpful to know though, especially the price range I'm looking at, thank you Rose

I'm east anglia way so no Trago Mills but we definitely have Wilkinsons so will have a nose round the local one first

how about something like this or this there are lots of other options on there!!

Right, well, if in East Anglia, or Norfolk specifically then Latham's of Potter Heigham is essentially your answer to Trago :D Ditto wandering around Anglia Square if you are in Norwich as they have the 99p store and loads of junk shops.

I discovered Wilkinsons the other day (for some reason I thought it was a DIY place so hadn't gone in) and I am a total convert.

Still can't do smileys. :D =

Wilkinson is ace. My DH dreads it every time I mention I need to go there. It's like the new woolworths.

ByThePower they're fab and I'm sure I've got a £5 off Tesco Direct voucher knocking about somewhere so could work out quite cheap too, than you.

I'm a danger to myself in Wilkinsons, could literally spend a fortune on tat really useful stuff :)