Christmas Hamper Inspiration Thread

[christmasunicorn]

After reading posts of wonderful Christmas hampers people produce over the years I've decided to have a go myself this year. Unfortunately though I'm not a great cook. Or baker. Or anything that requires time in the kitchen so I'm asking for help.
I thought I'd set up this thread where we can all share ideas and inspiration on what to put in our hampers and you we can share the recipes too. Sharing is caring after all.

That bacon jamsounds incredible! I can virtually taste it! And if I can amass the ingredients it's one I might actually manage to make! Also dying to try an easy fudge recipe. If you have the slow cooker one you wouldn't mind sharing sairelou ? Pretty please 😁

On the subject of hampers though, I'm going to do a Christmas eve one for baby ds, but I think I'm going to to one for my dsis too. Pj's, hot chocolate and things. She does competitive bikini fitness but I'm hoping it will be far enough away from an actual competition that she'll not be on such a strict diet.

@WhichJob your hampers really sound as though you put a lot of thought into them - don't let it put you off making one for someone who would appreciate your hard work.

I don't know if I'll be making up hampers as such but I will be doing some home made stuff this year to give to other people. I am planning on:

Individual Christmas Puddings
Christmas cake
Peppermint bark
Christmas cookies
Cranberry gin or vodka

I also make my own candles so I will be making everyone a candle and diffuser set.

Thanks Viva, but the people in my life who would truly appreciate one I don't exchange gifts with to keep costs down. Which is Christmas all over I suppose

OhOurBilly

I use this one:
http://rainydaymum.co.uk/slow-cooker-fudge/

You can change up what chocolate to use in it. I used a mint aero and then crushed up some more mint aero to stick on top before I put it in the fridge

Honeycomb is a fab addition to a hamper and caters for most food allergies too. You tube is the place for that tutorial just not nigella's non stiring recipe bad memories of hauling sugary lava off draining board

It's my plan this year for fil, some walking socks/ hankies/ new book also fill in nicely.

.....I really have just discovered my favourite part of mumsnet hurrah for Christmas

Love this thread, I have the bubble of Christmas excitement, right now!

What do you guys use for storage: the hamper/jars/bottles?

I always fine that wicker baskets and Kilner jars are the most expensive part of hamper making (and that puts me off).

kingfishergreen stuff Kilner jars. Recycled jam jars with festive fabric tops on!
Also if the basket is too pricey then a cardboard box cut shallow with really nice wrapping paper or just brown kraft.

Another idea for bakers and coffee drinkers... lavender or vanilla infused sugar. Very easy and cheap!

Thanks Sunday. Festive fabric tops sound like an excellent idea (my mum always gives me some mincemeat in a jam jar with a fabric top). I bet they're cheap as chips too.

I'm going to look on Amazon for good cost-efficient baskets. A basket is a nice thing!

So today I made honeycomb for the first time using this recipe. It's come out really soft and chewy, not crispy like I hoped. Can anyone advise where I went wrong? The taste is lovely, it's just the texture that isn't right. At least I have 5 months to perfect it (and 4 dc willing to eat my efforts)

sairelou thank you! That sounds so simple, definitely going to be giving it a go this weekend! Dh is at work day AND night so it's just me and ds, ill definitely be needing a me sugary sweet pick me up! I'm imagining crushed crunchie on top and salivating!

Planning hampers for my grandma and Auntie now (both 80's) and thinking a scarf, some fudge, a nice candle, a framed picture of ds...but what else? I'm usually rubbish at their presents amd they end up with leather gloves and marks and spencer smellies!

christmasunicorn not sure why as the method is completely standard. Maybe check out other recipes and see if the syrup/sugar balance is different? Cupcakejemma on YouTube seems to have a reliable following.

Google informs me it wasn't hot enough when I took it off the heat. Which sounds right as I was scared of burning the pan (honestly I'm known to burn pasta!) so kept it quite low. Will try again tomorrow and be braver about the boiling/simmering.

I usually do a few hampers for Christmas. I always put in a Christmas cake and some hand-knitted socks, some nice cheese, (usually the wax covered truckles) homemade shortbread, chocolate truffles and candied nuts and I take advantage of the brambles at this time of year and make lots of bramble liqueur which I'll then bottle up in December. I only do about 4 Christmas hampers, for family and close friends who we don't see very often.

@Snausage how do you make your bramble liqueur?

I'm definitely making bacon jam, and not waiting til Christmas, thanks stroan!
I'm only making two small hampers; for mine and DHs families. Tis a bit hard because DPs like quite 'foodie' things although DM is veggie, PILs are less adventurous and while I know they'd still be appreciative I don't want anything to get wasted! Main thing I want to make is some Christmassy booze, our close friends will get a bottle of that as we don't usually do gifts with them. The hampers will have the booze plus chocolate log, chutney (might try the Christmas one PP posted) and some kind of savoury biscuits/crackers. Like the idea of something non-food as well but it'd still have to be sharable....

Ooooo I just remembered!

Last year one of my friends made up a little Christmassy fragrance pack which smelt lovely! It was a massive orange, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, tiny red winter berries, that kind of thing. Stick it in the slow cooker on low (or a pan on a low flame on the stove) with some water and it just fragrances the house nicely. She wrapped it all up in some Christmassy cellophane and put an instructions tag on it.
Could be an idea for cheap presents or to include in hampers?

Oooh I've seen recipes for "simmer pots" on Pinterest. This is definitely something I'm going to try this year 🎄🤶

We should all just make hampers for each other and sod our ungrateful relatives

Love this thread!! I'm worried about the cost involved though. If I were to make in bulk and put the same thing in several hampers, would this realistically be cheaper than buying individual gifts at £20-£30 each?

penguin if you don't include Booze I can't imagine any of the ingredients costing over £30 per person! Unless you go completely ott. I've decided I'm going to make hampers for the dc's teachers cos I don't really care if they are grateful or not, I just get to feel smug about my poncetastic gift 😂 and I'm going to make a hamper for myself, because I'm awesome like that

Great idea about making a hamper for yourself, why shouldn't you get to enjoy the fruit of your labour!

I love your attitude christmasunicorn

@VivaJen I use really big Kilner-style jars (I think they are almost 2 litres) and fill them about 2/5 full with blackberries and put about two cups of sugar in, shake it about and then full with vodka (I have loads as I tend to buy bottles of the stuff when it's on offer!)

It'll be ready to strain (I put it through a muslin and let it do its thing; you can squeeze it but it'll go cloudy) in December.

I've got rhubarb liqueur in the cupboard at the moment, (same method, just more sugar) and Christmas pudding liqueur and will do raspberry stuff when my raspberries are ready.

(The fruit liqueurs are also good made with gin).

Delicious as a liqueur but I love them topped up with prosecco! They make all sorts of delicious cocktails.

I did a "cleaning products hamper" for my lovely aunt-in-law (been like an extra parent to my husband all his life) - she asked for practical things so I got a new washing up bowl and filled it with cloths, and sprays and bottles and things like that, then did it up in cellophane and bow... it turned out great and she loved it!

not all hampers have to be food :)

Thanks &Snausage I am definitely going to try that this year. Collected a few brambles yesterday. Very excited now 😀