Best things you've received in a hamper

[Lambkin14]

I'm looking to make Christmas hampers for mine and DHs parents this year, going to put in the usual nice tea/coffee/biscuits/chocolate/jams etc but is there anything in particular you've received or sent that's gone down really well in a hamper? Looking for some inspiration!

After this year - alcohol!
Jam, chocolate biscuits, shortbread, fudge or chocolate, cream crackers, cheese truckle (they don’t have to be refrigerated as in wax), pickle or chutney, cheese straws, christmas pudding or cake.

Do they like sweet or savoury things, or a bit of both? I’ve realised my parents get lots of sweets and biscuits at Christmas, and would rather have something else. The following have gone down well: chutneys, cheese, crackers, good quality balsamic vinegar and olive oil, mustard, gentleman’s relish, a truffle in a jar, a little pot of saffron, etc. It depends on the recipient though - if they don’t like cooking, this would be the wrong direction.

Bruschetta toppings, rillettes or pates & really nice crackers for cheese go down well with the people I make up gift hampers for.
Also things like little bottles of flavoured olive oils or olives.
One family member loves curds so I'm getting her some different curds rather than the usual lemon & orange.
Depends what foods they actually like though.

Most of the Christmas stuff seems to revolve around a lot of sweets or alcohol so I look for different things.

Chutney, cheese and biscuits
Condiments
Really nice coffee (not tea bags, for me - I’m very fussy about tea)
Jams and curds
Spicy nuts

Oh some great ideas thank you - I'll pop to the local deli and see what nice crackers/cheese/chutneys they have! I'm going to put some home baked treats in there too, and probably a bottle of their favourite booze!

I made a stocking of foodie things for DH a few years ago as we had a limit on how much we would spend and doing edibles suited well.

What he enjoyed most (actually we ate it together):
Balsamic glaze
Chilli oil
Various nut oils
Hot sauces
Horseradish sauce
Chilli jam
Quince jelly
A cheese truckle wrapped in wax (no need to put it in the fridge)
Oat crackers
Manuka honey
Posh mints - bendicks or similar

Balsamic pearls may be nice - ours are still sitting there though

Florentine’s (my absolute favourite).
Nice chutney/jam
Fudge
Posh crisps
Cheese

Yum

I always love a good/unusual selection of cheese truckles, chutneys, pickles and crackers. And a jar of waitrose mustard piccalilli, which I cannot recommend enough.

Anything from belazu. I recommend their balsamic pearls.

Are they fond of their local area / your local area? Thinking of doing this for my in laws too. We live in a small country town that has it's own brewery and an amazing handmade soap shop. Going to try my best to get everything locally :)
Have you thought about making something? You can get jars really cheap from hobby craft, I have made a gin and lime marmalade the past couple years :) or maybe a chilli jam?

Aldi florentines are a must! They are delicious! A DVD or film voucher, voucher fur take away from local pub/restaurant.
Personally I've always liked lovely bubble bath but that depends on the recipient.

Not to everyone's taste but I put some tinned mackerel and sardines in a hamper for my parents as they like it on toast as a snack. There are some 'posh' versions - Tesco sardines with lime, coriander and chilli are particularly good.

often preserves and sauces go uneaten however a really lovely marmalade I wouldnt usually justify buying myself was one of the things that stood out for me. Similarly caramelised online chutney which I love but never really buy. I would definitely not want Christmas puddings or bakery goods as I'm not a fan of things like stollen and panettone. Fudge also a hit and anything cheesy!

Something with Truffle, think it was a sort of pesto
Interesting crackers like Olive Flatbreads
Lemon marmalade
Marzipan Fruits

I’d go with others suggestions of keeping it local. Local honey would be lovely to add to the list.

You could also make some flavoured gin, using fruit the recipient likes.

Green & Blacks hot chocolate powder. It is a revelation, unbelievably delicious

Those really big sticky dates, flavoured mixed nuts, jarred olives, spice mixes and pastes, curry sauce pouches, really nice pasta, granola/muesli mixes, bags of old fashioned sweeties like sherbet pips, cola cubes etc, sachets of herb/fruit/veg seeds...

Check out your local farm shop.
I’d like things like a good local honey, strawberry or raspberry jam, cheese straws, a pudding such as chocolate or sticky toffee, chocolate biscuits, posh fruit juice. I would prefer plain things ie regular marmalade, not one with whisky in it, nothing too fancy but good quality. I’d channel my inner Famous Five.

Have a look at bookblock.com which is a make your own hamper website. You don’t necessarily have to buy from them, just look at what stuff they have available to put in a hamper.

Spanish/Italian stuff has worked well for me in past (family with little sweet tooth).
Chorizo etc, bottled chickpeas (the amazing soft huge ones), cheeses and membrilla, spices/herbs, Crackers etc. Brindisa and others do great hamper things.

I like snacky things like nut mixes and fancy biscuits that are too expensive to treat yourself normally