Mini hampers - which would you prefer?

[OUB1974]

I have a few couples that I buy just a token present for (£5). I had an idea of doing a mini hamper on a theme - buying some multi packs in some cases and splitting them. I've come up with the following and I'm wondering which people would prefer? Or if anyone has any other suggestions?

Breakfast in bed - with coffee bean sachets, pancake mix, maybe jus roll pastries, jam etc.

Hot chocolate - with hot chocolate sticks or bombs, marsh mallows, stirrers etc.

Afternoon tea - with individual teabags, jam, cake, scones etc.

I always struggle, and want to get something nice for various reasons, but on rather a tight budget...

Thanks :)

It's really difficult and I do get what you're trying to do. I like homemade stuff but I know from reading on here that a lot of people won't touch it. I like bath stuff but loads hate it and/or have skin sensitivities. And there are plenty of people who don't drink and would find a bottle of wine potentially insulting.

Honestly, if there's something that you would like to receive, give that.

Personally, I'd probably prefer just a nice tin of biscuits.... one where I can keep the tin if it's a pretty one. If I didn't want them I could then always donate to the food bank.

I hate hot chocolate. Noone in this house likes it. I do drink tea, but I like a particular brand and don't like to deviate. I would like a wee mini cheese and a homemade chutney or smth like though.

My DH would deffo prefer beer (or pale ale) too.

I like afternoon tea but it would go off quick, allergic to parts of the hot chocolate one and dont drink tea/coffee and dont want the gift of having to cook lol.

Plant would be much better gift.

I like the breakfast or afternoon tea, I don't like hot chocolate but always seem to be bought the stirrer/spoon/choc bombs.

If you know them well you can cater for their likes? Mini gin with can of tonic/mini wine/beer packet of nuts/crusps/chocolates.

How about a ‘film night’ hamper with popcorn, retro sweets and nuts?

@mam0918 yes I'm with your DH. I had bottles of ale (tribute specifically!) when I posted that!

I think the idea is there it is just finessing it..... who are the recipients (age & interests). You could do individually chosen books (really think about what you have read or heard of that you think each person would enjoy & maybe write a little book mark to them) and a small box of chocs. Mini pamper kit bubble bath/foot scrub & candle. Gardening seeds & hand cream. You could do lots.

Ooo @gogohmm that’s a great idea!

For £5 I'd rather have a tin of shortbread or a bag of decent coffee, or even a piece of local cheese or something.

I would rather get one decent item for fiver then lots of rubbish, sorry. Buy them nice tea, box of chocolates or nice biscuits, or tin of hot chocolate. Why should I need a pancake mix? I have milk, egg and flour at the house.

Sorry but I would rather you kept the £5. Maybe I'm ungrateful but I would be a bit "hmm thanks" then probably bin.

It's so hard to get something good on a tight budget! They are mainly aunts and uncles, who have bought for me as a child and now buy for my children, so it's just something small to show that I appreciate them. I hate waste and tend to buy (carefully chosen) vouchers for the rest of the family, but obviously that's not possible for a fiver. I have 5 or 6 to get. Thanks for the thoughts! (I still love it when people make me hampers though...)

Nice biscuits would probably be a better use of your money then for them… the borders biscuits that have the little packets might be an idea to keep them fresh even if not eaten at once.
Or shop local and get some chutney and nice cheese or biscuits produced locally. Or a soap/hand wash type gift locally sourced? Or jams etc… rather than m and s etc.

Thanks for the thoughts, I have taken it all on board! Have got them all a small pack of handmade biscuits and a start shapes dish (both from Dunelm), £5.50 each and it's a really nice present.

*star

My gran always appreciated a box of orange pekoe for Christmas as she couldn't justify spending that much on tea. We often gave her posh biscuits with it.

You can’t realistically buy multiple nice things for a hamper for under £5. Just buy a bottle or box of something actually nice. Love the hyacinth idea too.

This is a good idea. Tea and biscuits. Keeps the spirit of your post, but simplifies it.

Just some shortbread biscuits would suit me

Was going to say this. I've done it for teenage nieces & nephews before along with cinema vouchers.

You'd chosen before I got to the end of the thread 🤣
But that sounds lovely, and regiftable/donateable if not suitable. I'm with most of the other posters, I'm fussy about tea, wouldn't want easily perishable stuff, although I'd have been tempted by the jus-roll croissants!

I often to hamper type gifts. For the older people it tends to be food/drink based and for younger ones it's mostly useful stuff.

For my cousins I do boxes of "crap" as my aunt called it one year. So obviously not her idea of a good present t but my cousins love them and ask for them every year. They are in their 20s. So get tanning mits. Makeup remover wipes. Hair bobbles, nail files, vaseline, other toiletry type things, a ready mixed can or 2, some sort of chocolate and normally 1 "good" thing.

The food ones I tend to buy the finest/best ranges of things I know they would like/eat and sometimes some home baking.

They don't necessarily have a theme but things that I think the individual would enjoy.

HTH

Cranberry jelly with port plus some sort of relish or chutney. I make hese and use red wrapping tape around the top.