Home Made Hampers?

[ListenLinda]

Hi,
For various reasons, I want to make our 3 sisters, MIL and my Grandma a hamper for Christmas this year.
A nice mix of food and goodies possibly.
Can anyone share any inspiration, what would you love to recieve in one if you got one?

Thanks!

Spacemasks (you could buy one large pack and split between the hampers as they’re individually wrapped)
Gossipy or glossy magazine, or maybe some house porn!
Really cosy socks
Nougat, florentines and mint matchmakers
Lush massage oil bar
Face masks
Starbucks toffee nut latte sachets
Nail varnish, emery board and buffer
Muscle Balm
Bath soak
Pillow spray

We're doing these. For the food side, have a look at Waitrose. Loads of lovely and unusual Christmas foods that are perfect for a hamper without breaking the bank.

My in-laws used to do this, it says included Christmas tea or coffee, biscuits, chutneys, fudge, sugar mice tins of soup (lobster bisque or suchlike)

Depends where you live, but Booths (Northern England) has lovely packaged items of their own premium brand things like tea, coffee etc and stocks loads of small businesses products like cakes, spreads, jams, beer etc.

Fancy versions of things they can enjoy through the months coming rather than more treats, which lots of people may have already, might be a good idea. I know I'd be cheered by enjoying good tea in the dark months of the new year.

Depends on their ages and likes/dislikes but I'd love to receive a hamper made by @Fivemoreminutes1 (I'm 51) !
Can you provide more info? Also re budget.
I used to make one up for my late MIL who was in her late 70s, which included things like:

Locally made soap (not lavender as she couldn't bear it!
Locally produced honey
Herbal tea selection from Puka with a matching glass teapot for one (sainsburys I think)
Stem Ginger dark chocolates
Cashmere wrist warmers
Shortbread biscuits
Hand cream
Small bottle of gin !

Tk maxx is good for this sort of thing
If there's one near you

When I make hampers I make them to the specific person or couple. I don’t put generic things in them. For FIL I’d put his favourite tea, a mug he’d like, biscuits he likes, warm socks, a dog toy for his dog and last time I put a power bank in as he likes to keep his phone charged. MIL Gin liquor, gin glass, scented candle, gin cocktail book, dog toy for her dog and her favourite chocolates.

I've done them for my grandparents before and done store cupboard staples - tea bags, coffee, tins of beans etc - things that are useful and that I know they'll like. Their pensions only go so far, and it's far more useful to them than some tat.
In previous years my aunts have also clubbed together and got them a meat hamper so that their cupboards and freezers are stocked with enough things to last a couple of months, and they then only need to do top up shops.
I've also used a variety of random (yet useful!) receptacles for the hampers to go in: a washing basket, a tool box, and a wicker basket for my Grandma's knitting spring to mind.
I guess it depends on your budget, really, and whether you're buying for people that prefer useful rather than frivolous gifts.
Things like deodorant or nice bath soaps aren't very exciting, but are very userful!

To add - I'd personally prefer useful over tat that either has to have a home found for it, or won't get used.

@LadyShrek2k19 thats what we did for my Grandparents, included things that where just a little too expensive, or just things they loved to fill up their larder.

Budget?

I’m making caramelised onion chutney & whiskey marmalade, homemade chocolates , pink kisses meringues, biscotti biscuits both savoury & sweet. Homemade bath salts & a homemade cocktail

Depends on the individual recipients, surely? I’d hate to have a hamper with Lush products (so whiffy), hand cream (clutter), socks (I have socks), emery board (clutter that I already own), etc etc. Food only, or things you KNOW the person uses and likes, rather than random MN suggestions. Otherwise it’s the sort of dreaded “oh God, I’ve got to find time to dump this at the charity shop” or “oh God, I don’t have cupboard space for this” gift.

Fingerless gloves
cross stitch
osh chic
sell look selection biscuit box.
art pens
note book
horlicks
cute tea towels
voucher for Sunday lunch or meal together
their favourite drink
encyclopedis of birds and flowers
nice jam or spread
a book
nice pillowcases
long hot water bottle
plant seeds
lip salve
body and hand lotion
netflix
card set
sweeties
Funny knickers
nightieohone cover
pjs
candle
picture of you and her

Some lovely ideas here, thank you all!

budget is about £30 per person, so hopefully this can include a really good mix of things with the ideas here!

Don’t wait if you can. Write a list and try catch some of them in the Black Friday time frame

I absolutely love hampers- personalised to the person. It shows such thought. My ideal would be:

• new book -gin -fancy chocolates -fluffy socks
• candle -bath salts - facemask - nice glass (basically the stuff for a night in!).

Check out the bargain thread and grab some bits off there!

Sign up for the Sephora beauty subscription as its only £2-3 fir your first box of lovely (some full size if you choose carefully) branded cosmetics. Just cancel afterwards.
Amazon have lots of chocolate deals on and off at the moment so check in thread as well as Amazon and get their favourites when discounted.

You will know personal likes/dislikes for each person but ideas I've put in hampers before include:

Special/personalised tree decoration
Face masks
Fluffy socks
Book
Alcohol minis - the Eden Mill gin cocktail mini bottles are so Christmassy and look fab in a hamper - £2 each in Sainsbury's www.edenmill.com/gin-gifts-c-3
Phone power bank
Favourite/upgraded food and drink. I always pop an Arran cheese in ours!!
Scarf
Jewellery
Voucher for an activity
Selection box
Gloves
This Works sleep kit - pillow spray and roller ball
Candle
Bubble bath
White company lotion
Copy of Nigel Slater's Christmas Chronicles
Mini chocolate panettone

I made a friend a Pamper Hamper for her 60th and got lots of really good, branded products at really reasonable prices at Home Bargains. Toiletries but also food and drink ( they had a lovely gin bar in a tin for £7.99 ) well worth a look.

Can I ask where you get your baskets from?

I do them for my MIL & SIL (they live together) and have put different things in, in the past. They always have;
A jigsaw
Chocolates
Nice biscuits
Hand cream
Cosy socks
Some type of beverage - either tea, coffee or hot choc, depending on what looks good each year.
Nice mugs or tea cups, and either a nice teapot or coffee pot (they collect them).
Christmas cake or Yule log

Other things have been shower steamers or bath bombs, scarves and gloves, membership to ancestry DNA, books on topics they like, candles or room diffuser.

I think it's a slightly pointless question. You know them, so what do they like, what are their interests?
Surely the point of making the hampers is to customise them to the receiver and out their favourite things in? We do t know what they are!

@inappropriateraspberry i was asking for generic things that could bulk it out around the personal bits I wanted to put in.

I think bulking it out with generic stuff will dilute the personalised feel of it though, and will just become a generic hamper. Stick to less things that are more personal/special and I think it will be appreciated more.

I love doing hampers. Can get loads and can fit any budget.

I do one for my Papa every year, he is notoriously hard to buy for. He doesn't drink, fussy with clothes, doesn't really have much hobbies etc. This year he has given up sweets/chocolate so this hamper will be fun!

I do them for my other grandad as well, much easier to bulk out with an Aldi single malt, and handkerchiefs.

I tend to buy specially selected/finest range long life goodies. Aldi and lidl as well.
A small Christmas cake
Some mince pies
Apple pie (Papas favourite, added custard for his birthday one)
Biscuits
Oatcakes/crackers
cheese
pate
Posh dessert in a glass
Tablet/fudge
Nice crisps, seasonal flavoured
Hand cream
Handkerchiefs/socks/braces/gloves/hat (normally one or two of these)
Whiskey or a adult soft drink or glass bottles of coke
Hand sanitiser
Snood during covid times

The fridge stuff I wrap up an old cat food box put them in there and store in the fridge. So don't wrap it in the main hamper and normally tell them I have put it in their fridge when I give over the present.

For women, my cousins in their 20s I don't do food ones, it's "boxes of crap" as my aunt called it 🤣 all toiletry stuff like wipes, cotton pads, make up brushes, glass emery board, hair bobbles, clips, dry shampoo, shower gel, candle, lip balm, small bottle/can of drink. Plus normally 1 other thing, last year was the attachment for the phone that has the selfie light on it. It might seem crap to some of you, but they have both asked for this again for their presents.

One year my parents went to Aus for 6 weeks, just after Christmas. Their hamper was full of travel things and a guide book to take with them. They are going back this year and my mum has asked for another one.