Best food hamper

[Pashazade]

My father turns 80 this year, life has become increasingly small for him so I can't give him a "doing" gift. So could I have recommendations for really nice food /drink hampers. He would be sharing it with my stepmum! (Well I assume he will 😁).

I'd go personal. Are there any lovely meals he's enjoyed you making him? A favourite cake? It's not about stuff at that age, it's about fuzzy warm memories and love.

I know good food and wine or beer will bring him a lot of pleasure, he doesn't do the warm fuzzies so much. Me bringing him a cake is not a particularly special/unusual event (I do it anyway) and I don't live close enough to cook for him.

Is he the sort of person who would love a "wow" hamper from F&M for once in his life (presuming he hasn't had one before)?
What's their usual budget? Do you have to go really high end so that it is special or would something like M&S be considered luxurious compared to their usual weekly shop?
Otherwise, I think it depends so much on taste. If he likes some classic English foods like chutney, then any of the main providers would be good so it's a question to budget. If he doesn't like that sort of thing (and one of my relatives doesn't) then it can be much harder to find something if you want them to actually enjoy everything in it.
Will they be with wider family for Xmas or spending it by themselves? M&S do (or have done) "Christmas in a box" hampers which include a small Xmas cake, a small Xmas pudding and that sort of thing.

Fortnum’s is always a treat. Lots of regional hampers available too so you could find one from the county he lives in or where he grew up. Daylesford Organic is also lovely.

Or you could make a personal one by buying the hamper and filling it with his favourites.

I think they've done Fortnum & Mason but a long time ago. Their weekly shop is Waitrose. So F&M is more the range I'm looking at.

Budget? Any dietary requirements?
-I too was going to say F&M hamper or make your own which could be a mix of food/alcohol and gifts
-Do they have a garden? Bird feeding station with a few bags of seed/mealworms/peanuts so he can enjoy looking at it in the garden
-Binoculars to look at things in the garden/sky
-Whiskey/gin/sloe gin or other tipple
-Liquor cherries
-Glace marrons
-Chocolate coated sultanas
-Sweet stuffed dates
-Selection of twining's or other teas. Loose if they have a teapot.
-Photo book of you and the family
-Nice note book and pen

If they’ve done fortnums Harvey Nic’s are another good option.