Christmas shopping can be stressful, especially when you’re stuck for ideas. If you’re struggling to come up with one perfect present for someone, a hamper could be the solution. Hand-picked and personal, the Christmas hamper shows that you’ve thought and shows that you care – and multiple little gifts give you multiple chances to get things right!

So, how do you build the perfect Christmas hamper?

Start with a Box or Basket

The first thing that everyone knows about hampers is that you must have something to put all the presents in. With this, you can be as elaborate, expensive, arty or cost-effective as you like. Wicker baskets are traditional, but a well-dressed cardboard box will do just as well, as long as it’s clean and tidy. Part of the appeal of the hamper is its presentation though, so it’s good to choose a colour theme and stick to it.

If you’re feeling creative, but need a little help, Hobbycraft have some great Christmas hamper design ideas to get you started.

What’s in the Box?

Now we move on to the fun part! The really great thing about building your own Christmas hamper is that you can choose things that you know the recipient will love – so no ancient jars of pickled herrings filling cupboards thanks to you! But how do you decide what goes in? Here’s a few ideas.

The Traditional Christmas Hamper

Packed with family favourites, the traditional Christmas hamper is a safe bet for most recipients. It will include: Christmas cake (obvs!), mince pies (obvs!), jams, chutneys, cheese, possibly shortbread and bottle of fizz.

The Modern Christmas Hamper

Contemporary hampers give you a chance to be a bit creative. Of course, there’s room for some favourites, but you can mix it up. Why not bake your own chocolate Christmas cake? Add in some ‘posh corn’, such as Joe & Seph’s. Mix in some gifts – scented candles, socks, tie it up with a scarf instead of a ribbon. Luxury hot chocolate is always nice, while sea salt, pink peppercorns and charcuterie will appeal to the more sophisticated palate.

The Vegan Christmas Hamper

A few years ago, the thought of putting together a vegan Christmas hamper would have been almost horrifying; a Herculean task. Now though, there’s a huge amount of choice. Hotel Chocolat have a vegan-friendly show-stopper of a chocolate Christmas pudding, which you could build your basket around. Kale and chickpea crisps and crackers are both tasty and indulgent when presented with homemade luxury hummus. Flavoured nuts, vegan beer and bubbles, dairy-free chocolate, even vegan cheese. And, of course, a Christmas sweets jar with a selection of vegan sweets from Swizzels! If you’re making a vegetarian Christmas hamper, then the options are practically limitless.

The Gluten-Free Christmas Hamper

One of the best ways to make any hamper special is to make the contents yourself, and gluten-free truffles are a great place to start. Flour-free cookies and gluten-free Christmas cakes are easy to make and taste great, while in the supermarkets there are biscuits and crackers galore. Gluten-free beer might bring a sparkle to the eye, or you could just buy a ready-made Swizzels gluten-free sweets hamper.