When you think of hampers, you probably think of Christmas. It’s like Wimbledon and strawberries, Easter and hot cross buns and Shrove Tuesday and pancakes. They just go together. So much so that for one hamper company, 95% of business occurs between September and December. But doesn’t that seem a shame? Hampers are that go-to festive treat because everyone loves receiving them. It’s like getting dozens of gifts in one, as you rifle through that crinkly packaging to find out what waits beneath. So, here we are at Swizzels, offering hampers for perfect gifting all year round.

Sweet hampers – They’re not just for Christmas!

Why We Love Sweet Hampers

Well, they’re hampers. And they’re full of sweets: need we say more?

We’ve loved all kinds of hampers in Britain for a very, very long time. In fact, there’s evidence to suggest that we’ve been giving hampers as gifts in the UK since the 11^th century because food has always held value. But while once a gift of staples would have been prized, these days we favour treats for our hampers, and we have the Victorians to thank for that.

It was in Victorian times that hampers became a Christmas essential. Wealthy employers would create hampers for their staff, packed with all the delicacies that most workers could ill afford. With the simultaneous rise of the railways, workers were then able to send their hampers back to their families, to share the festive feeling. And so, the tradition began.

But why keep hampers just for Christmas? Especially when there are so many opportunities for giving them?

A Hamper for All Seasons

Hampers and sweets have two things in common. 1) They make people happy. 2) They’re great for sharing. Put the two together, and you have the ultimate present. For birthdays, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Valentine’s or Easter. And, of course, Christmas. But the best thing about sweet hampers is that they can show that you care without costing the Earth. So, if you know someone who needs a pick-me-up, a sweet hamper could just be a sweet little way to put the smile back on their face.

Sweet hampers can say: ‘I love you!’; ‘I’m thinking of you’; ‘Get well soon!’; ‘Get over him!’; ‘I’m sorry’; ‘I miss you’; ‘Keep up the good work!’; and ‘You’re forgiven.’ In fact, they can say almost anything you want them to say, anytime you want to say it.

From simple boxes of single-sweet goodness, like the Parma Violets Red Hamper for just £7.99, to mixed lots, like the Personalised Retro Sweets Red Hamper for £10.99. All the way up to the wicker hampers, loaded with 1.75kg of mixed sweets for £21.99, and the completely personal option of building your own; there’s something for everyone and every occasion.

Swizzels even offer vegetarian and vegan hampers. Speak to any vegetarian who made their choices at an early age, and the one thing they’re most likely to lament is sweeties. With gelatine and animal-derived colourings inherent in sweet production, until very recently, it’s been hard for those who don’t like to eat animal products to lay their lips around a taste of childhood. Now, with a Swizzels veggie/vegan sweets hamper, they can!

Sometimes, it’s the little gestures that make a big difference. We like to think that we’re the biggest little gesture merchants around. So, up with hampers! Up with sweets! Up with kind gestures for every season! It’s time to invite a sweet hamper into your life. And you don’t need to wait for Christmas!