Christmas Hampers For Delivery

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Christmas Hampers Tradition
Traditionally, hampers are made from wicker baskets which had their origins in medieval England when craftsmen turned out large quantities of them as useful carrying tools. Naturally, these wicker baskets were frequently used to carry foodstuffs, thus pre-empting the hamper we know today.

The concept of Christmas Hampers grew in popularity in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries with the onset of industrialisation and the popularisation of “Boxing Day” – the day after Christmas Day when employers and landlords bestowed on their staff and tenants boxes of foodstuffs to help their families celebrate the season. This was also the day when the religious would distribute the proceeds of collection boxes among the needy of the parish.

Over the years, the sending of Christmas hampers, or xmas hampers as some call them, has grown to become a much loved tradition. Hampers are now used as corporate gifts for valued clients, as prizes in Christmas competitions and draws, as reminders of home for ex-pats living abroad, as well as loved personal gifts for friends and families.

While Christmas hampers , to a large part, have maintained the tradition of the wicker basket or box, the contents of these hamper s have greatly changed throughout the decades. Gone are the basic foodstuffs of the canned or pickled variety. Today’s hampers are more likely to contain luxuries such as fine wine or spirits, gourmet delicacies and artisan treats.

Christmas Hampers now include whiskeys, gourmet food, cheese and wine hampers, traditional festive treats like Christmas pudding - but also now artisan food such as quality imported chocolates and biscuits, sweets, pastas and meats, mince pies, plum puddings, chocolate truffles, pralines, caramels, fruit and nut assortment, biscuit selection tins, green olives as well as condiments such as cranberry sauce or pesto.

Of course, the difference between Christmas Hampers and the hampers available as gifts all year round lies in the seasonal food and drink that makes Christmas so special – Christmas cake and puddings, mince pies, mulled wine spices, cranberry sauce and stuffing together with accessories like Xmas decorations and scented candles.

This tradition is very much here to stay as, in good economic times or bad, people really appreciate some festive gourmet treats at Christmas time. So as long as the spirit of Christmas endures, the giving of hampers will continue to surprise and delight people the world over.

Christmas Hampers – What are the ingredients of a great hamper?
There are a few things to look out for when selecting Xmas hampers. First and foremost is the content. Recipients will usually appreciate hampers more if they contain items that they view as a special treat. The best hamper foodstuffs are things that will be savoured and which wouldn’t normally be purchased by the person themselves. That’s why home-made, artisan food items are particularly valued in Christmas Hampers over any mass produced brands. Home-made mince pies and pudding, for example, will greatly enhance the overall quality of any Christmas hamper in the eyes of the recipients.

It’s also important to know how much (if any) alcohol you want included in the hamper. Some people feel that a Christmas hamper is not complete without a liberal quantity of the festive (alcohol) sprit. Others would prefer more luxury food items and little or no alcohol - so you need to keep your recipients in mind and not take a one-size-fits-all approach. Most gift companies, like AllGifts.ie, offer a full range of hampers so that you can match different hampers with the recipients’ tastes and your budget.

The amount of money you wish to spend on each hamper will largely determine how many items are contained in each one. However, in our opinion, a well presented hamper with a few high quality items is more impressive than a large hamper with cheaper brands. You want the recipient to taste and appreciate the contents, not put them in a cupboard until they go out of date!

Presentation is also an important consideration. Though you shouldn’t judge the book by the cover, there is little point in sending the best gourmet delights in a flimsy, cheap-looking cardboard box - so getting a professional wicker basket or wooden box is essential. Some hampers come in gift basket style, where the items are openly displayed. A closed hamper is a little more secure for transport and because the items are normally contained in packing straw, it introduces an element of treasure hunting as the recipient opens the gift and searches through the packing straw for the items hidden in its depths. The presentation is also important as to whether the container – basket or box – will be used afterwards for other purposes, thus giving longevity and practicality to the gift. Large wicker baskets are great for picnics or storage, while smaller baskets can be useful in the garden or as rustic fruit bowls.

Finally, it’s worth considering how traditional the contents should be. While most hampers contain traditional Christmas fayre, there are also alternative options such as wine hampers, champagne gifts and pamper hampers which also make great Christmas hampers.

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