Buying Christmas presents can be a right headache. You have to think about all the things your family loves to do, all their hobbies, and then consider what everyone else is buying them, and what your budget is, and how long delivery will take if you order online...
But fear not, there is an easy option. Choosing a loved one a Christmas hamper never fails to impress come Christmas morning.
Check out 12 of the best Christmas hampers for 2021
There are loads of hampers to choose from these days, and they don't have to just feature marmalade and tea bags - although, to be honest, we love a good tea-themed number.
Check out our shortlist of the best Christmas hampers to buy in 2021, whatever your budget. And, there should still be time to order one and have it arrive before Christmas - check the retailers' websites for details on delivery times.
The best Christmas hampers 2021
Mega Chocolate Lovers Hamper Gift Box
Filled to the brim with chocolate bar favourites, ideal for chocoholics. This hamper contains 18 full-size bars of chocolate, including a Crunchie, Picnic, Flake, Dairy Milk, Frys Chocolate Cream, Snickers, KitKat Chunky, Rolo, Lion Bar, and a Timeout Wafer. And don't worry, they'll come with a long shelf life - not that it'll be needed we're sure!Review: "I bought this as a present for someone I know who loves chocolate, she was over the moon, so I take it everything in the box was a hit! In the picture, the gift box looked to be a little wicker basket, but when it arrived it was cardboard with a wicker look. It didn't detract from the chocolate inside though, and as long as the recipient was happy, I didn't mind."
The Taste of Fortnum's Hamper
When you think 'Christmas hamper', you probably think of F&M straight away. There isn't any more iconic hamper than the big wicker one from London's exclusive shop, and there are loads to choose from – depending on what your budget is, and how much you love the person you're buying it for. This is the most affordable option and contains plenty of treats - including tea, champagne, chocolate, and baked goodies.
The Luxury Hot Chocolate Gift Box
Inside this cute hamper, you'll find Whittard's classic luxury milk and white hot chocolate, plus a big pot of marshmallows. Fantastic for those that like to unwind and indulge in a hot chocolate, or those with a sweet tooth.Review: "Great little gift has everything you need and is such a good quality basket. I was very pleased and would definitely recommend it."
The Indulgence Box
Want an eco-friendly hamper? We've just found out about Sustainabox, which is as environmentally-friendly as they come. You can choose specific sustainable products to include in your box, such as Sea Change wines, which "funds ocean conservation projects across the globe for each bottle purchased", and Toast Ales, which "uses surplus fresh bread to brew their beers and donates all profits to charities fixing the food system". The box comes with seeds for you to plant, and you're encouraged to also plant the box to boost soil nutrients. And, if that wasn't enough, the company plants a tree for every box you purchase. All this, on top of a wonderful selection of scrumptious treats.
Botanicals Hamper For Your Face
Filled with luxurious facial skincare, this hamper is a real treat. It features a cleanser, toner, cream, body oil, and two soaps. Presented in natural wicker hamper made from steamed autumn willow with faux leather straps and a carry handle, this is guaranteed to make that someone feel extra special.
Round the World Wines Mixed Case Gift
Wine lovers, you're in for a real treat. This brilliant 6 bottle hamper will have you feeling truly spoilt all the way until January. It contains a selection of fine reds and whites.
Luscious Hamper
If you're buying a gift for a cheese lover, then this is perfect. A complete feast in itself, it features 460g of cheese - a trio of beauties - plus biscuits and oatcakes from Stags. You can also choose a wine to be included too. Just make sure you're invited round to enjoy it!
Vegan Luxury Gift Hamper
Hampers often contain lots of non-vegan products, but this one is the ultimate vegan-friendly gift hamper. It includes nut butter, sweets, biscuits, Artisan Liqueurs, and more. Not only that, you can request for the products to be gluten-free too, including personalised gift tag messaging, and a gift sleeve for that bit extra.Review: "According to the present receiver, it was yummy with a good selection. I thought the hamper was very well priced with a good variety. I had to contact the suppliers direct with a query and she was extremely helpful."
All I Want for Christmas Hamper
Presented in a smart hamper, this Marks & Spencer gift includes Oro Prosecco, a snow globe gin liqueur, smoked salmon, Christmas pudding and much more.
The Harrogate Hamper
Bettys' luxurious collection will get you feeling festive in a flash. From milk chocolate guineas to Yorkshire gingerbread, Christmas Cake and Bettys Christmas Coffee, this hamper is what dreams are made of. Available to order in season, we might order one for ourselves and hideaway with it on Boxing Day.
The Book Package
Perfect for book lovers, this hamper gives the recipient a book, snacks, and a drink to accompany curling up to read it. The packages from Don't Buy Her Flowers are customisable (you can also build your own from scratch) and there are lots of options to change items and add others. Highly recommended throughout the year, not just festive. Review: "I've bought a few of these lately and they're brilliant. They're a great little pick-me-up. There's nothing quite like curling up on the sofa with a good book, a cheeky drink and some indulgent treats and this package has all of that (apart from the sofa, obvs!). This has become one of my go-to gifts and I'll certainly be buying more."
Just Treats Lunar Treasure Gift Retro Sweets Hamper
Looking for the perfect gift for a loved one with a sweet tooth? This retro sweet hamper is full of all the sugary treats they could want - warning, they might not have any teeth left after devouring all of these. The hamper contains 42 different traditional sweets, including Rhubarb & Custard Sweets, Sherbet Lemon Sweets, Softies Fruit Sticks, Happy Tattoo Bubblegum, Sherbet Filled Tubbies, and Original Double Lollies. This hamper will be a favourite for people of all ages.Review: "It was so nostalgic going through all the sweets in this box there is such a wonderful selection! An awesome gift for any candy lover but also if there's someone you know who hasn't tried a lot of British sweets this is great. It is jam-packed and totally worth the money!"
Are Christmas hampers good value?
This completely depends on what you get in them - Some hampers are generally good value for what you pay for but with others, it would be cheaper to buy the products individually. It's always worth quickly working out the total cost of the contents of the hamper you are considering before buying to make sure you're getting the best for your money.
Don't forget the actual hamper itself can be reused for picnics or storage.
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Sophie Knight is Editor of WhatsTheBest and Contributing Editor for Mother&Baby, Closer, Heat, Yours and Empire websites.
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