There’s nothing to lift the spirits like a hamper.
A basket full of curated goodies for one to enjoy, all to themselves - as a gift, it doesn’t get much better. There are hampers of all descriptions, from food and drink-laden bundles to boxes packed with self-care, designed to pamper and spoil.
Often, these variety packs give the recipient a chance to try coveted products before splashing out on them themselves or helping them discover new products that few others know about.
There are thousands of hampers on the market, designed to tickle every taste, interest and budget. If a bookworm in your life needs spoiling, a book hamper won’t fail to get the right reaction.
It’s easy enough to compile one of your own, especially if the friend or family member that you’re sending it to has finicky tastes or certain food requirements. Source their favourite free-from goodies and fun accessories to pack in a wicker basket next to the book next up on their reading list. Why not throw in a gift voucher for their favourite bookshop so they can continue their reading streak?
Of course, you may not have the time or the inclination to curate a book hamper but luckily for you, there are plenty of pre-curated options on offer.
Often comprising one book but sometimes multiple alongside tasty treats and warming drinks, ready-made book hampers allow bibliophiles to indulge in their favourite pastime with enough sustenance to see them through cover-to-cover in one sitting. There are hampers packed with chocolate nestled up beside a fiction page-turner, and others that showcase cookbooks alongside the hard-to-source ingredients needed to master the recipes within. Other hampers keep the book a secret behind a blind cover to prolong the mystery.
We’ve collated a list of the best book hampers to give for birthdays, get-well-soon gifts or just because.
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Isle of Gifts Custom Mystery Book Gift Box
Whether they've been talking about reading more or just need to freshen up their bookshelves, this book hamper is bound to delight. Once you've chosen their favourite genre, you can next decide to buy a new or pre-loved paperback. Whatever you go for, the box is completed with Pukka tea bags, a hot chocolate mix, biscuits and chocolate.
Buy now £9.99, Etsy
The Beautiful Book Company Bespoke Book Hamper
For the friend who devours books, allow The Beautiful Book Company to do the heavy sourcing. The British company will hand-pick six titles alongside bookish treats and accessories to take things to another level: think bookmarks, bookplates and an unframed literary-themed print. The treasure comes handsomely delivered in a grey box that can be used for keepsakes.
Buy now £79.99, NOTHS
Don't Buy Her Flowers The Book Gift Box
Fussy types will adore this book hamper that can be built from scratch, meaning you can tailor it to their exacting tastes. Options include fiction, cookbooks, gardening guides and self-help books, covering a range of genres. Once chosen, add on other extras - think snacks and gift vouchers - to complete the personalised hamper.
Prices start from £8.50.
Buy now £8.50, Don't Buy Her Flowers
F&M The Cook Book Gift Box
Got a food-loving bookworm to buy for? Head to Fortnums, a brand famous for its hampers. In amongst the wicker chests heaving with food, you'll find this gem, which includes the Mayfair grocer's cookbook alongside a selection of its very best kitchen essentials, all in its signature eau de nil shade.
The Cookbook is the star of the show bringing together recipes from across the UK - think the perfect Scotch Eggs and buttery scones to Welsh Rarebit - to perfect your culinary skills.
Buy now £80.00, F&M
The Cosy Book Company Book Lovers Blind Date With A Book Box
For readers who want to be surprised by their next book, this hamper from small business The Cosy Book Company will keep you on your toes. It proposes a book blind date where you'll be sent a surprise read alongside artisan sweets, snacks and drinks to cosy up with for an evening.
Buy now £28.00, Etsy
Ottolenghi The Middle Eastern Hamper
If you've ever visited an Ottolenghi deli, you'll have experienced the rapturous dishes firsthand but might feel at a loss as to how to recreate them at home. Luckily the online shop has this Middle Eastern hamper packed with hard-to-find spices and store cupboard essentials: think baharat, whole Iranian limes, sumac, za-atar and pomegranate molasses. The hamper is anchored by the chef's book on Middle Eastern recipes, so you can put your new ingredients to good use.
Buy now £95.00, Ottolenghi
The Dishoom Culinary Hamper
For those who want to learn how to recreate Dishoom's delicious plates for themselves comes this culinary hamper.
It includes a small masala dabba (a spice-laden staple in every Indian household around the world), a tin of the fabulous house chai, incense sticks, and a branded tea towel to make washing up feel a bit more encouraging. And of course, there's a cookbook to help recreate the legendary cafe’s best dishes at home.
Buy now £90.00, Dishoom
A Box of Stories - Surprise Box of Four Books
Want to feel surprised by your next bookshelf newcomers? Simply pick your preferred genre and let A Box of Stories do the rest. The company will select four random books and deliver them to your door, allowing you to immerse yourself in new worlds devised by new authors. A great way to expand your reading horizons.
Buy now £29.99, Virgin Experience Days
