Christmas is now just days away but if you're yet to buy a gift for that special someone then you can't really go wrong with a festive hamper.
From skincare, festive tipples and drinks to more luxury items, you can just about to get any sort of hamper for the Christmas period. There are many to choose from and shoppers often make their own but if you haven't got time to do that this year and need some help choosing the right one for you then this guide below can hopefully help.
Many shoppers use Moonpig for personalised cards for various occasions but they also offer gifts including a range of Christmas hampers. I tried a few of their selection out to see whether they are worth the price tag and which is the most festive for your money.
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One thing to be aware of if you're thinking of buying one is the shipping and delivery dates. Royal Mail's last posting dates for first class items is Friday, December 16 and for special delivery guaranteed services is Wednesday, December 21 so it's worth checking before you buy whether your planned presents will arrive in time.
Moonpig offer a range of Christmas hampers which they say can suit all tastes, including the extravagant £950 Christmas Co hamper, which is now £750, as well as a cheeky one for your pampered pooch, and not forgetting the alcohol free, gluten free and even hampers that are perfect for the kids. I sampled some of them below.
Good for price - Virginia Hayward Festive Fizz hamper
This Virginia Hayward Festive Fizz hamper really impressed due to the quality of the items you get for as little as £35. The hamper, which was originally priced at £45, includes Buiteman Gouda biscuits, Linden Lady decorated milk chocolate marshmallows, Maxwell & Franks four mince pies, Maxwell & Franks decorated chocolate decadence slice, Mr Filbert's dry roasted peanut and a bottle of prosecco.
It's all packaged in a decorated 'season's greetings' sack which gives the hamper a nice, more gift-like feel. This hamper certainly has the most luxury appearance in my opinion, I think it's partly down to the colouring of the packaging, the gifts and the sack are all white and gold tones.
The Linden Lady milk chocolate marshmallows are mouth-watering and they were the first to go. The R&R Robert & Reeves Italy prosecco also went down far too easily, and the dry, crisp apple notes does well to balance out the rich chocolate you get in this hamper, which is why the dry roasted peanuts are a good balance too.
My favourite in the hamper has to be the Buiteman Gouda biscuits. I'm a big lover of cheese and these were light, tasty and moreish, there wasn't quite enough in the pack. There are a lot of items in here that can be bought cheaply but look like luxury items, and they are packaged together in their own stylish, festive sack. It's £35 from Moonpig here.
Great for pate lovers - Pâté Perfection hamper
If you have a pâté lover in the family or know someone who is always getting the crackers out at Christmas time then this hamper will be right up their street.
One thing I must add which may be why the price is a little more expensive at £35, is that the hamper comes in a beautiful, wooden crate which immediately gives the hamper a more sturdier, and robust feel. It's almost as if you bought it from a farm shop and specially selected the finest ingredients inside.
The hamper includes a bottle of Ventopuro Merlot, Deli & Co. chicken liver pâté, Wooden Spoon red onion marmalade, Millers Elements water crackers, Taste Savoury red onion and cheddar biscuits and a pack of Cambrook dry roasted peanuts.
The pâté pot is quite a generous size and is rich in flavour. For the price though, I would have liked to have seen two pâté pots rather than a chutney pot, especially as the hamper is called pâté perfection. Nevertheless you get everything you need here to have a good pâté feast.
You can't go wrong with red onion chutney marmalade, which tasted nice but as this is a hamper I wanted a more varied flavour and if I'm being completely honest I couldn't tell much difference in flavour in the chutney and pâté compared to supermarket varieties. However, it's still a good gift for those who are known to enjoy pâté at this time of year.
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Best gift - Handmade Christmas Co Family Christmas Treats
The Handmade Christmas Co Family Christmas Treats hamper is at the higher price end but is a lot cheaper compared to Moonpig's most expensive one at £750. Nevertheless if your budget allows you to buy this one you certainly get a lot for your money.
Arriving in a luxury wicker basket, this hamper a plethora of delights for all of the family to enjoy. From Candy Kittens to cherry and amaretto jam to cheese straws, popcorn and Christmas pudding, there's something to tickle everyone's festive fancy.
The hamper includes a pack of Candy Kittens Eton Mess sweets, Popcorn Shed salted caramel popcorn, Buttermilk Caramel sea salt fudge, two hot chocolate spoons with marshmallows, a pot of Rosebud Preserves cherry and amaretto jam, chocolate coins, Cartwright & Butler chocolate drop shortbread rounds, four candy canes, Cartwright & Butler cheddar cheese straws and a traditional Christmas pudding.
The wicker basket gives the products more of a luxury touch and there's something to suit everyone's tastes here, from the hot chocolate spoons for the kids, to the Christmas pudding for a parents and grandparents and the candy canes for little one's too.
I've shared this one for some of my family to try and my nieces and nephews loved watching the hot chocolate spoons melt away in their mugs. Another favourite were the Cartwright & Butler cheddar cheese straws, great for dipping into some of the Rosebud Preserves cherry and amaretto jam for a savoury/sweet taste as well as our endless chutney collection.
The fudge wasn't too sickly and it definitely favours to the more sea salt taste so be wary of this if you're thinking of giving it to someone with a sweet tooth. A standout for me in this though is the Christmas pudding.
I'm not a lover of mince pies but love Christmas pudding and this one in this hamper is the best I've eaten so far this year. It's rich in spices, warming and delicious with a big dollop of cream. It's also quite filling and is big enough to be shared between four people.
I would say this hamper is one of Moonpig's best ones for a gift. It has plenty in there to suit all tastes and the wicker basket is good enough to keep on its own.
Traditional all-rounder - Virgina Hayward Love from Santa hamper
The Virginia Hayward Love from Santa hamper is reasonably priced at £35 and comes in a festive sack. The red theme really gives this hamper a traditional feel and it contains a lot of Christmas staples that can be seen in almost every household at this time of year.
Filled with festive indulges including a delicious bottle of red wine, mince pies, biscuits, pralines, nuts and nibbles – it's the perfect Christmas treat. I was glad I could have Becky's Pralines in a cracker all to myself as my partner doesn't like nuts - these were packed in a fun cracker too.
My partner got to enjoy Grandma Wilds luxury mince pies though which he said were in his top five Christmas mince pies of all time. Pretty impressive as he eats a lot of mince pies.
The Walkers shortbread fingers and the nibnibs all butter cheddar stars keep the products balanced from savoury to sweet. This little festive sack has everything you need for a festive snack and would make a great gift for a loved one. It's currently sold out on Moonpig but you can check similar ones on their page here.
Calling cocktail fans - Handmade Christmas Co Bellini & Truffles hamper
Christmas is all about sparkle and enjoying a little tipple over the festive period and nothing is more delectable than an exquisitely blended, refreshing peach Bellini. This festive box is great for a cocktail lover.
Priced at £40, the hamper contains a bottle of Apericena Prosecco, a bottle of Alain Milliat White Peach Nectar and a box of Willie's Cacao Marc de Champagne Truffles. There's also instructions inside on how to make the perfect Bellini.
I have a cocktail shaker at home so got to work on making this one as soon as the hamper arrived to try it out. If you're not a fan of prosecco or peach then this hamper isn't for you but it's great for someone who enjoys the fizz and cocktails at Christmas time. The ingredients inside made for a refreshing and tasty cocktail that went down far too well.
The truffles are a luxury touch that makes the hamper that bit more special, especially if you're giving it as a gift. My only criticism on this one would be the price, it's quite a lot for two bottles and a box of chocolates and you can probably get it cheaper at the supermarket if you wanted to create your own hamper. But if you don't have time and want to pay around £20 more for something on the luxurious side then this is worth getting.
Verdict
Overall, Moonpig has a range of great options when it comes to Christmas hampers, their page here is packed with a lot variations that is designed to suit most for gifting this year.
I've only sampled a few and the ones I did try all lived up to expectations. I would be very happy if I received any of these as a gift for Christmas this year. Some are a little pricey though so I would have a shop around first and weigh up whether it's cheaper to make your own, if you have time of course.
If you don't, Moonpig can help here and the delivery times were great, with most hampers arriving within two days of ordering. Of course, this may be affected by the upcoming Royal Mail strikes and DPD cut-off dates so be make sure you order in time.
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