Christmas hampers

[prison break fan]

Nothing new to add to this, but have really enjoyed reading all the suggestions, and feel inspired to have a go this Christmas! pbf.

[bonniethomas06]

How about making a few of those neck-warmer sausage shaped things that you put in the microwave to heat up and them use to sooth stiff necks?

I am going to make some - you make a tube of fabric, fill it with rice or dried (duh!) pinto beans, cloves or mint tea leaves and then cover with nice pretty fabric.

My auntie made me one years ago and i love it - it stays warm for at least an hour.

Not too challenging either!

[Ron and Jean]

What about making individual christmas cakes and getting creative with the icing to personalise them. They would store well, improving with time...

[yvette]

Great ideas, would love to receive a present like this.

Someone suggested that you pack your gifts in a charity reusable carrier. Made me wonder about making your own reusable carrier (tote styles are really easy to make) either to use as a hamper or to include among the gifts. Almost everyone has a few scraps of fabric lying around, or you could get an old sheet or curtain from a charity shop?
Just thought of a mini sewing kit to take travelling or keep at work or in your bag - make a litle fabric pouch and stock with cards of thread, a couple of needles and a few pins wrapped in card, safety pins, few odd buttons, hook and eye, press stud etc.
What about all the spices needed to make a curry or other dish (small amounts) plus the recipe they are for, all packed in a jar - I often see curries I would like to make, but I've never got all the damn spices...
You've really got me thinking now...

Good luck with it,
Yvette

[Milims]

Oooohh you've really started something here! My friends and I are now going to set too and make hampers for christmas making use of our individual skills! Thank you for the kick up the bum!

[Millymollymandy]

Lavender bags.

[SarahJane]

I have just read this thread and decided everyone is having a hamper for xmas this year!!! I love all these ideas!

[Gem]

I now have elderberry & blackberry wine to add to the hampers as well as homemade pesto. All going well so far!!

ps is it naughty to stick bottled marrow rum into the hampers with notes saying 'do not drink til Dec 2010'???

[prison break fan]

Very!!!! pbf.

[simpleminds]

I love the ideas everyone. It's got me thinking a lot about the holidays too. I love the hamper idea!

[Gem]

Okey dokey, progress report!

So far I have the following for each hamper

Sloe Vodka (appreciated more than the sloe gin last year)
Blackberry jam
Home made key fobs - I do something different for this every year but this year its little hemp dangleys with beads and whatnot
Pre-packed seeds from my seed beds this year (salad stuff so easy for all to grow + instructions on how easy it is to grow!)
I will be adding some bags of sweet chestnuts (probably candied) which I have harvested but not prepared yet
and finally homemade xmas cards (I know I am being a little pre-emptive but I am moving soon and will be living out of a holdall for a few months so I would rather be ready!)

I will be making bags for all this to go in but I cant decide whether to make stockings or reusable bags.. each easy but one more festive with the other more year-round useful.. I will make the decision at some point!

I have also come up against a small problem.. Children! I have a 3, 8 and 13 year old to purchase/create for.. I usually just cave and buy something as kids can be so material but if anyone has any good ideas then let me know!!

Gem

[Thomzo]

I used to have an elderly aunt in a care home. She couldn't get to the shops.

She kept saying how difficult it was to get birthday cards for people so, for several years, I would buy a selection of different types of birthday cards and pop them in a little box for her with a new pen and some stamps.

For children how about buying them a craft kit? It sort of fits with the ideals in that it encourages them to be creative. And, of course, book tokens or a book.

Zoe

[Gem]

Oh that list is short, I have pesto and wine to add too (though am thinking I may keep the wine )

I like the crafty stuff for kids idea. Force the blighters into doing something away from the pc!!!

[homegrown]

Love the ideas OH makes hampers each Christmas and this year we are adding home-made edible gingerbread cookie decorations, HFW mentioned a cool one on beyond River Cottage

[hmk]

Can't add much to the content ideas, but I read Sarah Ravens book Christmas book the other day and she suggested Brie and Camembert boxes for hampers. Little ones would be good for sweets, and she wrapped the big ones in cellophane, using it as a base for the goodies. You may be able to get them from a cheese supplier, especially a posh one like Brie de Meaux I would think, if there's one near you.

Less glamorously, last year I realised that for people like my Gran, my low-clutter hampers were actually giving her a new container to rehouse in her tiny flat every year. S'pose I could've asked for them back, but instead I cut a rectangle/square out of a thick corrugated cardboard box, measured how deep I wanted it to be and scored a line to create the bottom of the sides of the hamper IYSWIM. I cut a triangle out of each corner, punched holes and tied them together with raffia, so the sides sloped up rather than being perpendicular to the base. I think I've made it sound more complicated than it actually was...not very good at instructions! Anyway, it meant they had recyclable/compostable hampers that hadn't cost me anything to make

HMK