Christmas hampers

[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

[Rosendula]

Having just revived a Christmas cracker joke thread, an idea popped into my head. How about adding a Christmas cracker or two to the hampers?

[anarchistinslippers]

Pickled beetroot slices? Easy and yummy!

[mrsflibble]

if you want to make cookies to hang on a tree, use royal icing mix instead of sugar, it makes them harder, last longer but still be edible.

[growingthings]

My favourite is stained glass biscuits for the tree, use a pop bottle lid to cut a hole in the biscuit and pop in a boiled sweet and bake as normal, my kiddos love them on our tree.

[spitfire]

i make hampers every year and a favorite is bath salts. very easy to make.
SUPPLY LIST:
glass bottle with stopper of some kind or jam jar with lid
boxs of epsom salts
food coloring
scented oil or fragrant cuttings from the garden ( wrap the cuttings in muslin or cheese cloth )
mix the color you want into the epsom salts, if you know their bathroom decor you can mix blue and yellow to make green ETC.
add the fragrance and close the container tight.
keep them out of the light as the color will fade a bit
the longer they sit the better as the fragrance will be absorbed by the salts.
tie with a pretty ribbon to match the color.

[sleepygreen]

I love this idea! I'm going to do this for Xmas - more ideas; home-made soaps, candles, mobile / bag charms - I found these on youTube & they are easy to make. Also ginger bread. I've got some Fair Trade jute bags to put everything in. Tried bath bombs, but put too much water in - tiny tiny amount needed!

I forgot to say, I've made my own Xmas cards too - the ones in the card shop were so tacky!