Choosing Christmas gifts is a rewarding and pleasurable experience, however knowing which gifts to buy for those who are not spending the festive season close by can be daunting Christmas hampers which include a host of well chosen contents to suit all ages and genders is the perfect gift solution for family and friends

Chocolates and wine continue to be top of the Christmas present gift list for many people Family, friends and colleagues appreciate a box or hamper containing scrumptious chocolates and fine wines

Christmas gifts which include the finest wines from around the world are always appreciated by those who enjoy a glass or two Traditionally Christmas hampers include a bottle of wine or port, extravagant luxury hampers containing a variety of wines of high quality are the perfect gift for wishing a ‘very merry Christmas’ to family, friends, colleagues and clients

Spending Christmas away from home with family or friends may be a more relaxing time, however knowing what contributions to take along can sometimes be quite difficult To arrive emptied handed may appear ungrateful, likewise turning up with a host of food may seem disrespectful to the host and his or her cooking abilities

Sending and receiving a hamper filled with magnificent selection of the finest gourmet foods has seen a huge revival in recent years This year the sales of Christmas hampers is expected to rise dramatically as people realize the exceptional value of sending a hamper

The tradition of giving a hamper packed full of Christmas sweet and savoury treats was began in Victorian times when the wealthy estate owners present their workers with a wicker chest style box which contained a variety of home made preserves, chutneys and puddings It is believed that the wicker hamper was used for two purposes, firstly that it allowed air to circulate through and help keep food fresher and secondly, when emptied of goodies became a useful and practical gift which could be used for a whole manner of different purposes within a servant’s humble home

The tradition of feasting in December dates back thousands of years in countries in the northern hemisphere as part of winter solstice rituals to give thanks for the past year and to ensure that the next years harvests were successful In England the feasting took part over twelve days with eating, drinking and making merry culminating with an enormous feast on the night of the winter solstice beginning with the entrance of a boars head on a platter

Selecting the right Christmas presents can be exhausting and perplexing Choosing to send a gift hamper is the ideal solution for Christmas presents and gifts for all adult members of the family, friends or work colleagues

Everyone enjoys receiving a hamper at Christmas, the excitement of the unexpected holds people’s fascination and pleasure from the top to the bottom and all the goodies in between Each hamper is carefully packaged to ensure the contents are snugly cushioned and protected during transit, the most traditional of Christmas hampers have closable lids fastened with leather straps and buckles

With next day deliveries a wide variety of flower arrangements can be sent by post to arrive fresh and undamaged to destinations throughout the UK Traditionally flowers are sent for a specific occasion such as a birthday, anniversary or to express sympathy, however, many people are choosing to send flowers by post to friends and family simply to say ‘I’m thinking of you’ on any day of the year