A Christmas Hamper Guide…Building The Hamper

Over the years I have done a variety of different gift guides. For a specific person, for fandoms, or based on a characteristic of the gift recipient.

I like to do hampers where I can. Especially for couples as you can add things specific to each person and/or items to share. It sparked the idea for me to do these hamper gift guides, starting with building the hamper.

1. Hamper Baskets

1. Make Your Own Small Seagrass Hamper with Cellophane – £5.00
2. Medium Brown Wicker Hamper 36cm x 14cm x 25cm – £11.50
3. Natural Wooden Crate 40cm x 30cm x 18cm – £12.00
4. Hamper Basket Kit – £5.99
5. Natural Woven Christmas Tree Shape Gift Basket – £10.00

You can find hampers in so many places these days, from card shops and department stores to craft stores, B&M and Home Bargains. There are loads of colours, sizes and shapes to choose from, so you can really match them to your theme or personality. The basket is the more traditional base for a hamper, usually made of wicker with or without a lid. But I’ve started to spot some really fun designs lately like the Christmas tree one above.

If you go for a basket, many of them come with cellophane wrap and filling included. Sometimes it’s the perfect amount and other times you might need to add a bit more yourself. It really depends on the height and size of the gifts you’re putting inside, so have a quick play around before wrapping to make sure everything sits nicely.

2. Basket Alternatives

1. Santa Claus Stackable Gift Boxes
2. Reindeer Stackable Gift Boxes
3. Build Your Own Sleigh
4. Festive Gift Train Hamper

Of course, you don’t have to stick with a traditional hamper or use a basket. There are so many creative ways to present gifts now. I’ve seen everything from cardboard festive trains to sleighs and some gorgeous stackable boxes that look amazing under the tree.

I really love the stackable boxes for splitting up a hamper. If you’ve got a mix of food, clothing or stationery, they’re a great way to keep everything separate. It also stops any food smells from transferring onto the other gifts and helps avoid any accidents if something spills.

The train and sleigh styles are a newer trend, and I’ve only started seeing them over the past couple of years. They’re such a fun idea, especially for kids, and they add a lovely playful touch to your festive gifting.

3. Gift Bags

1. Reusable Tote Gift Bags
2. Jumbo Reusable Christmas Sacks

Although the idea of a hamper is to have it wrapped in cellophane so you can see all the lovely gifts inside, you still need a way to transport it or keep it hidden if it’s for someone in your household. I sometimes pop mine into a cardboard box and wrap that up, but lately I’ve been seeing these jumbo tote bags and plastic sacks with the most adorable festive designs.

They fit hamper baskets really well, depending on the size of the tote bag, and they’re reusable too. Which means less waste and a little bonus for the planet.

4. Extras

1. Tissue Paper
2. Festive Pull Bows
3. Hamper Accessory Kit
4. Cellophane Wrap

Of course, not all hamper kits come with everything you need, so you might have to pick up a few extras. Things like cellophane rolls or bags, giant pull bows and tissue paper are always handy to have around. I’ve had times where a hamper bag has split or a ribbon has pulled the wrong way, so it’s good to keep some spares just in case.

If you’re planning to make a few different hampers, I’d definitely recommend shopping around for the extra bits. It can really save you money and give you more choice to match your theme.

And that’s my ‘Building the Hamper’ base post for my Christmas Hamper Guide. I really hope it’s helped give you some ideas and inspiration for packaging yours together this festive season. If you have any favourite retailers or little hidden gems you love for finding hamper bits, I’d love to hear them in the comments below.

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As always, thanks for reading…

Hannah Marie x