Saturday, August 30, 2008

Why Hampers Are The Greatest Gifts

By James Collett


UK hampers are gifts that are traditionally presented in a wicker basket. The act of giving a hamper has a long history in Western culture and, before, was done as a noble gesture, using the hamper to give food and other home essentials to the poor. The basket the gift was displayed in was also purposefully chosen as it was a helpful household item that could be used and reused.

In recent times, hampers have come to be less a gift of necessities and more a gift of little indulgences, such as wine hampers for example. An emphasis is placed on the best products such as gourmet jams, expensive chocolates, exotic coffee beans, quality wines and other premium products that can be enjoyed as a treat and will store long enough for your special someone to take their time in using the item.

There has also been a rising tendency to make specialized hampers - wine hampers that are filled with a wide range and types of wine, chocolate hampers and bread and cheese hampers. Hobby hampers are an even more new innovation and are filled not with food but with essential and desired items to please gardeners or DIY enthusiasts, for example. The contents of a hamper are only limited by your imagination!

The adaptability of UK hampers is why it makes such a wonderful present. They can be modified to any special someone and can be filled with whatever would give pleasure to the recipient. When choosing the hamper you want to give, give careful thought to what items the recipient likes - are they a white wine connoisseur? Then wine hampers are a great idea! Are they a food lover? Then fill the hamper with quality food items. Are they expecting a baby? Why not give them a hamper filled with useful baby products.

UK hampers can be used for any occasion - for birthdays, for hens nights or bachelorette parties, for weddings, for anniversaries, for an expecting mom-to-be and, most popularly, for Christmas.

The Christmas hamper has become big business and, in an intriguing twist, the public are buying Christmas UK hampers to use for themselves instead of as a present for other people. Often packed with luxury Christmas treats such as shortbread, chocolate, wine, Christmas pudding and even turkey, they are bought by individuals to be used over the holiday season. Many UK hampers are bought on a payment plan over the year and then used for the Xmas period, helping individuals afford the expense of the wonderful Christmas treats wanted over the Christmas period.

There are plenty of companies that specialize in making hamper gifts and most of them can be found quickly and simply on the web. Many of them will have pre-packed UK hampers - such as wine hampers or food hampers - and some may allow you to personalize a hamper and fill it with products of your choice. Almost all companies will deliver your hamper, making it a convenient and thoughtful present.

Of course, you don't have to use a business to create a perfect hamper and it can be even more thoughtful to create your own. When making a hamper, give careful thought to what they might like. Use handy products and luxury items that the recipient may not think to buy for themselves, to make it even more of a treat. UK hampers also work best when filled with products that won't go off easily, such as red wine for wine hampers. If you do intend on putting in products that have to be refrigerated or will spoil, then make sure the hamper is delivered as quickly as possible and make sure the recipient understands that the items must be used quickly.

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