Seasonal Archives

Fun family days out in Summer 2023

Looking for fun family days out in Summer 2023? Well, this year you’re really spoiled for choice. From amazing places to bring your picnic hampers to historic palace visits, we’ve collected an impressive range of fun family days out in Summer 2023 across the UK.

LEGOLAND® Windsor Resort Theme Park

Ideal for kids between 2 and 12 years old, the LEGOLAND® Windsor Resort is quite possibly the UK’s favourite kids’ theme park. It has a lot to explore and you can even bring a packed lunch to save on famously-high amusement park food prices. Just keep your hampers in the car and you’ll be able to leave and retrieve them. Stroll through the LEGO MYTHICA Magical Forest or explore the DUPLO Playtown interactive play village. Fancy a break from the heat? The surf’s on at Splash Safari. Want a bit of bling? Pan for gold at the Pirate Goldwash! There’s so much you do, you might want to visit a few times in Summer 2023.

Buckingham Palace in the Coronation Year

Celebrate our new monarch, King Charles, by visiting his primary residence in the year of his coronation; Summer 2023. There’s a surprising amount to do and see there. Your little ones will love to learn about the palace from their fun guide, Rex the Corgi. And there’s a whole Family Pavilion with games and activities for under 12s. Plus, if you ask, they will upgrade your pass into a 12-year access pass! However, since they don’t allow luggage, it’s unlikely you could bring hampers on your visit, so best to get a nibble elsewhere or dine on-site.

The Lake District

Famed the world over for its beauty, older children will appreciate the majesty of the Lake District. From the Langdale Valley to the Northern Lakes, surround yourself in glorious nature on one of the most rustic family days out in Summer 2023 to be had! Pack your hampers and set off for a lakeside or mountainside afternoon filled with animal-watching and scenic hikes. Not sure where to start from first? Visit their official website to plan your day trip or hire a boat out to see one of the big lakes from within!

Brighton Beach

While sure to be busy, no list of fun family days out in Summer 2023 would be complete without Brighton Beach and Brighton Pier. With Palace Play, a 4-storey soft play area, arcades, the turbo coaster, a carousel and more; Brighton Pier is a must-see. And, when it gets too hot, take a dip in the cool waters or lay your picnic blanket out on the pebbles and crack open your hampers under a brolly. Keen on a stroll? Take a walk with the whole family down the promenade and grab some ice creams to keep you cool.

And there you have it! Hopefully, these fun family days out in Summer 2023 have given you a few ideas! Now, grab your summer hampers, pack up the kids and get on the road. There are loads of amazing adventures ahead!

Tips for a great office St. Patrick’s Day

St. Patrick’s Day is a fun occasion to celebrate in your office. And today, we’ve collected some tips on how to make a great office St. Patrick’s Day party happen for your organisation. From verdant green gift hampers to fun party games, here are our suggestions:

Book an Irish pub

For a more traditional experience, book the team into an Irish pub for lunch. Ask for favourites like soda bread & butter, bacon & cabbage, shepherd’s pie, boxty or Irish stew. For the teetotallers, have a traditional tea and for the drinkers, a Guinness or Baileys. See if there will be any Irish players on and return after work for the dancing and sing-along. Award prizes for the best or most exuberant pipes.

Serve it green

If you’re celebrating in the office, go ham on the green theme. Dye all the beverages with food colouring and serve green cupcakes and other treats. Just don’t put too much dye in. You don’t want Julia from accounts to have green teeth all day. Consider having some competitions to decorate cubicles or doors in your offices with festive bunting and confetti; awarding prizes for the most creative spaces.

Great green prizes

No matter what fun competitions and games you have during your great office St. Patrick’s Day party, you’ll want to mark the occasion with amazing prizes. We recommend festive green hamper gifts like the affordable Chocolate Heaven Hamper. This decadent treat includes Willies Cacao Chulucanas Gold; Peruvian 70% Dark Chocolate, Duc d’O Chocolate Flaked Truffles, Walkers Dark Chocolate After Dinner Mints, Borders Dark Chocolate Ginger Biscuits, Chocolate Coated Brazils and Belgian Chocolate Hazelnut Praline Pieces.

Play Irish music

In the background, have Irish Trad or Irish folk music playing for the perfect ambience. This will usually be a mix of fiddle, flute & whistle, harp, Bodhrán or Uilleann pipes. Create a mix of tunes including favourites like “Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye”, “On the green grassy slopes of the Boyne”, “The Lament of the Irish Maiden”, “The Rambler from Clare” or “The Harp that Once Through Tara’s Halls”. For a cheeky bit of craic, you could play musical chairs and pause the music to make your colleagues scramble for a seat; removing one chair each time until there’s only one person seated to win.

Irish jig competition

Get everyone up on their toes for a jig competition. Encourage them to get creative with their footwork and step in time to the songs. Give prizes for the most enthusiastic jigs. Remember, to get them to use fancy footwork in time with the music and keep those arms more or less stiff. You might want to show a YouTube video of some jigs in action to inspire your dancers. For extra fun, offer party costumes so your teammates can really get into the spirit of the celebrations.

Want even more great prizes for St. Patrick’s Day? You can shop our full range of corporate gifts here to find something they’re sure to love.

Gift hampers for new years resolutions

New years is a time to reinvent yourself. With a whole 12 months ahead of you, what will your habits and lifestyle look like? If you’re making lifestyle changes this year, we’re here to help with gift hampers for new years resolutions. From alcohol-free to totally veggie, we’ve selected our favourites below.

Pamper Hampers for Self-Care

A popular new years resolution is to look after yourself better and take some more ‘me’ time. From getting good sleep to promoting relaxation; there’s a lot you can do. Here are some of the best hampers to enable restful self-reflection.

Bathtime Pamper Hamper

Slip into bliss with the indulgent Pomegranate Soy Candle Pot, Sisal Exfoliating Back Scrub, Japanese Konjac Sponge, Elizabeth Shaw Raisin & Hazelnut Biscuits, Wild Peony Square Bath Fizzer and other delights in this compact and naturally-focused bathing set.

Vanilla Berry Hat Box

This surprising gift hamper doesn’t contain a hat at all. Rather, the decadent bathing set includes vanilla & berry-scented bath products, slippers, a back scrubber, a wooden body massager and a body brush. Once you’ve indulged, use the hat box to store other useful items in the home.

Alcohol-Free Hampers for Dry January

Dry January is a popular annual event where people give up the booze for one month. It has a lot of health benefits and if you’re embarking on this teetotal journey; there are a few gift hampers for new years resolutions ideal to help you. Here are our favourites:

Tea & Coffee Break Tower

Instead of hitting the pub, you’ll be having more tea and coffee indulgences and that’s what this collection is all about. Edinburgh Tea & Coffee Co Medium Roast Coffee joins New English Teas Classic Earl Grey tea for a beautiful flavour symphony. Pair with the Chunky Apricot Flapjack, Honey & Sesame Breadsticks, Baronie Belgian Chocolate Vanilla Crisp Pieces and other treats in the boxes.

Great British Tower

Delicious and patriotic, the Great British Tower is a hamper gift like no other. Full of domestic favourites, this treat is stacked high with all the products you love. There’s Borders Biscuits Lemon Drizzle Melts, Peters Yard Fig & Spelt Sourdough Crackers, Cottage Delight The Cheese Maker’s Pickle, The Wooden Spoon Grapefruit & Lime Marmalade, Spicy Tomato Chutney Original Syrup Flapjack and so much more to explore.

Vegetarian Hampers for Healthy Diets

A newly-popular new years resolution is to eat less meat. And there are some health benefits associated with a more-veggie diet. So, if you’re looking to give up meat, here are some hamper options to treat yourself to:

Best of British Food Hamper

All broccoli and no sweets does not a happy veggie make. So with this treat, keep to your vegetarian commitment without losing amazing flavour. Try the Alice McPhersons Petticoat Tails Luxury Shortbread, The Wooden Spoon Plum, Pear & Apple Jam, Family Size Large Rich Fruit Cake or Dark Chocolate Coated Brazils with the included coffee or tea. And that’s not all the presents to explore inside!

Chocolate & Nut Delight | 6-Tier Gift Tower

Indulge your sweet tooth or savoury tastes without consuming meat. This is a veggie hamper like no other. Continental Sugared Almonds, Dark Chocolate Coated Brazils, I Love Snacks Smoked Almonds, Belgian Chocolate Vanilla Crisp Pieces, Captain Tiptoes Dry Roasted Peanuts Belgian Caramel Praline Pieces and much more hide inside these hand-presented boxes.

Want even more to choose from? View the whole catalogue here.

Last-minute gifts for teachers

Your children learn so much at school – social skills, academics, culture. So, it makes sense to give back and find a great hamper to give their teachers. Today, we’re showcasing some of the great corporate hampers you could get and give before the summer break.

The Excelsior

This opulent gift basket is a great choice if your child’s teacher has had to invest a lot of 1 on 1 time with them this year. Packed to the bring with goodies, they’re sure to feel appreciated. This huge gift basket contains 4 bottles of booze including a bottle of Sant’orsola Prosecco from Italy and a bottle of Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection Chenin Blanc from South Africa. Pair them with Willies Cacao Chulucanas Gold Peruvian 70% Dark Chocolate Tablet, Joe & Seph’s Caramel & Belgian Chocolate Gourmet Popcorn, Sicilian Lemon Butter Cookies, Peters Yard Fig & Spelt Sourdough Crackers and Edinburgh Preserves Wild Boar Pâté. Those are just SOME of the many delicious treats for them to discover. Everything comes packaged in a beautiful and reusable wicker basket too.

Prosecco & Treats Gift Box

A simple and portable gift box, this stunner contains a mini bottle of Bottega bubbles, Grandma Wilds Butterscotch Cookies, Brown Bag Lightly Salted Crisps, I Love Snacks Smoked Almonds, Borders Dark Chocolate Ginger Biscuits, Rich Fruit Cake, Joe & Seph’s Caramel & Belgian Chocolate Gourmet Popcorn and much more. The youthful presentation will delight younger instructors and perhaps even create some new favourites. And the gift box can easily be reused for storing craft supplies or other small in-classroom items.

Cookies, Crisps & Snacks | Sweet & Savoury Bumper Basket

For teachers who don’t drink, this bumper gift basket is perfect. Delight them with 20 luxury items including Borders Dark Chocolate Ginger Biscuits, Elizabeth Shaw Coconut & Hazelnut Biscuits, Elizabeth Shaw Mint & Cocoa Biscuits, Grandma Wilds Butterscotch Cookies, Brown Bag Crisps in Lightly Salted and Sea Salt & Vinegar, Emily Apple Fruit Crisps an American Style Cherry Muffin and much more. When they’re finished the beautiful wicker basket makes great classroom storage too.

Tea & Coffee Break Hamper

What teacher doesn’t love a tea and coffee break? It’s a chance to get away from the classroom for a minute and catch up with the other teachers. Perhaps that’s why this is one of the best last-minute gifts for teachers. This magnetic gift box contains Borders Dark Chocolate Ginger Biscuits, Honey Baked Flapjack, Grandma Wilds Butterscotch Cookies, American Style Sweet Blueberry Muffin and Double Chocolate Muffin plus Brown Bag Crisps Lightly Salted Gourmet Crisps. These all pair well with the Edinburgh Tea & Coffee Co. Fresh Ground Breakfast Coffee and New English Tea Sachets in Earl Grey. It’s a great shareable gift hamper the whole school team is sure to enjoy.

Didn’t find just the right gift for your child’s teacher? Why not check out our master list of best selling gifts to see if there’s the right mix of treats in that selection for you? As always, get fast nationwide shipping and next day delivery if you order by 11 am.

Spring bank holiday hampers you’ll love

What better time to showcase our selection of spring hampers for your long weekend? Spring bank holiday hampers you’ll love come in all shapes and sizes. But one thing they do have in common is the ability to help you get outdoors and enjoy the sunshine. So, order one of these beauties to really kick-start your bank holiday in style.

Pimms & Sicilian Lemonade Gift Hamper

There’s nothing that says spring in the UK quite like Pimms No. 1 Cup with Luscombe Organic Sicilian Lemonade. With this luscious basket, get a picnic on the go with Elizabeth Shaw Raisin & Hazelnut Biscuits, Brown Bag Crisps Lightly Salted, Olive & Sesame Savoury Mini Breadsticks, I Love Snacks Smoked Almonds and more. And once the munchies are gone, use the magnetically-latched box for other goodies.

Picnic Treats for Two

Get out and about with this conveniently packaged picnic hamper. Indulge your tastebuds with Breckland Orchard Elderflower Drink, Odysea Alexandria Olives in Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Brown Bag Crisps, Dry Roasted & Salted Peanuts, Flapjacks, Odysea Harissa Spicy Meze Dip and more. When you’re done, reuse the basket with cutlery and serving ware for your next outdoor adventure.

Continental Beer Basket

Beer, sun and a cool breeze; what’s not to love. With this smart little basket get a range of treats to enjoy outdoors. Cheers the great weather with a Peroni Nastro Azzurro Italian Lager and Pilsner Urquell Czech Lager. Then snack on Brown Bag Crisps Lightly Salted, Captain Tiptoes Dry Roasted Peanuts, I Love Snacks Smoked Almonds, Butter Shortbread and more. Just remember to chill the beers before you leave for your picnic spot.

Picnic Feast for Two

When nibbles aren’t enough, go for something more substantial with the Picnic Feast for Two. This mega picnic spread contains a huge range of delicacies. These include Peters Yard Fig & Spelt Sourdough Crackers, Belgian Chocolate Sticks with Mocha Coffee Filling, Cottage Delight Farmhouse Pickle, Alexandria Olives in Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Dry Roasted & Salted Peanuts and much more. Like with the Picnic Treat for Two, this basket and cutlery can also be reused for your own selection of goodies.

Gourmet Treats | Luxury Wine & Food Hamper

For the most premium experience for your spring bank holiday picnic, try this luxury basket. You’ll love both wines. The Luis Felipe Edwards Lot 18 Merlot from the Rapel Valley of Chile and the Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection Chenin Blanc from South Africa is gorgeous. Then to snack on you have Cottage Delight Dipping Crackers with Hot Pepper, Duc d’O Belgian Chocolate Flaked Truffles, Borders Dark Chocolate Ginger Biscuits, Captain Tiptoes Dry Roasted Nuts, Peters Yard Smoked Chilli Sourdough Flatbread, Pineapple in Syrup, Duck Pepper & Olive Pate and so much more. There’s so much to explore here, it’s a great choice for 4-6 people. And, as always, the wicker basket is fully reusable for storage or gifting.

Not quite what you’re looking for? Let our team help you find the perfect picnic basket for your spring bank holiday celebrations.

St. Patty’s Day gift hampers have us seeing green

You might think St. Patricks Day is a modern holiday. But, according to Time, “The March 17 celebration started in 1631 when the Church established a Feast Day [honouring] St. Patrick. He had been Patron Saint of Ireland who had died around the fifth century—a whopping 12 centuries before the modern version of the holiday was first observed.” So, if you’re looking to celebrate this ancient tradition with traditional foods, we have some suitably green-themed St. Patty’s Day gift hampers to choose from.

The Grande

We’re kicking off with the opulent Grande. This St. Patty’s Day gift hamper is stuffed to the gills with treats and tied off with a green luxury bow. First the wines… Torres Coronas Tempranillo Catalunya, Spain, Kleine Zalze Bush Vines Chenin Blanc, South Africa, Veramonte Sauvignon Blanc Reserva, Chile and Crusan Grenache-Merlot, Pays d’Oc, France all come in 75cl bottles to tempt any palette. Then snack on Edinburgh Preserves Wild Boar Pâté, Lindt Lindor Milk Chocolate Cornet Truffles, Grandma Wilds Butterscotch Cookies, Borders Lemon Drizzle Melts, Captain Tiptoes Dry Roasted Peanuts and more. The Grande certainly makes a big statement as a corporate or friends and family gift for St. Patty’s Day.

Champagne & Gourmet Food Basket with Lanson

A popular basket for Hamper Gifts, this St. Patty’s Day treat starts with Lanson Black Label Champagne in a 75cl bottle. Then it provides a range of snacks including Odysea Alexandria Olives in Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Italian Crostini Dipping Crackers with Rosemary, Dark Chocolate Mint Sticks with Pure Peppermint Filling, Sicilian Lemon Butter Cookies, Karyatis Spicy Harissa Meze and more. And it’s all gift wrapped by hand with a luxurious green bow.

The Jade

The Jade is true to its name and beautifully presented in light green boxes with gold accents. This five-box tower includes treats like The Wooden Spoon Plum, Pear & Apple Jam, Buttermilk Caramel & Seasalt Fudge, Buchanan’s Russian Caramels and their Chocolate Dipped Fudge, Baronie Belgian Chocolate Hazelnut Pralines, Walkers After Dinner Chocolate Mints, Captain Tiptoes Dry Roasted Peanuts and more. And it’s finished with a hand-tied luxury ribbon.

The Emerald White Wine Basket

The festive treats in this gift basket are presented in rustic seagrass and wood with a green ribbon to tie it all together. Its star wine, the Kleine Zalze Bush Vines Chenin Blanc from South Africa, won Silver at the International Wine Challenge. And it’s paired with a range of traditional snacks like Borders Lemon Drizzle Melts, Rich Fruit Cake, Baronie Belgian Milk Chocolate Hazelnut Praline Pieces, Sicilian Lemon Butter Cookies and Walkers Mint Chocolate Truffles.

Chocolate Heaven Hamper

Just because it’s St. Patty’s Day doesn’t mean you can’t go to chocolate heaven. This decadent hamper features sumptuous treats like Lindt Excellence Mint Intense, Duc d’O Chocolate Flaked Truffles, Walkers Dark Chocolate After Dinner Mints, Borders Dark Chocolate Ginger Biscuits, Chocolate Coated Brazils and much more. It’s beautifully finished off with a luxury bow that’s hand-tied around the seagrass and wooden basket.

Not sure if these are the right St. Patty’s Day gift hampers for you? Talk to our team about your custom requirements.

The best gift hampers for Dry January

Dry January is a growing trend. According to Alcohol Change, “A quarter (25%) of current and past drinkers have taken on a dry month at some point in the past, with one in ten (10%) going alcohol-free for January 2020.” And 6.5 million people planned to participate last year, so Dry January 2022 is expected to be the biggest yet. So, if you have people to gift during this teetotal season, here are the best gift hampers for Dry January participants. They’ve got no alcohol, but just the right amount of cheer.

Festive Chocs & Cookies

For many people, the Christmas spirit extends into January and they’d love to receive this alcohol-free hamper filled with festive goodies. And what’s not to love. Just some of the goodies in this whitewashed wicker basket include Sicilian Lemon Butter Cookies, Butter Shortbread, Baronie Belgian Chocolate Orange Sticks, Chocolate Orange Chunks in Jar, Lindt Lindor Milk Chocolate Cornet Truffles and Buchanan’s Chocolate Russian Caramels.

Vanilla Berry Hat Box

Not only does this gift hamper come in a beautiful and eco-friendly hatbox, but it smells absolutely heavenly. Inside this kit is everything you need for an indulgent self-care experience. Drift away with the vanilla berry scents and relaxing beauty tools including Slippers, Back Scrubber, Wooden Body Massager and Body Brush.

Savoury Heaven Gift Tower

A shocking amount of goodies are packed into this impressive grey and white gift tower. They’ll enjoy sharing and tasting the Captain Tiptoes Dry Roasted Peanuts, Peters Yard Fig & Spelt Sourdough Crackers, The Wooden Spoon Spicy Tomato Chutney, Buchanan’s Chocolate Dipped Fudge, Olive & Sesame Mini Breadsticks and the other delicious treats. Plus, when they’ve finished the lot, these boxes make great gift wrapping themselves.

Bathtime Pamper Hamper

Dry January is all about looking after yourself. And this Bathtime Pamper Hamper is a great way to do that. Send one to a friend or family member or just treat yourself. Immerse yourself in luxury as you light the Pomegranate Soy Candle Pot, scrub your cares away with the Sisal Exfoliating Back Scrub on your Japanese Konjac Sponge and melt any worries with the Wild Peony Square Bath Fizzer. There are more indulgent treats to enjoy in this reusable handmade seagrass basket.

Luxury Pamper Hamper Tower

This gift tower is seriously stocked. Your Dry January giftee won’t miss their fizz this year. They’ll be too busy enjoying the Bomb Cosmetics Blackcurrant Shower Mixers, Bomb Cosmetics Sliced Scented Soaps, Bomb Cosmetics Cotton Candy Bath Blasters, Wild Peony Square Bath Fizzer, Peony Plum Travel Size Shampoo and more. It’s the ultimate in relaxation and self-care in one kit and all under £70. That’s great value and supreme indulgence in one.

Not quite finding something you like? Talk to our team about our other non-alcoholic gift baskets for your Dry January giftee. We’ve got a huge selection with fast & worry-free delivery all across the UK. And if you order by 11 am, we can even get it to them the next day!

Top Christmas Hampers For 2022

The best season of the year is getting closer, and we can’t contain our excitement. We’ve seen Christmas trees in the shop windows already, so we have an excuse to celebrate early! We’ve put together a selection of our Top Christmas Hampers For 2022. We carefully hand select every item that goes into our Christmas gift baskets and towers so that the lucky recipient is getting the best of the best.

Our Christmas hampers have something for everyone. View the full range here. We’ve just picked out some of our favourites below:

Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban Whisky Hamper

Top Christmas Hampers For 2022 with whisky

The star of the show is undoubtedly Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban 14-Year-Old scotch whisky. But there are other decadent treats including Buttermilk Crunchy Peanut Brittle, Willies Cacao Chulucanas Gold – Peruvian 70% Dark Chocolate Bar, Dark Chocolate Coated Brazils, Cajun Spiced Chilli Nuts, Belgian Milk Chocolate Hazelnut Praline Pieces and more.

The Royal

Top Christmas Hampers For 2022 with a lot of alcohol

This huge selection contains Taittinger Brut Réserve Champagne NV, Ramos Pinto Collector Ruby Reserve Port, Torres Coronas Tempranillo Catalunya from Spain, Maschio Dei Cavalieri Prosecco di Valdobbiadene from Italy and Kleine Zalze Bush Vines Chenin Blanc from South Africa. Then you have the savoury and sweet treats which include Snowdonia Red Leicester with Chillies & Crushed Pepper – Waxed Truckle, Cropwell Bishop Finest Blue Stilton Wedge, Italian Orange Chocolate Sticks, Rustichella Fusili Pasta, Olives Et Al Basil & Garlic Olives, Cottage Delight Old English Chutney with Cider, Cottage Delight Farmhouse Pickle, Edinburgh Preserves Wild Boar Pâté, The Wooden Spoon Plum, Pear & Apple Jam, Peters Yard Fig & Spelt Sourdough Crackers, Rich Fruit Cake, Captain Tiptoes Dry Roasted Peanuts, Lindt Excellence Orange Intense and more.

Veuve Clicquot Hamper

The star of the show is the beautifully packaged Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label in a Gift Box. To pair, Olive & Sesame Savoury Mini Breadsticks, Lindt Lindor Assorted Cornet Truffles, Olives Et Al Kiln Roasted Harissa Nuts, and Baronie Belgian Chocolate Caramel Pralines shine with their sweet and savoury notes. The reusable gift basket is great for the eco-conscious too.

More hampers will come in stock as we get closer to Christmas, so look for more Top Christmas Hampers for 2022 here.