Stylist Loves Christmas: the best hampers for 2020

From luxury feasts to indie artisan buys via incredible puddings and charitable boxes, these are the must-buy hampers for this year.

Christmas is coming… but what shape it will take and who we’ll be spending it with still seems a bit uncertain this year as we wait out winter lockdown 2.0 and cross our fingers for something approaching the old normal. That’s why we’ve decided to compile the ultimate list of Christmas hampers for 2020 (alongside our other inspiring Christmas gift guides).

After all, is there anything more indulgent, comforting and spirit-lifting than the arrival of a wicker basket (or equally eco-friendly box or tote) filled with goodies to eat, drink and be merry? So whether you’re buying for yourself or sending some love to much-missed friends and family – we’ve got something for you. 

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Alongside the old-school traditional luxury of Fortnum & Mason and Harvey Nichols, we’ve also chosen incredible tasting gift boxes from foodie names such as Brindisa, Jikoni, The Proof, hicce and Cutter & Squidge with special hampers for all of those Christmas moments that we hold dear (a breakfast of smoked salmon and caperberries, a cheese tasting selection, gin cocktails, Boxing Day pickles and charcuterie and a New Year’s Eve feast with prosecco).

We’ve also put together thoughtful gift ideas for vegans and gluten-free eaters and brilliantly original hampers from independent businesses such as Marshall & Brown and the Social Stories hamper which supports enterprises that invest in girls’ education and gives farmers a fair deal. In short, these are little parcels of love that literally no one can resist so order your favourite one now – for yourself and for someone who’ll be thrilled to find one on their doorstep this Christmas.  

• Guzzl Food And Drink Selection Hamper

  Brixton-based Guzzl sells produce from small, independent food and drink producers and this is just the place to make the hamper of your dreams. They’ll put a selection together for you if you don’t have time but otherwise this is your chance to hand select gorgeous products from local honey to craft ales. 

  Shop Food And Drink Selection Hamper at Guzzl, from £50

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• Fortnum & Mason’s The Grosvenor Hamper

  The ultimate Christmas hamper comes with wine (vinho verde and dão tinto), Royal Blend tea and Colombia El Jordan Estate coffee, sweet treats including Piccadilly Salted Caramel Biscuits, jams and mustards… Just add The Crown. 

  Shop The Grosvenor Hamper at Fortnum & Mason, £125

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• Harvey Nichols Party Starter Hamper

  Parties may look a little different this year but that’s not to say we won’t be embracing olives, artisan cheese straws, blood orange and clove negroni, and prosecco. Hic!

  Shop the Party Starter Hamper at Harvey Nichols, £185

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• Hotel Chocolat’s Little Christmas Hamper

  A little festive delight for every age group, tuck into caramel pecan, milk chocolate puddles, salted caramel snowflakes and caramel slabs. Open on the 24 December to see you through Christmas. 

  Shop the Little Christmas Hamper at Hotel Chocolat, £27.50

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• Melrose & Morgan The Smoked And Pickled Hamper

  Locally sourced, The Smoked And Pickled Hamper is the delectable showcase of one of London’s most acclaimed fish smokeries, The Secret Smoke House with the very finest smoked salmon, Brindisa caperberries, M&M’s own sweet cucumber and seeded spelt squares plus a bottle of Domaine de Bassac Margalh de Bassac Blanc. 

  Shop The Smoked And Pickled Hamper at Morgan & Melrose, £65

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• Cartwright & Butler Christmas Afternoon Tea Hamper

  Hunker down for a delightful afternoon with Cartwright & Butler’s Spiced Plum Preserve, shortbread, gingerbread fudge, tea, cheese flat bread and fruit candies. How lovely. 

  Shop Christmas Afternoon Tea Hamper at Cartwright & Butler, £60

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• Petersham Nurseries Luxury Hamper

  This is the hamper to make Christmas really special: full of preserves, jam, crackers, Panettone Milanese, excellent wine and Villa Marcello Prosecco Millesimato Brut, olive oil, cheese and crackers from the iconic foodie destination. 

  Shop Luxury Hamper at Petersham Nurseries, £195

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• Marshall & Brown Kingston Hamper

  Celebrating all the best of Caribbean food and drink, Marshall & Brown’s hamper has Mama Brown’s rum cakes, six The Jerk House Sauces, artisan rum truffles, a bottle of Appleton rum plus red onion marmalade, apple cider and beetroot and orange. Sunshine in a box. 

  Shop Kingston Hamper at Marshall & Brown, £150

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• The Proof Merry Proofmas Hamper

  All freshly made – this is Christmas pudding on a whole new level. With candles, a stocking and a bauble plus coffee, orange and dark chocolate biscotti, sea salt fudge, six mini coconut macaroons, chocolate truffles, orange spiced crumble mince pies and other bespoke delights, your sweet tooth will be in heaven. 

  Shop Merry Proofmas Hamper at The Proof, £115

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• hicce Boxing Day Hamper

  Mixing the trad with brilliant independent British suppliers, hicce’s Boxing Day box is full of the day-after delight: including their own chilli jam and apple and pear chutney, Tempus pork rillettes, smoked coppa, spiced salami, Lingua Della Suocera crackers, almonds and olives. 

  Shop Boxing Day Hamper at hicce, £85

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• Luliu Gourmet Infused Oil Hamper

  Inspired by the spice cooking of her grandma and mum, Luliu has created a gorgeous independent range of oils. And the perfect gift for a foodie friend is this selection box of chilli, oregano, rosemary-and-spinach and tumeric-and-chilli-infused olive oils. 

  Shop Gourmet Hamper at Luliu, £40

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• Social Stories Club Social Impact Gift Hamper

  From Tea People Earl Grey tea that contributes to improving the educational infrastructure in tea growing regions to Spare Snacks Apple Crisps with cinnamon made from wonky apples that would otherwise go to waste, this is the kindest of all the hampers. Support the cause or make someone else’s day with a lovely gift. 

  Shop Social Impact Gift Hamper at Social Stories Club, £47

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• Paxton & Whitfield Christmas Cheese Treats

  From Camembert to Cheddar via plum chutney, crackers and gingerbread men, Paxton & Whitfield’s handpicked Christmas selection is possibly the most festive thing in the world. Just add some Mariah.

  Shop Christmas Cheese Treats at Paxton & Whitfield, £60

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• Jikoni Hug In A Box

  Mix up your Christmas menus with this selection of Jikoni’s moreish Mix, three chutney jars, paan and cashew fudge, block print table napkins and a bottle of South Pickenham English sparkling wine from Norfolk.

  Shop Hug In A Box at Jikoni, £85

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• Marks & Spencer The Gluten Free Christmas Food Gift Bag

  Full of dairy-free chocolate, wheat-free crackers and flapjacks, a Plant Kitchen Christmas pudding and a rather lovely Merlot, this is the thoughtful gift for those gluten-free among us. And all of it comes in an eco-friendly tote bag that’s produced by Cocobagh, a social business venture that supports widowed women in local Indian communities. Thanks M&S. 

  Shop The Gluten Free Christmas Food Gift Bag at Marks & Spencer, £40

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• Cutter & Squidge Vegan Hamper

  Merry Vegan Christmas to you with a yule log cake, vegan brownies (in two festive flavours) and orange hot chocolate spoons. Thoughtful and welcome, you also get a lovely tea towel to last you the rest of the year. 

  Shop Vegan Hamper at Cutter & Squidge, £55

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• Brindisa New Year’s Eve Box

  Are you ready to celebrate the arrival of 2021? Do we need to ask? Welcome it in with style as the ever-incredible Brindisa have put together a joyous box of ham, chorizo Iberico slices, cheese, olives, Sarriegui extra virgin olive oil crisps and, crucially, two bottles of Cava Mas Macia Brut. Happy New Year!

  Shop New Year’s Eve Box at Brindisa, £100

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• Twisting Spirits Luxury Gin Hamper

  Twisting Spirits craft gin contains a bottle of their festive Douglas-Fir gin, Franklin & Sons’ pink grapefruit and bergamot tonic and rosemary and black olive tonic, a gin guide and a bag of Smoked Chilli Flavour Plant Pops. Cheers to that!

  Shop Luxury Gin Hamper at Twisting Spirits, £24.95

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• Manteca Classico box

  A selection of salami, smoked cod roe, date jam, Christmas pudding and amaretti – the restaurant Manteca have compiled all those lovely little delicious things into one box to make the holidays that bit more special.

  Shop Classico at Manteca, £60

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• Marianna Leivaditaki Aegean Christmas hamper

  The head chef of Hackney’s Morito brings home-cooked delicacies and wine from her native Crete direct to your door this Christmas. Containing her book plus curing paste, anchovy butter, biscuits and sultana grape preserve, this is the foodie choice plus 10% of profits will be donated to Nia ending violence against women.

  Shop Aegean Christmas hamper at Marianna Leivaditaki, from £95 

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• Build Your Own Hamper at Le Deli Robuchon

  For a Gallic spin on celebrations, the Build Your Own Hamper at Le Deli Robuchon means you can create your own bespoke selection of jams, cheeses and condiments – c’est magnifique. 

  Shop Build Your Own Hamper at Le Deli Robuchon, from £20

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Images: supplied courtesy of retailers

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