Tuesday, December 9, 2008

How To Find The Ideal UK Hamper

By Bob Johnson

Wine hampers are gifts that are normally presented in a wicker basket. The act of giving a hamper has a long history in Western culture and, in the past, was done as a charitable gesture, using the hamper to deliver food and other home necessities to the poor. The basket the hamper was displayed in was also carefully chosen as it was a helpful household item that could be used and reused.

In later times, UK hampers have come to be less a gift of essentials and more a gift of small treats, such as wine hampers for example. An emphasis is placed on the best items such as gourmet jams, quality chocolates, exotic coffee beans, fine wines and other expensive items 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 mounting trend to produce specialized hampers - wine hampers that are filled with a broad range and types of wine, chocolate hampers and bread and cheese hampers. Hobby hampers are an even more recent development and are filled not with food but with essential and wanted items to please gardeners or DIY enthusiasts, for example. The contents of a hamper are only restricted by your imagination!

The flexibility of wine hampers is why it makes such a wonderful gift. They can be tailored to any special someone and can be packed with anything that would satisfy the recipient. When choosing the hamper you want to give, give careful consideration to what goods the recipient enjoys - are they a wine connoisseur? Then wine hampers are a great idea! Are they a gourmet? Then fill the hamper with quality food products. Are they expecting a baby? Why not give them a hamper filled with useful baby goods.

Wine hampers can be given for any reason - 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 popular and, in an intriguing twist, customers are buying Christmas hampers to use for themselves instead of as a gift for that special someone. Often packed with well-loved Christmas treats such as shortbread, chocolate, wine, Christmas pudding and even turkey, they are purchased by individuals to be used over the holiday season. Many UK hampers are purchased on a payment scheme over the year and then used for the holiday season, helping people afford the price of the wonderful Christmas treats wanted over the holiday season.

There are lots of companies that specialize in selling hamper presents and most of them can be found quickly and simply on the web. Many of them will have pre-packed hampers - such as wine hampers or food hampers - and some may allow you to personalize a hamper and pack it with items of your choice. Most companies will deliver your hamper, making it a convenient and personal gift.

Of course, you don't have to use a professional to create a wonderful hamper and it can be even more thoughtful to make your own. When putting together a hamper, give careful thought to what they might like. Focus on handy items and special goods that the recipient may not think to buy for themselves, to make it even more caring. Hampers also work best when filled with items that won't spoil quickly, such as white wine for wine hampers. If you do intend on filling in items that have to be kept cool or will spoil, then make sure the hamper is sent as soon as possible and make sure the recipient knows that the goods must be used as soon as possible.

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