How To... Make A Hamper
Lets face it - parents often get the worst deal when it comes to presents. At Christmas the focus is usually on the children and grand children, brothers and sisters. Parents will over spend, spoiling everyone, and what do they get in return? £20's worth of vouchers and a cheap bottle of wine.
When Charlie and I started thinking about buying presents for our parents this Christmas, we hit this ugly brick wall and decided to do something different - we made our own hampers. It's an ideal gift, and not just for Christmas. You can spend as much or as little as you like (the bonus being that it'll look more expensive when it's finished) and you could even give it a theme, just be creative! Here's how we did it... 
The insides. We took a trip to Borough Market to pick some unique (and well priced) items. We also hit up Harrods and Fortnum & Mason for stylish packaging to give the hamper a luxurious edge.
Our little hampers cost £9.99 for 3, which left us with a bigger budget for the gifts! Shop around for various sizes and shapes to suit your theme.
We filled our baskets with white shredded tissue paper, but there are so many options when it comes to padding out your hamper. Why not try a variety of different colours, packaging peanuts, or even newspaper for an original look.
Arrange your bits and pieces inside the basket. Then do it again. And again, and again...keep going until you're completely satisfied! Place larger items at the back and build around them - fill in any nooks with odd shaped packaging to ensure your hamper doesn't look too flat.
We went for a traditional approach with our wrapping. If you'd like to do the same, wrap the cellophane under the hamper and get someone to hold it tight and in an upright position. Tape the sides to avoid gaping at the next stage.
Twist the cellophane in a high knot, ensuring all of the gifts inside won't be hidden under the ribbon. Choose your ribbon to match the occasion -we opted for red to achieve a festive finish!
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As Amy mentioned earlier, this gift is perfect for; Christmas, Birthdays, Parents, Grandparents and friends. A hamper can also be made really personal by adapting the gifts to a different theme. Here are a few helpful suggestions on what to include;
For a keen baker;
Baking utensils such as; silicone cupcake cases, paper cake cases, a spatula, piping bags, a metal hand whisk, sugar and flour (because they have a much longer shelf life than fresh ingredients), an apron, an oven glove, a cake tin, a tea towel, a glass measuring jug and biscuit cutters.
For the girlfriend;
Nice shower gel or bubble bath, her favourite perfume, chocolate truffles (for a more personal touch, see if you can find a local chocolatier rather than going straight to Thorntons), a necklace or earrings, a scarf and a nice bottle of wine or her favourite spirit (make sure you go for a high end spirit as a gift. For example, if your buying vodka, buy Absolut. If your buying gin, buy Bombay Sapphire.)
For the boyfriend;
His favourite aftershave, bags of sweets, a DVD, a CD, cheese and chutney, socks and boxers (yes they are boring, but boys always need more), a book or comic, a t-shirt and a few bottles of his favourite beer.
For a keen gardener
Seed packets, gardening gloves, a fork, a spade, a trimmer, baby bio oil (seems strange but it acts as a plant food when dropped into the soil), bunting or outside fairy lights, garden markers, melamine cups, plates and bowls for dining alfresco and citronella candles. Citronella candles are perfect if you like to spend a lot of time enjoying your garden as citronella oil is a natural insect repellent.
For a new home;
People who have moved to a new home know how expensive it can be, which is why it is always a great relief when someone buys you a hamper full of the everyday essentials. This could include; washing up liquid, duster cloths, febreze, fabric powder and softener and then a few handy keepsakes like candles, a glass, a mug and a bowl (or 2 of each if it's for a couple), salt and pepper shakers and plain glass jars for storage.
The great thing is, if your low on time, you can pick up most of these things up from your local supermarket whilst your doing your weekly shop. Although, if your looking to buy gardening gifts, most of these items tend to be seasonal.
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