Christmas is an exciting but crazy and often stressful time of the year.

There are so many things to organise in terms of gifts as well as the preparation that is required if you are entertaining and hosting Christmas lunch or dinner for family and friends. Christmas gift hampers are a great idea, as they can contain whatever you wish to suit one person, a couple or an entire family. You can put together your own Christmas hamper or have one made up for you at different specialty stores.

Here are some great Christmas gift hamper ideas:

Christmas decorations

Christmas decorations are always needed to create a jolly atmosphere at Christmas time but using the same decorations year after year means your decorations end up looking worn and dated. Putting together a hamper of new and shiny Christmas decorations is a way to get into the spirit and one of the Christmas gift hamper ideas that can be used the following year. To make it even more personal find a Christmas bauble that is unique and perhaps marks special time. Even a novelty one from another country can be a nice addition.

Candles

Candles are often used at the dinner table when hosting and entertaining guests. Adding candles to a hamper is another of the great Christmas gift hamper ideas. They don’t have to be Christmas inspired candles but ones that can be used again throughout the year for entertaining. There are beautiful candles that come in ornamental glasses and also ones that are scented and last for hours.

Food

Food hampers are one of the more popular Christmas gift hamper ideas. Traditionally a Christmas food hamper comprises condiments that accompany the main meal. Such as cranberry sauce for turkey, apples sauce for pork, brandy custard for pudding as well as glazed fruit. Continuing on with the more traditional Christmas gift hamper ideas, homemade plum puddings and fruitcake are great additions. Shortbread is also an easy but tasty treat to bake and a great accompaniment to tea and coffee. Chocolate after dinner mints are a great way to finish off a delicious meal. If you wish to diverge slightly from the more common Christmas gift hamper ideas, including French cheeses or Italian cold meats such as prosciutto or salami and adding antipasto will make a tasty continental food hamper.

Alcohol

No Christmas party is complete without some alcohol to celebrate and be merry. Red wines and white wines will always impress and champagne is great for toasting. Other Christmas gift hamper ideas include brandy, port and cognac to end a food filled celebration.

Flowers

A beautiful way to brighten a room and someone’s day is by putting together a hamper of flowers. Christmas lilies are traditional and make a great Christmas gift hamper ideas. If toy or your friends and family aren’t partial to Christmas lilies putting together a hamper of favourite flowers will impress anyone and will decorate the dining room wonderfully.

Classics

If friends or family members are literary minded, putting together a collection of classics such as Jane Austen, the Bronte sisters and Charles Dickens, is a great Christmas gift hamper idea. Often these classics come in beautifully bound collections that look great when displayed on a bookshelf.

Christmas themed movies

After a long day of eating, no one really has the energy to do anything but sit and digest their meal. Putting together a collection of Christmas themed movies can one of the more unique Christmas gift hamper ideas. This idea is especially good for keeping the kids entertained. Everyone can gather together and watch movies such as A Christmas Carol, The Grinch, The Polar Express and classics like White Christmas and It’s a Wonderful Life are great to keep.

There are many great Christmas gift hamper ideas, so choose a theme you wish to work with and go from there. Whether it’s food, wine or a collection of gifts friends and family are bound to appreciate your gift. The best part is being able to put together a Christmas gift hamper that you think your friends and family will enjoy.