IF you are stuck for inspiration, a Christmas hamper is a great gift with a personal touch.
But they can be pricey – a Classic Christmas hamper from Fortnum and Mason will set you back £200 and even an M&S Collection Hamper costs £55.
As yummy as they are, you can make your own DIY version for much less simply picking your own goodies from the supermarket.
Lynsey Hope, 42, from West Malling, Kent, put together seven hampers from seven supermarkets to see which offered best value – and the yummiest treats.
She bought a £5 basket from Dunelm and spent around £15 in each shop – making each hamper around £20 in total.
Here, Lynsey reveals how she got on:
Lynsey says: “Probably my least favourite of all the supermarket hampers.
“It was harder to fill and we couldn’t get a full size bottle of Prosecco in the basket on budget.
“Tesco had some lovely festive gifts but lots of it was around a fiver.
“The hot chocolate flakes were amazing though.”
Lynsey: “Not the bulkiest of hampers, but Asda did have some lovely festive items on offer.
“We loved the milk chocolate honeycomb and the crunchy pretzel chocolate slab.
“The espresso martini liqueur was absolutely delicious and made a nice change from mulled wine.”
Lynsey says: “Aldi‘s hamper was my pick of the bunch.
“It was full to bursting and that’s with a proper alcoholic bottle of mulled wine and one of the Jo Malone candle ‘dupes’, which smelt divine.
“The mince pies and fudge tasted as good as more expensive brands and there was a fantastic selection of festive gifts in store, so much so that it was hard to choose what to put in the hamper.
“You could easily make a special hamper for kids or teens too. And you still get change from £20.”
Lynsey says: “I was really impressed by this M&S hamper.
“I managed to buy lots more for £15 than I’d expected including a lovely, looking bottle of Bucks Fizz.
“The mince pies were yummy and the panettone was my favourite, but all the food was delicious and it was packaged beautifully.
“I reckon anyone would love to receive this.”
Lynsey says: “I really liked the Sainsbury’s product but it was quite hard to get this one full and in budget, especially if you wanted to add some booze.
“There was a good selection of festive alcohol in store.
“I went for this novelty Salted Espresso Martini Cocktail Box, which would be a great gift for any cocktail lovers, and it made a nice change from wine.
“The food was all delicious and good quality.”
Lynsey says: “Lidl was such good value for money, you could have filled an even bigger basket.
“There was a good selection too.
“I liked the tea and milk chocolate stirrers and the mince pies were yummy.
“I did go slightly over the £20 budget, by 24p, as I didn’t want to cut anything out.
“My only complaint with Lidl’s hamper is the non-alcoholic mulled punch.
“I probably would have preferred a bottle of fizz but would have had to lose lots of the other treats to get it in budget.
“Overall though, these are great products at an incredible price.”
Consumer reporter Sam Walker reveals how you can save money on your Christmas shopping.
Limit the amount of presents – buying presents for all your family and friends can cost a bomb.
Instead, why not organise a Secret Santa between your inner circles so you’re not having to buy multiple presents.
Plan ahead – if you’ve got the stamina and budget, it’s worth buying your Christmas presents for the following year in the January sales.
Make sure you shop around for the best deals by using price comparison sites so you’re not forking out more than you should though.
Buy in Boxing Day sales – some retailers start their main Christmas sales early so you can actually snap up a bargain before December 25.
Delivery may cost you a bit more, but it can be worth it if the savings are decent.
Shop via outlet stores – you can save loads of money shopping via outlet stores like Amazon Warehouse or Office Offcuts.
They work by selling returned or slightly damaged products at a discounted rate, but usually any wear and tear is minor.
Lynsey says: “Loved that I could get a really nice bottle of Prosecco at Morrisons for just £9 and still add a few other treats to the hamper.
“It wasn’t the bulkiest but the fizz made it look impressive.
“The crisps were padded it out and were delicious too.”
