When it comes to festive gifting, few gestures feel as instinctively right as a Christmas hamper. Generous without being impersonal, it speaks to everything we value at this time of year: indulgence, warmth and the pleasure of sharing good food.
A well-chosen hamper invites people to slow down, gather round a table and enjoy something special together, whether that’s buttery biscuits with afternoon tea, a celebratory bottle opened at just the right moment or a spread that carries on long after the occasion.
In this guide, we take a closer look at the best luxury hamper providers in the UK.
Virginia Hayward
Founded in 1984 by Gin and Geoff Hayward, Virginia Hayward has grown from a small cottage business into one of the UK’s most established luxury hamper providers. Still wholly family-owned and managed, the company operates from Dorset and remains rooted in its original ethos: sourcing high-quality British food and wine that is both beautifully presented and reliably delivered.
The hampers are hand-packed in the West Country and draw on trusted producers from across England, Scotland and Wales. The range spans artisan cheese hampers, fine wine gift baskets, and chocolate-led selections that perfectly balance both sweet and savoury.
Presentation is a key part of the appeal, with hampers arriving in classic wicker baskets or elegant gift boxes, often pairing food with wine, prosecco or carefully chosen non-alcoholic options. Occasion-led gifting sits at the heart of the collection. Presented in a black-lidded willow basket, the Snowed In Hamper brings together Champagne, wine and spirits alongside chocolates, baked goods and savoury accompaniments that are designed to be enjoyed and shared over the festive season.
Cartwright and Butler
Cartwright & Butler is a name steeped in British baking heritage, with a story that stretches back more than 115 years. What began in the early 1900s as a small baking venture run by two sisters in a Yorkshire terraced house has grown, through five generations of family involvement, into one of the UK’s most recognisable producers of luxury teatime treats and hampers. Despite that evolution, the guiding principles have remained unchanged: an unapologetic devotion to flavour, generosity and food that brings genuine pleasure.
Today, Cartwright & Butler is best known for its indulgent biscuits, cakes, preserves and confectionery and this philosophy carries naturally into the brand’s luxury hampers. The company’s history with hampers dates back to the 1960s, when its cakes and biscuits first appeared in gift baskets sold nationally. Housed in a classic yellow hamper, the Build Your Own Hamper offers the freedom to assemble a Cartwright & Butler selection of festive baking, preserves and seasonal drinks.
The Artisan Smokehouse
The Artisan Smokehouse approaches the hamper as a showcase for craft rather than novelty. Founded in 2010 by husband-and-wife team Tim and Gill, the business operates from a small and multi-award-winning smokehouse in the Suffolk village of Falkenham, just a few miles from the East Suffolk coast.
Their luxury hampers lean into rich, savoury flavours, built around smoked salmon, cured meats, artisan cheeses and carefully chosen accompaniments. The range spans from compact cheese-led hampers to more expansive ones that incorporate charcuterie, smoked fish, savoury snacks and, in some cases, wine. Quality and sustainability remain at the heart of their ethos, from sourcing each ingredient to the traditional smoking process behind their meats and fish products. Alongside classic hampers, The Artisan Smokehouse offers vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options, making them a considered choice when buying for mixed households or professional settings.
Fortnum & Mason
If there is a name synonymous with the British hamper, it is Fortnum & Mason. The Piccadilly institution has been filling hampers since the 1730s and more than three centuries later, they remain the benchmark against which all others are measured. A Fortnum’s hamper is not merely a gift; it is a piece of British heritage, instantly recognisable by its hand-woven wicker and sense of extravagance.
Hampers span from smaller gift boxes suitable for birthdays or new parents to lavish wicker baskets packed with food, drink and celebratory essentials. Teas, biscuits, preserves and chocolates sit alongside fine wines, spirits, smoked salmon and cheeses, all expertly curated to feel generous yet composed. Each wicker is woven by hand and designed to last, often finding a second life long after the last jar has been emptied. The Classic Christmas Hamper, filled with festive staples and Fortnum’s own-label favourites, is one of the most recognisable examples. The Wine Cellar Hamper also brings together twelve bottles selected from the cellar, spanning reds, whites, sparkling wines and dessert styles intended to be opened gradually.
While Fortnum’s hampers are perhaps most famous at Christmas, when they become centrepieces of festive gifting, the collection extends far beyond the holiday season. Wine-led hampers, tea collections, bespoke build-your-own options and internationally shippable selections ensure year-round gifting.
British Fine Foods
British Fine Foods offers a more contemporary interpretation of the luxury hamper. Their gift hampers celebrate producers from across the British Isles, bringing together award-winning cheeses, charcuterie, savoury treats, preserves and wines. The Eleven Pipers Piping Luxury Christmas Hamper brings together a broad selection of award-winning British produce, including smoked fish, charcuterie, cheeses, festive baking, Champagne and port, all sourced from small producers across the British Isles.
Alongside classic luxury hampers, there are selections designed around experiences — picnic hampers for two, for example, which encourage recipients to enjoy the contents together and outside the home. This focus on how food is actually shared makes their hampers particularly appealing for birthdays, thank-yous and informal celebrations, while still feeling polished enough for corporate gifting.
Done well, hampers take the stress out of gifting and replace it with food and drink that earns its place on the table. In different ways, each offers a way to mark the season with treats that feel considered, generous and easy to enjoy together, from being sent as a gift or opened around your own table.
