Fill those Christmas hampers for less with these top tips on how to make your own – The Sun

A HAMPER can tick all the right boxes as a prezzie, but it’s often an expensive option.

Luckily, you can save plenty of dosh by making your own.

Hobbycraft has cut the price of its 42cm wicker basket from £16 to £8, and I have plenty of ideas for how to fill it.

Whether you’re after a foodie hamper or a baby box, here are my suggestions . . .

FOOD & DRINK: Aldi’s classic hamper is one of the cheaper buys at £34.99, but I still don’t think you need to spend that much.

Pick up Tesco’s 75p festive tea bags, £1 Christmas pudding, £5 cheese selection box and £2.50 Finest mini fruit cake. Asda has Paterson’s shortbread fingers for £1, caramelised onion chutney for £1 and £2 biscuits for cheese. Finish off with Lidl’s Conde Noble red wine, £3.26.

SAVE: £10.48

BEAUTY: Use items from beauty advent calendars. I’ll be using Superdrug’s £7 Studio calendar — filled with make-up — and Wilko’s £4 Glow calendar, which includes masks, bath fizzers and a manicure set. You’ll make great savings on Aldi’s Pamper Hamper, £39.99.

SAVE: £20.99

BABY: The Works has a brilliant ten for £10 deal on picture book bundles, worth up to £69.90.

I’d nab the Peter Rabbit or Mr Men and Little Miss sets. Items are cut-price in Mothercare’s closing down sale, and I found a teether reduced from £3.99 to £2.99 and a bath fish down from £4.99 to £3.99 at Smyths Toys.

SAVE: Up to £59.90 on books

SWEETS: Swizzels is selling a retro hamper for £21.99, with 1.4kg of sweets. Amazon has a 3kg variety mix for £14. With the £8 hamper, that’s £22 — just 1p more for over double the sweets.

SAVE: Over £20 on sweets

WINTER WARMERS: The White Company’s Winter Hamper is £150. In Primark’s homeware section, I found £1 candles, £4 throws and £3 reed diffusers. I’d also pop in a £4 scarf, £2.50 bobble hat and £2.50 festive socks.

SAVE: £125 on a hamper

  • All prices correct at time of going to press. All deals and offers are subject to availability.

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Deal of the day

SNAP up a super-soft personalised women’s dressing gown for £8 at studio.co.uk, down from £10. It is a great gift.

SAVE: £2

Cheap treat

STOCKING up on Christmas booze? Budweiser 20-packs are now £12 at Tesco, down from £10.

SAVE: £2

Top swap


FELLAS, get into the festive spirit with a dark-green check shirt. But there is no need to pay £26 for one from River Island. Try Boohoo Man for just £12.60.

SAVE: £13.40

Shop and save

BUY two boxes of Schweppes slimline tonic-water cans for £7 at Morrisons. Usually £4.50 for a box.

SAVE: £2

Reader's saving tip

PATRICIA IZZARD, from Horsmonden in Kent, says: “If you need caster sugar for a recipe, whizz granulated sugar in a blender. It works perfectly and is cheaper than buying it separately.”

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My Sun Savers fiver

IVORY SHERWOOD, from Gloucester, says “I have eight grandchildren and my fivers will go towards Christmas presents.”

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Saturday November 9’s code is on Page 20.

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  • PRICES correct at time of going to press. Deals/offers subject to availability.

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