Lifting the lid on a Christmas hamper is one of the best ways to celebrate the holiday season–and no one does it better than London's iconic food hall, Fortnum & Mason. The luxury British retailer have been ‘making Christmas merrier since 1707’, so we are pretty sure they've nailed the perfect balance between savoury and sweet, stodgy and light, in their wicker baskets of joy.
From small, accessibly-priced gift boxes filled with favourites like truffles and champagne, all the way to luxury wicker hampers packed to the brim with savoury flavours, Christmas pudding, alcoholic tipples, its famous teas and other goodies, the Fortnum & Mason hamper range has you covered.
The iconic branded wicker baskets can be reused for years to come, finding new life as a picnic hamper, blanket box, wine hamper, or used to store wood logs next to the fire in the festive season. If the recipient you have in mind already owns an F&M hamper, Fortnum's have also designed a beautiful festive gift box. These make ideal Christmas decoration boxes–and you'll never forget what's inside.
Yet, whilst it’s brilliant to have a food hall’s worth of hampers, it can difficult to know what to opt for with so much choice. There are a huge 110 hampers on their website, priced from £65 all the way to £1,000. That’s why we are on hand to cut through the noise of food hampers and help you find the best Christmas gift for your loved ones.
What's the best Fortnum & Mason Christmas hamper at a glance:
- Best reusable gift box hamper: The Christmas at Piccadilly Gift Box, £85
- Best sweet treats gift hamper: The Christmas Treat Hamper, £110
- Best keepsake hamper: The Fortnum's Christmas Collection Hamper, £160
- Best vegan hamper: The Yuletide Hamper, vegan friendly, £160
- Best gluten free hamper: The Joy of Christmas Hamper, Made Without Wheat, £160
- Best wine hamper: The English Sparkling Wine Hamper, £285
What was the best Fortnum & Mason Christmas hamper to buy last year?
Fortnum's spoilt us for choice in 2022, but, after much deliberation, we chose their suitably-named ‘Christmas Day Hamper’ as our top pick. It came full of white and red wine, as well as Champagne, all on hand to wash down the large selection of nibbles, Christmas pudding and more. It cost £500, but we felt that was value for money given the contents.
When does the Fortnum's Christmas Shop open?
Fortnum & Mason's Christmas 2023 shop is officially open for business. Their seasonal salon, which sells hampers, as well as Christmas tree decorations, luxury advent calendars and scented candles, reopened in September 2023.
Best Fortnum & Mason hampers for Christmas 2023
The Fortnum's Classic Christmas Hamper, £200
- Number of items: 11
- Alcohol: Yes, it includes Brut Reserve Champagne, Perricone and Pays d'Oc Blanc
- Christmas pudding? Yes
- Wicker hamper? Yes
- Hamper size: Large
- Available: Now
Everything you could need for the big day, this hamper is our top choice from Fortnum and Mason in 2023. It includes everything from orange and dark chocolate biscuits to Marc de Champagne truffles and fig preserve. It's quintessential Christmas food at its best without an eye watering price tag.
The Christmas at Piccadilly Gift Box, £85
- Number of items: 7
- Alcohol? No
- Christmas pudding? No
- Wicker hamper? No, it's a reusable box
- Hamper size: N/A
- Available: From 9th October
Delivered in a large gift box rather than a wicker hamper, the Christmas at Piccadilly box is an excellent choice for a present. With seven items inside, ranging from a classic tea caddy with festive tea, to a ‘Merry Go Round Musical Biscuit Tin’ (which actually spins and plays a festive tune) and carrot sweets, there's something for everyone under the lid.
The English Sparkling Wine Hamper, £285
- Number of items: 6
- Alcohol? Yes, Blanc de Blancs, Classic Cuvée, Brut, Cuvee Brut, Rosé and a Limited Edition
- Christmas pudding? No
- Wicker hamper? Yes
- Hamper size: Six bottle basket
- Available: Now
Celebrating the very best of the rising English sparkling wine scene, this carefully selected collection includes bottles frome some of the top vineyards in the country. The contents takes you on a tour of some of the best vineyards, without having to leave home, and includes sparklers from Gusbourne, Chapel Down, Furleigh, Hambledon, Nyetimeber and Herbert Hall in a range of styles from Brut to Classic Cuvée.
The Festivi-Tea Gift Box, £55
- Number of items: 3
- Alcohol? No
- Christmas pudding? No
- Wicker hamper? No, it comes in an eau de nil reusable gift box
- Hamper size: N/A
- Available: From 29th September
There’s little more British than a good old cup of tea. The tea-lover in your life will adore this merry little gift box, packed with a tin of Christmas black tea and festive-flavoured biscuits made with oats, cranberries and chocolate. The piste de la resistance being the Fortnum & Mason branded Christmas 2023 mug.
Christmas Party At Piccadilly Hamper, £750
- Number of items: 18
- Alcohol? Yes, it includes Brut Reserve NV, Châteauneuf du Pape Magnum, Mince Pie & Marmalade Gin
- Christmas pudding? Yes
- Wicker hamper? Yes
- Hamper size: Grand provisions hamper
- Available: From 9th October
As the name suggests, this hamper will really get the party going thanks to its cocktail making kit, a festive bottle of mince pie, a bottle of brut Champagne, a mince pie and marmalade gin, plus nibbles such as pimento olives and salted nuts which all form a superb basis for an at home aperitivo hour. There’s also plenty of other goodies including florentines and a magnum of Châteauneuf du Pape to keep the drinks flowing.
The Christmas Treat Hamper, £110
- Number of items: 7
- Alcohol? Yes, it includes Claret
- Christmas pudding? Yes
- Wicker hamper? Yes
- Hamper size: Small
- Available: Now
Raise the wicker roof on this hamper and you'll find a host of delicious treats lying in wait. There's cognac butter, a Christmas black spiced tea caddy, orange and dark chocolate biscuits, nostalgic chocolate coins, vegan reindeer carrot sweets, a St James Christmas pudding and a bottle of 2018 Claret to wash it all down with.
The Grosvenor Hamper, £140
- Number of items: 8
- Alcohol? Yes, a bottle of Vinho Verde and Rosso Piceno
- Christmas pudding? No
- Wicker hamper? Yes
- Hamper size: Medium
- Available: Now
Packed with a punch, this hamper includes everything from Vinho Verde and Rosso Piceno to blackberry preserve and walnut crackers. For a sweeter taste, there's biscuits and truffles galore, ready and waiting to be paired with the finest afternoon tea and coffee blends.
The Yuletide Hamper, vegan friendly, £160
- Number of items: 8
- Alcohol? Yes, a bottle of Franciacorta Brut NV
- Christmas pudding? Yes
- Wicker hamper? Yes
- Hamper size: Medium
- Available: From 29th September
Vegans are so rarely catered for when it comes to Christmas food, so we were thrilled to see this extensive offering from Fortnum's. Filled with eight items, this hamper is sure to delight even the most meat-dependent fellows. Inside you will find a St James ‘free from’ Christmas pudding, vegan sweets, green tea, sparkling brut wine, Christmas blend coffee, pitted olives in brine, a selection of vegan pates and dark chocolate peppermints.
The Joy of Christmas Hamper, Made Without Wheat, £160
- Number of items: 7
- Alcohol? Yes, a bottle of Claret
- Christmas pudding? No
- Wicker hamper? Yes
- Hamper size: Medium
- Available: Now
Everyone deserves a jubilant celebration no matter their allergies! This hamper contains everything you could wish for in a Christmas special–just without the troubles. There's a gluten and alcohol free fruit cake, a ‘free from’ Christmas pudding, gluten-free biscuits and the new 2023 festive F&M tea towel.
The Fortnum's Christmas Collection Hamper, £160
- Number of items: 9
- Alcohol? Yes, a bottle of Claret
- Christmas pudding? No
- Wicker hamper? Yes
- Hamper size: Single handed Huntsman
- Available: Now
Under the lid of this stylish one-handled wicker basket lie nine Christmas treats ready to eat. Ranging from a merry go round musical biscuit tin (which makes a charming keepsake), to blackberry and elderberry conserve, milk chocolate reindeer noses, tea biscuits, peppermint bark and tea and coffee, this hamper is sure to delight anyone with a sweet tooth.
The Christmas Feast Hamper, £1,000
- Number of items: 19
- Alcohol? Yes, Pomerol, Riesling and Champagne
- Christmas pudding? Yes
- Wicker hamper? Yes
- Hamper size: Extra large
- Available: From 7th December
Ringing in at one thousand pounds, you'd expect this hamper to be the king of all wicker basket delights. Well, even with the highest expectations, you won't be disappointed. Inside the hamper are 19 treats, forming almost everything you need for the big event from breakfasts to the main event lunch and even the post-dinner cheeseboard. The indulgent extra large hamper includes a spiced whole Christmas ham, crackers, a branded eau de nil cool bag, potted stilton Scottish smoked salmon and even a pot of pickled brussels sprouts, which are new for this year, along with other condiments.
The Champagne and Port Gift Box, £78
- Number of items: 2
- Alcohol? Yes, a Rosé Champagne and a bottle of port
- Christmas pudding? No
- Wicker hamper? No, a branded wooden box
- Hamper size: N/A
- Available: Now
A perfect gift to take your host if you’re not the one doing the Christmas feast this year, especially if they love Champagne and port (who doesn’t?). Coming in a classic wine wooden box, this duo includes a rose Champagne that’s packed full of toasty brioche notes and makes the perfect aperitif, while the bottle of slightly spiced and plummy port from boutique producer Niepoort rounds off an indulgent meal nicely.
