Whether you celebrate Christmas or just think it is an exercise in commerce, whatever your beliefs this time of year is a good time to catch up with family and friends.

And it is always good to take a gift as a thank you or an I love you!

I don’t know about you but I find buying ‘gifts' for others fraught with worry: 

is it to their taste?
will they like what I have bought?
is it what they always wanted!!?

But Food – everybody loves food and if they don’t they still need to eat!

So  Yesterday I  went exploring in Wisebuys  in Narberth.

A Cornucopia of yumminess!

They are very into hampers of all shapes and sizes and if you cannot think what to give they have their standard ones ideal for the Grandparents:
Grandma’s Box of Welsh Treats – Waffles – Welsh Cakes- Bara Brith – Orange & Whisky Marmalade – Mint Humbugs – Pemberton’s Chocolates –Welsh Pantry Shortbread – Just £29.99
Grandpa’s Treats Box of Welsh Treats - Welsh Roots Farmer's Pickle - Pickled Onions - Welsh Root Taffy Chutney - Two Snowdonia Cheeses - One Pack Oatcakes - One Pack Toffee Waffles - One Pack Welshcakes

Then there is Welsh Christmas Delight Hamper - Welsh Biscuits - Welsh Roots Christmas Spiced Marmalade - Welsh Roots Plum with Mulled Wine Preserve - Welsh Cranberry Sauce with Mulled Wine - Welsh Red Mustard - Pemberton's Chocolate - Pickled Shallots - Welsh Roots Santa Chutney - Welsh Horseradish Sauce - Basket. Ideal accompaniment to all those festive meals.

There are a host of others from Cottage Delight (Wonderfully scrumptious), Gourmet – a real Treat and  on to a Taste of Wales. Click here to see content of hampersand prices

But I wanted something a little different and more personal for my friends:  Stunning colourful Pastas for my sister-in-law along with some piquant sauces and a little antipasta.  She adores Pasta! I chose
3 different Pastas
Zania Pipettoni 6 Colori – so colourful as is the Specialita Tagliatelle
Pasta Tagliolini Al Nero Di Seppia  - Durum Wheat Pasta infused with squid ink
Nero e Bianco Farfalloni Pasta – Stunning black and white bows of pasta
I included a jar of Epicure Passata and a Pizza Express Sauce (Very good they are too) and one of my favourite Sacla who do some amazing sauces for pasta. And for that extra treat a jar of juicy chargrilled Artichokes and some wonderfully plump olives.  For that final touch a couple of Italian cheeses, a buffalo mozzarella and the delicious queen of cheeses Gorgonzola
My Italian Hamper with basket, wrapping and bow was around £35. 

Of course you could just purchase one or two Colourful Pastas and a sauce and wrap in cellophane with a big bow and it would just be around £12 - £15

Other ideas for Hampers
Wisebuys have something for everyone from  is the choice then how about

• A selection of cheese biscuits such as the range from Cottage Delight – completely divine -not include a jar of chutney such as a firm favourite Spicy Mango and ginger chutney. Or two jars in their own stand!

• Sweet tooth – the choice is overwhelming, from a small Pantone £2.45 to very large and luxurious Panatone from £25.  Why not ring the changes with a Stollen (contains marzipan- yum)– used to be a favourite until I became Gluten Free. Mini Mince pies and big ones too! Biscuits are almost tumbling out the door there is such a marvellous choice.  One of my favourite are Florentines.  There are boxes of bite size ones – what a treat!
• There are conserves, preserves and jams with and without alcohol.  I particularly like the trio from The Bay Tree Company comes in its own holder.  Great as a present for Grandma or Grandpa.

• Into Chocolate? They have the most amazing selection of chocolates from local welsh chocolate company such as Pembertons to glorious Cherry Kirsch chocolates from Germany. Rhodri’s Homemade fudge which is mouth-wateringly divine plus much much more
• Glace Fruits make an unusual gift and they come beautifully wrapped. Succulent marzipan stuffed dates are a favourite in our home.
• And then there are Nuts, lots of them, mixed nuts, dried fruits and nuts.  Ideal gift to take to a party.

Visiting friends in Guildford I have always taken a cheeseboard type hamper usually with a selection of Welsh Cheeses and what a lot we have to choose from.  I include a chutney or two plus some interesting  biscuits  for cheeses, Recently discovered Fig Cheese biscuits!

Wisebuys do a wonderful Cheese hamper Wisebuys 'Snowdonia Hamper'. A cheese lover's heaven and only £37.50 it includes
2 Snowdonia Cheeses - 2 Cenarth Cheeses - 1 Pont Gar Cheese - 2 packs of Welsh Oat Cakes - 1 Jar of Miranda's Chutney.

Whatever you budget your taste, a ‘hamper’ can be as small as a couple of products beautifully wrapped in cellophane with a festive bow, a box of a few products on a theme or a hamper from a small basket to picnic hamper.  You are simply charged for the products, the basket or hamper, the wrapping and bow. So prices can start from around £12 and the choice is yours.  Of course you can purchase your products and do your own hamper. The choice is yours.
Look out next week for more of my  suggestions. 

Meanwhile do call into Wisebuys in Narberth or their equally scrummy shop in Pembroke. You will be inspired.   If you live local to their shops then they will deliver to your door.  Call now on 01834 909 027 for Narberth and 01646 429 206 for Pembroke