Before now, the only hamper I’ve ever received was a basket of smelly stuff wrapped tightly in blow-dried cellophane from The Body Shop. This was when I was twelve years old and White Musk was a coveted scent among teenage girls. Do you remember those little sniff bottles they had with tester samples from each range? Seaweed, tangerine … Perhaps they still have them – I haven’t been into a Body Shop for decades, so they’re firmly placed in the realms of nostalgia for me. Like Pizzaland …

Okay, I seem to have strayed from the point a bit. The important thing is that I’ve never received a gourmet food hamper. Never, that is, until a couple of weeks or so ago when Hampergifts sent me some Yuletide Delight in the form of foodie heaven – a beautifully-parceled hamper from their lovely Christmas Hampers range.

I have to confess that a large part of Hamper Fun lies in the unwrapping. Firstly, there’s a knock on the door and a courier hands you a large – a very large – brown, cardboard box. My childhood dream is instantly fulfilled at this point. But then comes the tearing off of sellotape, the opening of the box, the discovery of a bow-tied basket, the satisfying splitting of the cellophane and the feverish excitement as the bursting goodies tumble out. Never mind what’s actually in the basket – I’m having too much fun already with just the packaging!

Fortunately, my husband and children are less easily pleased than me and have questions that need to be answered before they will consider endorsing my fave review. Is the bottle of wine drinkable? Is the chocolate delicious? How good is the Turkish Delight? What are the yellow things in that jar there?

After judicious tasting, the answers turned out to be yes, yes, very and preserved pears.

So, I’m happy to report that if you’re stuck on what to send those friends and relatives who live further away from you than on your doorstep, one of the gift hampers from Hampergifts may be the answer to your problems (unless you think your friends would share my delight in receiving just a cardboard box, of course – admittedly a cheaper alternative, but don’t blame me if they fail to recognise the Christmas spirit in that idea).