Hampers | Hamper | Christmas Hampers | Organic Hamper | Luxury Hampers | Corporate Hamper

We will be launching our range of hampers soon, featuring a full range of opulent Christmas hampers, organic hampers, luxury hampers and even a corporate hamper for same day hamper delivery in London and next day hamper delivery across the UK.  Watch this space!

The Arena Hampers Team

Hamper History

Hampers for Christmas have become a traditional gift at yuletide, but it is thought that William the Conqueror brought the first hampers to England way back in the 11th Century – making the word hamper, (deriving from the Old French ‘hanapier’ – a  case for holding goblets), nearly a thousand years old!  The modern gift hamper is (usually) a wicker basket or box containing food and other gifts—though there are many variations now such as park hampers, xmas hampers, baby hampers and organic hampers.

Delivered Hampers

It wasn’t until the 18th Century when the hamper became a part of English culture, when it was the task of a noble lady to provide charity to the poor people living on her estates. This was usually a food hamper in the form of a wicker basket, which allowed air to circulate around the food to keep it fresh longer.  Gifts of clothes were also used as padding to wrap fragile items. These may not have been gourmet hampers, but the tradition of giving hamper gifts had now been established.

Christmas Hampers

As gifts, hampers are now given and received by all walks of life. The tradition of sending a Christmas hamper is an offshoot of the Boxing Day tradition of masters giving their servants boxes of useful items on the day after Christmas. Today, corporate hampers are sent to business contacts and employees around Christmas, and Christmas food hampers are a common gift for families.

Luxury Hampers

In the Victorian era, picnic hampers became a favourite of the upper classes, and luxury food hampers were popular at high-society events such as the Henley and Ascot.
Charles Dickens wrote of one Epsom Derby: "Look where I will... All the hampers fly wide open and the green downs burst into a blossom of lobster salad!"
Dickens would famously treat himself to a gourmet food hamper for each novel he completed.  The world’s most expensive picnic hamper was a trailer-mounted, wicker-and-brass picnic hamper set, complete with Baccarat crystal, Limoges porcelain, tables and chairs. It sold at Christie's for nearly £300,000.

Corporate Hampers Online

Traditionally a hamper was delivered by hand, the giver carrying it directly to the home of the recipient. This meant that the size of a hamper was limited to what one person could carry. Hampers delivery has come a long way since Victorian times, now you can buy hampers online from the comfort of your own home in all shapes and sizes with a whole range of themed contents.