Bright ideas
Buying presents can be hugely enjoyable if you know what your loved ones want and where to get it from.
But there are always those who are hard to buy for and, in my experience, they are generally older and have most of what they need.
What they don’t want is anything that might be considered clutter, which rules out quite a lot. That’s why this year, my parents and a couple of my friends are getting a Yorkshire hamper.
It will be full of the useful, beautiful, edible and drinkable. There are multiple benefits in doing this. First off, I’ll be supporting Yorkshire makers, secondly, I know what my loved ones do and don’t like so I know what to include and thirdly, it will be a lot less expensive than a ready-made hamper.
When I say “hamper”, what I mean is either a sturdy box or basket tied with a ribbon. A brown cardboard box is perfect and Homesense/TK Maxx has a keenly priced selection of attractive storage boxes.
As for the filling, cakes and sweet treats will be in there as we are not short of great Yorkshire bakeries.
Cooplands is one of my favourites, along with Whitby-based Bothams and, of course, the brilliant Bettys, where I can also buy the world’s best teabags.
Drink? It has to be gin and here I am spoilt for choice as Yorkshire has a number of excellent distilleries.
You can’t go wrong with good quality candles and again there are a number of Yorkshire makers using soy wax and natural scents.
Finally, everyone will get a tea towel, £12 each, from illustrator Jessica Hogarth featuring Robin Hood’s Bay or Whitby because we all love to be beside the seaside.
Frame them or dry with them and find them in her Robin Hood’s Bay shop or online at www.jessicahogarth.com.