Not sure what to give your foodie friends and relatives for Christmas this year?
As a county, Yorkshire boasts a proud history of food production. Foods such as Yorkshire Puddings, rhubarb, parkin and black pudding have long been associated with God’s Own Country in addition to big-name brands such as Seabrooks, Rowntree, Terry’s and Yorkshire Tea. Specific towns and areas in Yorkshire are also known for producing the most delicious and sought-after versions of popular foods; Whitby scampi and Wensleydale Cheese being prime examples.
When it comes to producing top-quality food and drink, Yorkshire has experience in abundance and has secured a fantastic reputation for doing so. If you’re stuck for Christmas ideas for foodie friends and family members then why not send them one or two foodie-themed gifts made right here in Yorkshire? It goes without saying that pinpointing that perfect foodie gift will be no easy task when the internet is filled with talented Yorkshire makers and producers showcasing their goods. With this in mind, we’ve put together a Yorkshire Christmas gift guide for foodies. We’ve tried and tested almost all of them too and those we haven’t, have come to us via reliable recommendations. So, without further ado…
Here is Our Very Yorkshire Christmas Gift Guide for Foodies…
Yorkshire Food Hampers
The Merry Christmas Gift Box
Based in Brough, Cartwright & Butler is a luxury hamper company offering fabulous foodie treats and incredible gift boxes. Their hampers are available to purchase throughout the year but at Christmas, they introduce a new range of festive goodies that anyone would be thrilled to receive.
Our favourite for 2022 is ‘The Merry Christmas Gift Box’. Priced at £88, it includes a varied and delicious selection of festive treats that will add an extra element of luxurious indulgence to anyone’s Christmas. The Natural Honeycomb is perfect for melting over hot buttered toast, and the crumbly Cranberry & Orange Shortbread Rounds are just divine and can be washed down with the included tea or coffee.
There are even savoury treats like seeded crackers and a special Boxing Day Chutney to pair with your favourite cheeses in addition to a stunning selection of mind-blowingly good sweet treats like a whole Christmas Cake, Mini Mince Pies and Mint Chocolate Thins. They haven’t forgotten the main event either! The hamper also includes a jar of their very own Cranberry Sauce. A truly wonderful foodie gift that we have tried ourselves and absolutely adored!
Cartwright & Butler also offer personalisation so you can add your own message or image to a hamper for an extra special touch.
You can order The Merry Christmas Gift Box here.
Festive Afternoon Tea Hamper
The Little Leopard Co. is a curated gift box company, based in Sheffield, with gifts exclusively selected from other independent UK businesses. Born from a passion for gifting and a love of leopard print, the small company offers a range of beautifully curated gift sets suitable for men, women and children.
As part of their new festive collection, The Little Leopard Co has recently launched a fabulous Festive Afternoon Tea gift box. Containing a small selection of locally sourced products, it’s a lovely way to say “I’m thinking of you” and will provide everything your chosen recipient needs to indulge in an afternoon tea at home that is bursting with festive flavours. The Festive Afternoon tea gift box is priced at £27.00 and can be ordered here.
‘Best of The North’ Letterbox Hamper
Now, this is a national hamper company that produces a variety of themed and regional foodie hampers for nationwide delivery. However, we really like this ‘Best of The North’ Hamper which is filled with tasty treats and can be conveniently posted straight through the recipient’s letterbox.
A wonderful little gift idea, particularly for elderly people, people living alone, or those who simply deserve a small treat as a token of love at Christmas.
The ‘Best of The North’ hamper includes a small selection of products from the North of England but all except one are from here in Yorkshire including Blossom Honey from the Sheffield Honey Company, flapjack from Lottie Shaw’s and tea from Taylor’s of Harrogate.
The ‘Best of The North’ hamper is priced at £29.95 and available to order here.
’12 Rolls of Christmas’ Hamper
Yorkshire online gifting company, Prestige Hampers, has launched its limited-edition ’12 rolls of Christmas’ hamper perfect for those who love a savoury treat. Priced at £29.99, the unique festive hamper includes twelve flavoursome pastry rolls baked by Prestige’s very own Valley Bakery. Each is made using locally sourced ingredients and the finest cuts of meat.
The recipient won’t be short of tasty snacks over Christmas as the 12-piece hamper features all-butter pastry sausage rolls in ten different flavours including Pork Stilton & Caramelised Onion, BBQ Pulled Pork and Turkey, Bacon and Cranberry.
Prestige also allows customers to add additional items to hampers so you can spruce it up or add a more personal touch by adding mince pies, Christmas cakes, blondies, bottles of wine and much more.
Whitby Selection Box
Launched in July 202, Whitby Hampers is a small family-run business offering beautifully composed hampers of food and drink items from Whitby. They have a wonderful array of hampers available for all occasions but we think they make particularly lovely gifts at Christmas time.
If you have a friend or family member who adores Yorkshire’s most picturesque coastal town then why not offer them send them a package of Whitby-made foodie favourites with this charming Whitby Selection Box?
Priced at £22.00, the hamper is beautifully packaged in a black box emblazoned with the image of Whitby’s iconic abbey and filled with an array of treats including baked goods from the famous Bothams of Whitby, Yorkshire Crisps, Whitby Gin Dark Chocolate and more. The Whitby Selection box can be ordered here.
Yorkshire Foodie Accessories
Thermos Flasks
Thermos® UK has collaborated with three talented Yorkshire artists to create a unique range of flasks featuring their art. Each of the artists – the youngest of whom is just 10 years old – has created three designs for the Thermos Super Light Flask, in a theme of their own choosing. The 470ml flask keeps hot drinks hot for 10 hours and cold drinks for 24 hours and comes with a five-year guarantee. They are available at www.thermos.co.uk for £28 each.
The beautiful ‘Victoriana’ collection (as pictured) was designed by Denise Roberts-Horsfall, a Cleckheaton-based designer, creatively driven by nature, wildlife and all things Victoriana. These are available to purchase here.
‘Haworth Winter’ Glass Chopping Board
Lighthouse Lane is a brilliant independent gift company with shops in both Haworth and Skipton. Owned and run by husband and wife team, Howard and Katie, the unique business offers hundreds of gifts from independent designers in addition to some truly wonderful gifts designed by themselves. In addition to stunning pieces of artwork, they sell marvellous collections of gifts and home accessories, many of which have a Yorkshire theme.
In their physical and online shops, you’ll find mugs, coasters, tea towels, aprons and more but we are particularly fond of their worktop savers which are priced at just £12.50. The ‘Haworth Winter’ Glass Chopping Board (pictured) is one of their very own designs, which the very talented Katie spent over 30 hours creating. It is available to order here.
Yorkshire Saying Bottle Opener
These brilliant little bottle openers are made in Ilkley and are priced at just £5 each. Perfect as stocking fillers or token gifts for friends, they are engraved with some of the most well-known Yorkshire phrases. If you know a Yorkshire beer-lover, brighten their Christmas with one of these charming little kitchen accessories and support a small local business whilst doing so. You can choose from six different phrases so there’s bound to be one suitable for your favourite Yorkshire man or woman! Excellent quality, locally made and reasonably priced; what’s not to love?
You can view the full range and place an order here.
Yorkshire Dialect Cotton Apron
I’ll tell yer this for nowt – every Yorkshire foodie needs a Yorkshire apron for when they’re cooking up a culinary storm in the kitchen! This one is fabulous and makes for quite entertaining reading! Designed and made here in God’s Own Country, the screen-printed, 100% cotton apron costs £17.95 and will protect any daft apeth’s clothes from splashes and spillages. A reet good gift for those Yorkshire born and bred or simply for those who would be chuffed to receive a new apron featuring some of the most famous phrases associated with Yorkshire folk! It’s a bobby dazzler!
The Yorkshire Dialect Apron can be purchased here.
Leeds Skyline Gin Glass
We are completely and utterly in love with this gin glass! Made and dispatched by a Manchester-based artist, these beautiful gin glasses are etched with MehaArt’s Leeds skyline design. Leeds locals and lovers will no doubt recognise many of the landmarks featured including Leeds City Museum, Leeds Corn Exchange and the domes of the stunning Victoria Quarter. A York skyline version is also available in addition to etched whiskey glasses and beer glasses.
The Leeds Skyline Gin Glass costs £25.00 and is available to order here.
Annabel’s Deliciously British Gift Set
Annabel’s Deliciously British is a Yorkshire food brand that produces exquisite products for people who care about taste and provenance. Based in Micklefield near Leeds, they are committed to achieving first-class quality with a sustainable, local supply. The array of gourmet British products on offer includes chutneys, conserves, and honey, all perfect for gifting and sharing with loved ones over the festive period.
This gorgeous little gift set from Annabel’s Deliciously British includes a jar of Strawberry Conserve, a jar of Chilli Chutney, a branded tote bag and a 100% woven cotton tea towel. A charming little gift for foodies and home cooks.
The Deliciously Yorkshire Gift Hamper is priced at £22 and can be ordered here.
Yorkshire Sweet Treats
Build a Box of Fudge
Fudge Kitchen is an expert artisan fudge-making company with shops scattered around the UK. A visit to their shop on Low Petergate in York is an experience in itself as customers can watch in awe as delicious slabs of fudge are made before their very eyes. If you can’t make it over to York before Christmas, then why not order some of their fabulous fudge online to be sent directly to your favourite foodie?
There are numerous flavours available, making choosing one or two quite a task. However, on the Fudge Kitchen website, you can build your own box of fudge and include five different flavours for just £20. In addition to their year-round bestsellers like the Sea Salted Caramel, Chocolate Swirl and Birthday Cake flavoured slabs, there are some seriously tasty festive flavours available right now as well as a great range of vegan-friendly fudge slabs. Delicious!
You can build your own box of fudge here.
Little One’s Christmas Eve Chocolate Box
York-based indie-chocolate brand, Choc Affair, was founded by Linda Barrie back in 2006 when she discovered her daughters had an intolerance to milk and couldn’t eat the vast majority of chocolate products commonly available.
She created a delicious soy milk hot chocolate specifically for them and it was from there that her chocolate-making days began! Years later, Choc Affair is now a thriving indie business selling sustainably and responsibly produced chocolate. Choc Affair is a confectionary company with a conscience – they pay a little extra for every kilo of beans they source to help reforest the cocoa-growing regions of Colombia and all of their packaging is 100% recyclable at the kerbside.
We’ve tried their chocolate and it’s all absolutely delicious! If you haven’t yet sourced those Christmas Eve treats for your little ones then Choc Affair can save the day with these super cute Christmas Eve Chocolate Box. Priced at just £16, it includes festive chocolate lollies, Christmas chocolate bars and a sachet of their insanely good hot chocolate.
You can order the Little One’s Christmas Eve Chocolate Box here.
Christmas Classic Brownies
Chocolate Brownies are the ultimate indulgent treat, whatever day, week or month it may be. Brownies by mail have become incredibly popular during recent years, probably helped somewhat by the lockdowns of 2021 and 2021.
You’ll find numerous independent brownie makers online, all offering to send boxes of these chocolatey baked treats straight to your door. One of our favourites, however, has to be LOVE Brownies and they are based just a few miles away from us in Barden.
Founded by an experienced chef, Chantal, LOVE Brownies produce a delicious array of brownies in all kinds of tasty flavours. Send a box of freshly baked and utterly divine chocolate brownies to a friend or loved one this Christmas. Choose a single flavour or tantalise their tastebuds with a brownie variety box featuring a few of their bestsellers.
We particularly like the sound of their limited edition ‘Christmas Classic Brownies’ which combine their signature rich and velvety brownie batter with festive spices and seasonal fruits. A delicious alternative to traditional mince pies!
You can order a box of the Christmas Classic Brownies here.
Boozy Yorkshire Christmas Gifts
Masons of Yorkshire Chocolate Vodka
Probably best known for producing superb quality gins, Masons of Yorkshire have now started distilling vodka and the recently launched Chocolate Vodka would make a wonderful Christmas gift. Expertly crafted and distilled extra slowly, this delectable new addition to the Masons of Yorkshire product range is a creamy and velvety vodka packed with rich chocolatey flavours.
Masons of Yorkshire Co-Founder Cathy Mason says:
“This Christmas is all going to be about enjoying luxury at home, and we created Chocolate Vodka to be the ultimate indulgence: it’s so good, it can be enjoyed neat, over ice, or even with a dash of Caramel Syrup for the ultimate toast and celebration. To have branched out into the world of Great British Vodka has been a joy for us as more and more discover the versatility of this delicious spirit, we look forward to experimenting with different flavours in 2023.”
Masons of Yorkshire Chocolate Vodka can be ordered here and there are a few options available which will make your boozy gift a little more special. Order a personalised bottle featuring the recipient’s name and add a couple of mixers or even a set of glasses to your order.
Cooper King Distillery Sharing Selection Box
At The Yorkshire Press, we’re big fans of Cooper King Distillery and the fantastic spirits they produce from their self-build, renewable energy-powered distillery in Yorkshire. Made in small batches without automation, their Yorkshire spirits are of excellent quality as well as being ethically and sustainably produced.
You’ll find their gins and vodka on the shelves at Fenwick, John Lewis & Selfridges, but you can also shop directly from the company via their website.
Rather partial to a tipple or two ourselves, we highly recommend gifting the ‘Sharing Selection Box’ which includes three 100ml spirits. For £26.95 you get 1 x Dry Gin, 1 x Herb Gin, 1 x Berry and Basil Gin Liqueur (which we can confirm is delicious!) in addition to serving and tasting cards plus a virtual tasting session and experience guide. A wonderful gift for gin lovers!
The Cooper King Distillery Sharing Selection Box can be ordered here.
Christmas Case of Beer
Yorkshire is home to numerous independent breweries and Saltaire Brewery is one of the best! Based in Shipley, they’ve been making internationally award-winning beer since 2006 and their most popular products are stocked across the UK in shops, supermarkets, pubs and bars. Bestsellers include a multi-award-winning speciality stout, Triple Choc, and a citrusy session IPA, Velocity.
This Christmas, you can send the gift of beer to friends and family in the form of Saltaire Brewery’s Christmas Case. Priced it £40, it includes 11 beers, 2 bar snacks, a Saltaire Brewery pint glass and a Saltaire Brewery bar blade. Brilliant!
You can order Saltaire Brewery’s Christmas Case here.
Crystal Edition Leeds FC Vodka
Know a Leeds fan who enjoys a vodka or two? This beautifully designed bottle of vodka from Bohemian Brands features the classic Leeds FC badge made out of coloured crystals. A lovely bottle to display on a cabinet and whip out at home during big matches. The small batch vodka is distilled five times from 100% wheat, resulting in a rich, ultra-smooth taste. A bottle is priced at £32.03 and there are options to add gift boxes too.
You can order the Leeds FC Vodka here.
Foodie Experience Gifts
Afternoon Tea Cruise in Skipton
Oh, we do love afternoon tea and being from Skipton we can highly recommend this one! The historic market town is home to a magnificently preserved castle, an array of independent shops and, of course, a picturesque canal basin from which this brilliant afternoon tea cruise departs. Cruise along the scenic Leeds Liverpool canal whilst tucking into a sumptuous platter of sandwiches, scones and cakes. A wonderful experience in one of North Yorkshire’s prettiest towns!
The Afternoon Tea Cruise for Two costs £48 and is available to book here.
Experience Gift Vouchers
Foodie Experience Gift Vouchers
Yorkshire-based experimental gifting company, Uniquely Local, recently conducted a survey of Christmas spending habits. The results showed that the majority of people will spend £30 – £50 on close friends and family this year. A staggering 72% of those who took part in the survey, also said they would prefer to gift a food and drink experience. Of course, there is no shortage of foodie experiences available in Yorkshire and Uniquely Local has some genuinely wonderful ones available to purchase for those last-minute Christmas gifts.
If you’re not entirely sure which of their available experiences your chosen recipient would prefer, you can order gift vouchers which are valid for 18 months from the date of purchase. There are some brilliant experiences to choose from such as a chocolate bar-making experience in York a vineyard tour and tasting experience and numerous afternoon teas and food tours of Yorkshire’s foodie hotspots.
You can order Uniquely Local Gift Vouchers here.
Afternoon Tea for Two at The Ivy
The Ivy Victoria Quarter is one of our favourite places to dine in Leeds. With its striking interiors and extensive menus of delectable dishes, it’s a wonderful place to eat from breakfast through to dinner. Why not treat a friend or loved one to an afternoon tea experience at The Ivy in Leeds, Harrogate or York?
The Afternoon Tea for Two voucher costs £54 and can be redeemed at any of The Ivy Collection’s venues in the UK. Your voucher can be sent physically or digitally and entitles the recipient to a mid-afternoon treat of dainty sandwiches, savoury bites, delectable desserts and freshly baked scones. An exquisite experience that any Yorkshire foodie would be delighted to receive!
The Ivy’s Afternoon Tea for Two vouchers can be purchased here.
Cheese and Wine Pairing Evening
Why give a bottle of wine when you can gift a whole evening of wine and give your intended recipient the opportunity to taste it like a pro? With this 2-Hour Wine and Cheese Evening in Leeds, Sheffield, or York, they’ll taste a variety of premium wines plus learn the correct tasting techniques and the processes that go into making each wine. As well as identifying the subtle flavours in each glass, they’ll also learn about cheese pairings. The combinations vary depending on when they book, but past tastings have included Rioja Blanco and Comte, Mendoza Malbec and Kileen, and Premier Cru Champagne and Langres.
The Cheese and Wine Experience costs £38 and can be purchased here.
Gin Distillery Experience for Two
Give the gift of gin this Christmas with this superb, award-winning experience at Hotham’s Gin School and Distillery near Hull. The experience costs £150 and gives your recipient plus a guest the opportunity to distil their own gin with the help of an expert distiller. They’ll learn about the distillation process whilst enjoying a gin-based cocktail, and taste their created gin as it distils, seeing how the botanicals release their flavours. They will also learn about the history of gin and how to taste it (properly). Finally, they will cut, bottle, name and label their creation, before heading home with their 70cl bottle.
The Gin Distillery Experience is available to purchase here.
A few of the links we have included in this gift guide are affiliate links which means, as a company, we earn a small amount of commission from sales.
