It has never been easier to buy gourmet gifts online, and the dreaded word "hamper" need no longer conjure up visions of unwanted jars of cranberry sauce, tins of soup and packets of custard powder.
Many online hamper delivery services now allow customers to choose their own selection of chocolates, biscuits, cheeses, chutneys, wines and spirits. www.irishhampers.com stocks Lily O'Brien and Danucci chocolates, Robert Ditty and Elsa's Story biscuits, Janet's Country Fayre chutneys, Crossogue preserves, premium wines and spirits, and a range of farmhouse cheeses and smoked fish products for delivery worldwide in hampers costing from around €50 to more than €1,000.
For something a bit more exotic, stock up on bottles of Prosecco (€11.80), seasonal Panettone (€14), and jars of delicious chocolate-covered nougat (€11.80) from Italian gourmet website www.esperya.com . Nearer to home, the wonderful selection of oils, vinegars, pastas and store cupboard essentials available at La Bottega di Paolo in Blooms Lane in the heart of Dublin's Italian quarter can be ordered online at www.labottegadipaolo.com , for delivery or collection. Don't miss the delicious farro (spelt) pasta made by Latini, which is ideal for those with wheat allergies.
If Spanish food is more your thing - and it is after all the "hot" cuisine of the moment, browse the hand-picked selection at Irish company www.wineandtapas.com . Bomba paella rice (€9.20 for a 1kg sack), piquillo peppers stuffed with hake and prawns (€7.99), green olive pate from Toledo (€5.70), and saffron from La Mancha (€9.90) stand out from a really extensive selection, available for delivery throughout Ireland.
Smoked salmon is easy to source online, and for a bit of variety you can add other smoked products such as mackerel, haddock, mussels, even chicken, to your order if you buy from www.clarke's.com in Co Mayo; www.ummera.com and www.frankhederman.com in Co Cork, or www.kinvarasmokedsalmon.com in Co Galway. Just remember that wild smoked salmon is in extremely short supply this year due to the ban on drift net fishing, so place your order in good time.
The beautifully presented offerings from Skelligs Chocolate Co and Cocoa Bean chocolates are both available to buy at www.skelligschocolate.com . This year's Christmas special edition box from Skelligs Chocolate Co is a delicate hand-painted drum, which comes stuffed with handmade truffles and costs €25. For something a bit different, check out the extravagant wooden boxes, with optional engraved brass name plates, at www.zchocolate.com . These can be filled with a choice of hand made French chocolates and delivered to Ireland by courier. A heart-shaped padlock for the box is available as an optional extra. MCD