Hamper

In North America, the term generally refers to a household receptacle, often a basket, for clean (out of the dryer or off the line) or dirty clothing, regardless of its composition, i.e. "a laundry hamper".

[2] In agricultural use, a hamper is a wide-mouthed container of basketwork that may often be carried on the back during the harvesting of fruit or vegetables by hand by workers in the field.

Up until the mid 20th century, in the Western tradition, the hamper was a basket that could be carried by the donor and physically handed to the recipient.

[5][6] A Christmas hamper is a traditional gift containing small nonperishable food items, particularly seasonal favorites such as fruitcake or plum pudding, chocolate, nuts, jams, biscuits, honey, smoked or dried meats, and cheese.

Some hampers containing tea, coffee, or cocoa might also include a cup and saucer, often seasonally themed or personalized.

Christmas hamper contents tend to reflect contemporary notions of luxury, and include a combination of popular food items as well as high-status products considered at the time to be decadent or celebratory.

Modern Christmas hampers from commercial companies are packaged for postal delivery instead of being packed in wicker baskets.

The little gifts from home included practical items that would have been luxuries to serving troops such as tobacco or cigarettes, matches, razor blades, knitted socks, pencil & writing paper, as well as foodstuffs like cake, sauces, pickles, tinned fruit, cocoa, coffee and Anzac biscuits.

[12] In 2010, Christmas hampers packed with treats including Vegemite and Cadbury chocolate, were flown in to Afghanistan, Iraq, East Timor and the Solomon Islands for Australian Defence Force troops deployed overseas.