Christmas is approaching at an alarming pace- one minute it was July and I was on a beach in The Algarve, the next my brain is being forced in to thinking about all things festive, and more so than ever this year as Bob and I are going to be hosting Christmas for the first time.

I had a burst of inspiration the other weekend and managed to get most of my shopping done, but I still need to pick up some bits for the harder to buy for folk in my life and I’ve spent rather a lot of my spare time (of which there is not a lot of) browsing for ideas.
Luckily, by nature of being a blogger I also get alerted to great gift ideas, such as this gorgeously festive hamper of products from the masters of marzipan, Niederegger.

Marzipan is one of those confectionaries that divides opinion; the marmite of the sweet world I suppose. I for one love it, especially when it comes coated in chocolate- I remember one trip to Austria where I survived solely on dark chocolate and marzipan for days!

This festive hamper of treats contains both classic Niederegger products and seasonal treats. £25 gets you:

1 x 110g classic dark chocolate covered marzipan bar (my favourite!)
1 x 100g assorted mini marzipan loaves (espresso, pistachio, pineapple and orange all coated in dark chocolate)
2 x 40g dark chocolate coated sticks- selected from 3 flavours (I got cherry and walnut, both of which I highly recommend)
1 x 125g bar of flavour of the year (which is apple strudel in case you were wondering)
1 x 100g dark chocolate covered santa (which I am not sharing with anyone)

The hamper comes gorgeously packaged making it an instant gift in the making, or ideal for leaving out for guests to pick from over the festive period- this is the intention with what is left of mine, but based on my near-constant raiding of it (little and often is the key with marzipan I find) there won’t be any left!

What festive foods have caught your eye this year, and are you a marzipan lover, or a hater?