Starbucks are doing their best to save Christmas for us this year, launching their Christmas menu with a recreation of the infamous Friends Christmas sandwich that is so damn good, Ross Geller ends up losing his job over it.
In case you haven’t seen every episode of Friends 1000 times like us, allow us to remind you. Ross, dealing with personal issues in the most annoying, self-sabotaging way possible as usual, focuses all his pent up feelings over his impending divorce and eviction on a sandwich Monica makes from their Thanksgiving dinner leftovers.
Dubbing the festive sandwich the ‘moist maker’ because of the layer of gravy-soaked bread in the middle of the turkey sandwich, he gets so angry when a colleague eats it (‘someone ate the only good thing going on in my life!’) he ends up screaming at his boss and being put on sabbatical. Essentially, the ‘moist maker’ seems to be a sandwich worth getting almost-fired for.
Starbucks then is truly testing our willingness to give up on 2020 altogether and stay home eating sandwiches all day in their launch of ‘The One with the Gravy Layer Sandwich’. A riff on Friend’s episodes instead of the moist maker name itself, the sandwich includes a top layer of pulled ham hock and turkey, a bottom layer with butternut crush, red cabbage and a slice of cheddar cheese, but the middle is a moist slice of sourdough steeped in turkey & cranberry gravy.
Seriously, it sounds like the best roast dinner ever, just all in the perfect sandwich. Costing £4.59, it’s likely to be our lunch every day for the next two months then. And it’s not the only festive menu everyone is getting excited about as we enter lockdown two and have literally NOTHING else to do. Pret too launched their Christmas menu this week.
With their own, fan-favourite, Pret Christmas lunch sandwich (which comes with turkey, port-and-orange cranberry sauce, stuffing, spinach, mayo and onions) they’ve also added some new additions to the menu like pigs in blankets in a pot or sandwich, plus a whole host of vegan options. And luckily for us, Pret and Veggie Pret are staying open for takeaways during lockdown two.
Aldi have also launched their favourite Christmas sandwiches items, also stepping up their plant-based menu. Essentially, what we’re learning from all of this is, we’re starting Christmas now. From sandwiches to everyone putting up their trees a month early, the festive season is back in more ways than one.
Click through for the best Christmas hampers this year...
The best Christmas hampers 2021
1 of 12Mega Chocolate Lovers Hamper Gift Box
Filled to the brim with chocolate bar favourites, ideal for chocoholics. This hamper contains 18 full-size bars of chocolate, including a Crunchie, Picnic, Flake, Dairy Milk, Frys Chocolate Cream, Snickers, KitKat Chunky, Rolo, Lion Bar, and a Timeout Wafer. And don't worry, they'll come with a long shelf life - not that it'll be needed we're sure!Review: "I bought this as a present for someone I know who loves chocolate, she was over the moon, so I take it everything in the box was a hit! In the picture, the gift box looked to be a little wicker basket, but when it arrived it was cardboard with a wicker look. It didn't detract from the chocolate inside though, and as long as the recipient was happy, I didn't mind."
2 of 12The Taste of Fortnum's Hamper
When you think 'Christmas hamper', you probably think of F&M straight away. There isn't any more iconic hamper than the big wicker one from London's exclusive shop, and there are loads to choose from – depending on what your budget is, and how much you love the person you're buying it for. This is the most affordable option and contains plenty of treats - including tea, champagne, chocolate, and baked goodies.
3 of 12The Luxury Hot Chocolate Gift Box
Inside this cute hamper, you'll find Whittard's classic luxury milk and white hot chocolate, plus a big pot of marshmallows. Fantastic for those that like to unwind and indulge in a hot chocolate, or those with a sweet tooth.Review: "Great little gift has everything you need and is such a good quality basket. I was very pleased and would definitely recommend it."
4 of 12The Indulgence Box
Want an eco-friendly hamper? We've just found out about Sustainabox, which is as environmentally-friendly as they come. You can choose specific sustainable products to include in your box, such as Sea Change wines, which "funds ocean conservation projects across the globe for each bottle purchased", and Toast Ales, which "uses surplus fresh bread to brew their beers and donates all profits to charities fixing the food system". The box comes with seeds for you to plant, and you're encouraged to also plant the box to boost soil nutrients. And, if that wasn't enough, the company plants a tree for every box you purchase. All this, on top of a wonderful selection of scrumptious treats.
5 of 12Botanicals Hamper For Your Face
Filled with luxurious facial skincare, this hamper is a real treat. It features a cleanser, toner, cream, body oil, and two soaps. Presented in natural wicker hamper made from steamed autumn willow with faux leather straps and a carry handle, this is guaranteed to make that someone feel extra special.
6 of 12Round the World Wines Mixed Case Gift
Wine lovers, you're in for a real treat. This brilliant 6 bottle hamper will have you feeling truly spoilt all the way until January. It contains a selection of fine reds and whites.
7 of 12Luscious Hamper
If you're buying a gift for a cheese lover, then this is perfect. A complete feast in itself, it features 460g of cheese - a trio of beauties - plus biscuits and oatcakes from Stags. You can also choose a wine to be included too. Just make sure you're invited round to enjoy it!
8 of 12Vegan Luxury Gift Hamper
Hampers often contain lots of non-vegan products, but this one is the ultimate vegan-friendly gift hamper. It includes nut butter, sweets, biscuits, Artisan Liqueurs, and more. Not only that, you can request for the products to be gluten-free too, including personalised gift tag messaging, and a gift sleeve for that bit extra.Review: "According to the present receiver, it was yummy with a good selection. I thought the hamper was very well priced with a good variety. I had to contact the suppliers direct with a query and she was extremely helpful."
9 of 12All I Want for Christmas Hamper
Presented in a smart hamper, this Marks & Spencer gift includes Oro Prosecco, a snow globe gin liqueur, smoked salmon, Christmas pudding and much more.
10 of 12The Harrogate Hamper
Bettys' luxurious collection will get you feeling festive in a flash. From milk chocolate guineas to Yorkshire gingerbread, Christmas Cake and Bettys Christmas Coffee, this hamper is what dreams are made of. Available to order in season, we might order one for ourselves and hideaway with it on Boxing Day.
11 of 12The Book Package
Perfect for book lovers, this hamper gives the recipient a book, snacks, and a drink to accompany curling up to read it. The packages from Don't Buy Her Flowers are customisable (you can also build your own from scratch) and there are lots of options to change items and add others. Highly recommended throughout the year, not just festive. Review: "I've bought a few of these lately and they're brilliant. They're a great little pick-me-up. There's nothing quite like curling up on the sofa with a good book, a cheeky drink and some indulgent treats and this package has all of that (apart from the sofa, obvs!). This has become one of my go-to gifts and I'll certainly be buying more."
12 of 12Just Treats Lunar Treasure Gift Retro Sweets Hamper
Looking for the perfect gift for a loved one with a sweet tooth? This retro sweet hamper is full of all the sugary treats they could want - warning, they might not have any teeth left after devouring all of these. The hamper contains 42 different traditional sweets, including Rhubarb & Custard Sweets, Sherbet Lemon Sweets, Softies Fruit Sticks, Happy Tattoo Bubblegum, Sherbet Filled Tubbies, and Original Double Lollies. This hamper will be a favourite for people of all ages.Review: "It was so nostalgic going through all the sweets in this box there is such a wonderful selection! An awesome gift for any candy lover but also if there's someone you know who hasn't tried a lot of British sweets this is great. It is jam-packed and totally worth the money!"