What to expect from Waitrose for Christmas 2017 Review
Reviewed by Emma Rogers
You probably aren’t thinking about Christmas 2017 yet, but I can guarantee that you’re likely to be shopping at Waitrose for your Christmas table. Based on their food, as well as for the great gifts that they will have on offer, you will make a bee-line for their newest offerings this year.
Wondering what the theme will be for 2017? Well there’s a 1970s theme with a new Black Forest gateaux and a slightly different take on the mince pie with a chocolate variety this year, a new salted caramel style cinnamon and carrot cake and gin soaked smoked salmon. Thankfully that’s not all there is to make a Waitrose Christmas. First, you need to see their new range of luxury Christmas cards, covered in glitter and all handmade, as are many of their tree decorations. Top tip here – there are more decorations for sale in stores than there are online, so you’re better off choosing the shatter-proof baubles in your local store when you do your shopping. The new square luxury crackers are also available this year, with premium gifts such as selfie sticks, or there’s the children’s crackers which are more highly decorated.
Unlike previous years, Waitrose are now selling more beauty products for adults, including the new nail varnish and lip balm ranges from Butter of London. The gift box range, decorated in a royalty, tartan theme, include Rockin’ Royals 6-piece lip and nail collection, and another set of 6 nail varnishes in miniature pinks and metallics. Men are catered for as well with shaving gift sets from Hawkins and Brindle, including facial scrubs and post-shave balms. One of my favourite gifts for grownups is the Blind Date with a Book. A service brought over from Fremantle Australia, the idea is based on the proverb ‘don’t judge a book by its cover.’ Each book is delicately wrapped in brown paper and labelled with just a few clues as to what the book is about; Thriller, India, romance, countryside… and you only find out what the book is when you open it. At £7 each, it’s perfect for a Secret Santa present, or as a stocking filler. Another great idea for grown-up presents are a new coffee brand called the Roastworks Coffee Co. A new company, it was started by Caroline and Will after Will’s parents retired from the coffee roasting business in Europe. The married couple brought the roaster back to Devon where they are expertly roasting new varieties of beans for the UK market, which is shortly available in Waitrose. This British coffee differs from other varieties because of their expert way of not over roasting the beans. It results in 4 new flavours including Kenya, Sumatra and Espresso. Try either the capsules or the ground beans and try the difference for yourself.
The Christmas table will be bejewelled this year with the usual turkey, but the added advantage of having the gingerbread stuffing already pre-prepared and wrapped in bacon makes it an easy centre piece this year. You still have the usual pigs in blankets, roast potatoes (in goose fat) and new tasty vegetable rolls but the desserts this year are to die for. Carefully designed so that they can be cut into portions easily for the whole family and most of them are around £10 each. My favourite was the mocha chocolate dessert with added cream.
Waitrose this year have been promoting more English wines, including the Leckford Estate sparkling white which is from Waitrose’s own vineyard in the Hampshire countryside. Their new sweet dessert wine, Denbies Noble Harvest is also British, and much sweeter than most dessert wines – great to go with the new Bishops Blue Stilton. Delicious!
Whatever you’re looking for this year, it’s obvious that Waitrose have put a lot of thought into their seasonal range and their Christmas table ideas to make Christmas more memorable for you, and you won’t need to shop anywhere else for any of your Christmas shopping.
For more information visit www.waitrose.com.