It's still November, but what the heck, here goes ... if it's good enough for Charles Dickens, it's good enough for you. The author of Bleak House and Hard Times would snap himself out of misery at end of writing each book by ordering a Fortnum & Mason's hamper. This year, and for one season only, in celebration of the store's 300th anniversary, Fortnum and Mason is offering a Seismosaurus-sized hamper.
At £20,000 a throw, it's unlikely you'll find Ebenezer Scrooge lining up for The Tercenturian Hamper during this year's season of goodwill. Just to get some perspective here, the hamper is a paltry £2,280 shy of the yearly salary of your average worker in Dyfed. Unsurprisingly, it is packed to the three-tiered wicker rafters with goodies.
250g drum Champagne truffles, 25 person foie gras en croûte, Krug Champagne, Vintage Collection 1981, Magnum, Beluga Caviar, 200g tin, St James Christmas Pudding, Side of Smoked Scottish Wild Salmon, min wt 1.6kg, Chunk Comb Honey, 14lb jar, Cropwell Bishop Whole Baby Stilton, min wt 2.2kg, Highgrove Ham, min wt 5.7kg etc etc
Not to mention the socks, cigar cutter, apron, oven glove, tea cosy and tea towel. Just one question, though: where's the Terry's Chocolate Orange?
