Handmade Christmas chutney, marmalade and gifts from a Wiltshire kitchen
Christmas around The Old Rectory means the open pans rarely stop. From mid summer we cook small batches of festive preserves by hand, exactly as we do the rest of the year, only with the warming spices and seasonal fruit that suit the table at this time of year. If you are looking for Christmas food gifts in the UK that feel personal rather than mass-produced, every jar here is made and labelled by us in Dauntsey, near Chippenham.
Our festive range leans on the things people reach for over the holidays. A proper Christmas chutney to sit beside the cheese, a fruited Christmas marmalade for Boxing Day toast, and a slow-cooked cranberry sauce that holds its shape rather than slumping into syrup. We make a Christmas plum chutney and a Boxing Day chutney built for cold cuts and leftover turkey, plus a cranberry sauce with port for anyone who likes a little more depth on the plate.
Because the jars travel well, they make easy stocking filler food gifts and reliable foodie Christmas gifts when you are stuck for ideas. A chutney gift set or a Christmas preserves gift box covers the relatives who already have everything, while a single jar as a present does the job for a teacher, neighbour or colleague.
What to pair with your Christmas cheeseboard
Christmas cheeseboard accompaniments are where our chutneys earn their keep. A sharp cheddar wants something sweet and oniony alongside it; a soft, bloomy cheese is happier with fruit. If you want to build a board properly, our savoury chutneys and pickles give you the full spread of options, and our best-selling preserves are a safe starting point if you are ordering for guests with mixed tastes.
Prefer something for the breakfast table on Christmas morning? Our zesty marmalades are the obvious companion to toast and bucks fizz, and the smaller 42g mini jars make charming place settings or advent fillers. You can buy Christmas chutney online from us throughout the season, and we post in reinforced packaging designed for glass.
Many of our recipes are multiple award winners, which is a useful shorthand when you are choosing a gift for someone whose palate you trust. If you would rather see what other shoppers send year after year, the award-winning collection is a good place to browse before the rush.
Everything in our festive range is made and labelled by hand here at The Old Rectory, and posted in reinforced packaging built for glass, so a jar can travel to a doorstep across the country and arrive intact. With over 100 seasonal specials across the year, the Christmas shelf is one of the busiest, so if a particular festive flavour catches your eye it is worth ordering before stocks run down. We hold a five-out-of-five food hygiene rating from Wiltshire Council, which we mention not to boast but because it matters when you are sending food to the people you love.
There is more to Christmas preserves than the cheeseboard. A spoonful of chutney stirred into gravy adds depth to the roast, marmalade brushed over a ham gives a glossy citrus glaze, and cranberry sauce is as good cold in a turkey sandwich on the twenty-seventh as it is warm on the day.
The days after Christmas are where our Boxing Day chutney and plum chutney earn their place, turning leftover meats and tired cheese into something worth sitting down for. We also fill a steady stream of corporate and client gifts at this time of year, since a handmade jar from a named Wiltshire kitchen says rather more than a generic hamper.
Whatever you are planning, ordering early is the kindest thing you can do for yourself, as both the festive batches and the carriers grow busier by the day through December.
Frequently asked questions
When should I order Christmas preserves to arrive in time?
Order as early as you can in December, as festive batches and gift sets sell out before the carriers reach their busiest cut-off dates.
Do you sell Christmas chutney gift sets?
Yes, we offer chutney gift sets and mixed Christmas preserves gift boxes that combine festive chutneys, marmalades and cranberry sauce.
What is the difference between your cranberry sauce and supermarket versions?
Ours is a slow-cooked cranberry sauce made in small batches, including a cranberry sauce with port, rather than a smooth commercial jelly.
Can I buy a single jar as a stocking filler?
Yes, individual jars work well as stocking filler food gifts and pair neatly with a card for teachers, neighbours or colleagues.
