What Hungarians give each other for Christmas + gift tips

Personalised gifts are the best; however, sometimes we would like to gift someone whom we do not know really well, or who is just impossible to buy for. These four universal gift ideas are here to help you with your last-minute Christmas shopping.

Gift vouchers

Photo: Pixabay

Many people believe it is better to gift experiences instead of material objects. Gift vouchers are incredibly popular every year.

Most people opt for different wellness services. Last year, a representative survey revealed that 43% of Hungarians said to feel most grateful for the wellness vouchers they found under the tree, hellovidek writes.

There are so many wellness hotels in Hungary that it is almost impossible to visit them all in a lifetime. Click here to see CNN’s recommendations for the best wellness places in Hungary, or click here to see the top 10 Hungarian wellness hotels according to Gult&Millau.

Pálinka

Photo: facebook.com/pg/palinkaofficial

You can never go wrong with Pálinka, as it is the ultimate gift for any season. However, it is especially handy for occasions that revolve around eating, just like Christmas. Traditionally, especially in the countryside, each meal starts with an aperitif, which is most often pálinka. It is said to help with your appetite and digestion.

Home-made is always the best option.

Official statistics revealed that there was more pálinka produced last year in Hungarian homes than in official factories and producers. If you have no idea what to buy, try the 2017 plum pálinka from Tuzséri Pálinka Manufaktúra [Pálinka Manufactory from Tuzsér], which was chosen palinka of the year in 2019.

A box of Hungarian artisan chocolate

Read alsoHungarian chocolate wonder chosen as the best bonbon of the world

Hungarian artisan chocolates started putting themselves on the map and collecting international awards. Be careful to avoid cheap or lower quality bonbons in the supermarkets. No one will eat those, and they will end up circulating in the family until they get back to you a year later. Instead,

opt for Hungarian artisan brands like chocoMe, Harrer, Fabric Csokoládé, or Demeter Chocolate. If you have no time to go to artisan shops (or don’t have the budget for it), you will be just as safe with store-bought Hungarian brands like Szerencsi or Szamos.

A bottle of quality Hungarian wine

Photo: www.bikaverunnep.hu/

If you think that a bottle of wine is such a cliché gift, think again. It is so handy to have a glass of wine at dinner or have one by the fire during a cosy conversation with your family or friends. It is a nice and easy way to save your hosts some trouble. They prepared an amazing meal, and you provide the alcohol that goes great with it. There are so many great Hungarian wines, however,

Egri Bikavér is believed to be the ultimate Hungarian wine for Christmas. Lighter versions of Bikavér, e.g. classicus or superior, pair nicely with traditional dishes made with paprika like fisherman’s soup, catfish paprikash or stuffed cabbage.

Likewise, poultry roasted lamb and also the traditional “disznótoros”, where the lively acidity of Kékfrankos counterpoints the fat of the various sausages and black pudding.

Source: Daily News Hungary; www.hellovidek.hu