The best Spanish foods to give as Christmas gifts

Buying foodie Christmas gifts for a food lover can be a scary prospect. After all, they love their food! But there are a few things that are bound to make them smile when they unwrap - from authentic treats from a particular region to a special bottle of wine. 

Shopping for Christmas now? Here are our top picks of the best Spanish foods to give as Christmas gifts.

Play it safe with a popular, classic product that they already know and love. If we’re looking at Spain, it’s got to be Jamón Ibérico or chorizo. These cured meats are perfect for a festive charcuterie selection, with their distinctive flavours and quality production.

Add a surprise to their Christmas cheeseboard with a Spanish cheese. Manchego, made from sheep’s milk, is the most well known, but there are over 200 different varieties from all over the diverse landscape of Spain - from smoky San Simón da Costa PDO to raw milk Cabrales, a nutty blue cheese. It’s not Christmas without cheese.

Then for the tipple. Why not indulge them with a bottle of sherry from southern Andalusia. Marco de Jerez sherries are aged in caskets and are some of the world’s finest? Choose from Fino, Moscatel, Palo Cortado or Amontillado for a Christmas treat.

Are they an entertainer? Then these are the gifts for them.

First up, a bottle from Spain’s Rioja PDO. Whether they’re a red wine drinker or are partial to a white, there are 14 grape varieties to choose from, still and sparkling. They can set it centre stage.

A Spanish hamper with everything they need to create a Spanish feast is a perfect gift for foodies, whether it contains partridge pate and bonito fillets, or fresh delicacies like Ternasco de Aragón PGI lamb or patatas Gallegas. Try these authentic Spanish hampers from our very own Tapas Room. It’ll be a show stopper.

‘Tis the season for stocking up. These Spanish tinned and jarred products will go a long way towards quick, delicious dinners on a chilly January night. Go for Galician mussels with their distinctive orange hue, or silky sweet piquillo peppers from Lodosa PDO. Salted tuna is another delicacy, which can be served alongside canned asparagus as an interesting Spanish starter. 

A classic for tapas, a tin of Pimentón de la Vera PDO - essentially smoked paprika - makes a great gift. Made from dried, smoked and ground Jaranda, Jariza, Bola and Jeromín peppers, its bright red colour and smoky flavour make it the ideal finishing touch for a variety of tapas including grilled octopus and patatas bravas.

Spanish dinner tables are bursting with sweet things at Christmas, packed with classic flavours like honey, pistachio, almond and cinnamon. In these goodies you can taste the Arabic influence that crept into Spanish food centuries ago. 

Treat your loved ones to traditional Spanish desserts as a special addition to their usual Christmas chocolate, from turrones (nougat) and mazapán (marzipan) to Mantecados de Estepa PGI (shortbread biscuits) and huesos de santo (stuffed marzipan rolls). ¡Feliz Navidad!