Carved by hand in Kington • In 4 active carts right now • Only 87 left before Christmas
Aubrey's Oak Christmas Serving Tray
Aubrey's Oak Christmas Serving Tray
Dispatched within 2–3 working days
90-day money-back guarantee
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Aubrey's Oak Christmas Serving Tray
Handcarved in Kington, Herefordshire · since 1986
One solid piece of oak · no glue · no plasticA Little Christmas, Carved From One Piece of English Oak
“Every one of these was headed for a bonfire. Now it gets to hold somebody’s mince pies.” — Aubrey
“Everybody buys the cheap one once. By next Christmas the shine has gone cloudy and there is a dark line down the middle. Mine have nothing in them to come apart.”
— Aubrey Tranter (68), at the bench since 1986Pick your shape
Christmas Tree
The first one he ever carved, for his mum in 1988. Three tiers for mince pies, fudge and shortbread.
Reindeer
A deep round bowl with carved antlers. Clementines by the door, a carrot for Rudolph on Christmas Eve.
Gingerbread Man
Head, body and legs as three compartments. Walnuts, chocolates and the good biscuits.
Snowman
The biggest of the six. Hat, head and a wide belly for Stilton, oatcakes and grapes.
Santa Hat
Two compartments plus a little round pompom dish for olives, nuts or a dip.
Stocking
Cuff, leg, heel and toe. The chocolate tray nobody admits to eating from.
Each tray comes from a different log, so colour and grain vary slightly. Sizes are approximate.
What makes Aubrey’s trays different
Carved from one block
No strips, no glue seams. The grain runs unbroken from the rim into every compartment and through to the back.
Rescued English oak
Every tray comes from Herefordshire oaks brought down by storms or felled for safety. No healthy living tree is cut.
The wood they built ships from
English oak is dense, tough and close-grained, so cheese knives and serving forks do not mark it every season.
Dried slowly, then rested
Months of air drying, a small kiln, then rest again before the gouge. This is the step cheap trays skip, and why they crack.
Oil only, never lacquer
Scraped by hand and finished with food-safe mineral oil. Nothing sprayed on, nothing to flake onto your mince pies.
Out all year
Mince pies at Christmas, olives at New Year, snacks in February, keys on the dresser the rest of the year.
The shop-bought tray and his
| Typical shop tray | Aubrey’s tray | |
|---|---|---|
| Build | 4–5 strips glued together | One solid piece of English oak |
| Finish | Sprayed lacquer that clouds and flakes | Food-safe mineral oil |
| Drying | Rushed, cracks after a few weeks | Air-dried, kilned, rested |
| Wood | Plantation acacia or rubberwood | English oak from fallen hedgerow trees |
| Hot food | Plastic and melamine platters: not advised | Fine — nothing to leach out |
| Made by | A factory line | One man in a stone barn in Kington |
Made by hand in Kington, Herefordshire
My grandfather laid our hedges in 1931. When they were grubbed out in 1986, every old oak in them went on a bonfire, and I dragged one of them off it. Two years later I carved my mum a little Christmas tree tray out of it. It still comes out of her cupboard every December.
I have carved every Christmas since. I work alone, I throw out one tray in five that is not right, and my niece Tamsin packs and posts them from here. If yours is not right for any reason, send it back. I would rather have it back on my bench than in your loft.
— Aubrey Tranter
Why hot food should not sit on plastic
Most Christmas platters, party plates and divided snack trays are hard plastic — usually melamine, sometimes “bamboo” mixed with melamine resin. Cold, they are fine. The trouble starts with exactly what goes on them at Christmas: hot sausage rolls, warm dips, gravy, cranberry sauce.
Aubrey’s trays are one piece of English oak with a food-safe oil. No plastic, no resin, no lacquer — nothing in them that heat can pull out into your food.
How to use and care for it
- Fill it. Mince pies, sweets, nuts, cheese, olives, fruit. Warm food is fine — that is the point. It is just wood.
- Wash by hand. Warm water and a drop of soap, then dry it standing on its edge. No dishwasher, no soaking.
- Oil it now and then. A thin coat of food-safe mineral oil once a month keeps the colour deep. Wipe off what does not soak in.
- Leave it out. It does not have to go back in the loft on Boxing Day.
Perfect for
What arrives at your door
- One handcarved English oak tray in the shape you choose
- Already oiled and ready to use
- Wrapped in tissue and kraft paper, ready to go under the tree
- A short care note from Aubrey
90-Day Money-Back Guarantee
Fill it, serve on it, give it away. If it is not right — the size, the shape, the grain, or no reason at all — send it back within 90 days for your money back. No restocking fee.
Specifications
| Material | Solid English oak, one piece |
| Finish | Food-safe mineral oil, no lacquer |
| Sizes | Tree 20 × 14 cm · Reindeer 20 × 17 cm · Gingerbread Man 20 cm tall · Snowman 30 × 19 cm · Santa Hat 18 cm tall · Stocking 20 cm tall |
| Care | Hand wash, dry on edge, oil monthly. Not dishwasher or microwave safe. |
| Made in | Kington, Herefordshire, England |
| Ships | Within 3 business days, free UK delivery |
A Note From Aubrey
A Note From Aubrey
A message from Aubrey:
When the hedgerows round Kington were grubbed out in 1986, every old oak in them went on a bonfire. I dragged one log home, and two Christmases later I carved my mum a little tree tray out of it. She still fills it with shortbread every December.
I carve every tray myself in the barn behind the farmhouse, one piece of oak each, no glue and no plastic. I throw out one in five that isn't right. My niece Tamsin wraps and posts the rest.
I only get so many done before Christmas. When this year's are gone, they're gone.
Free Delivery
Free Delivery
Free delivery across the UK
- Dispatched within 2–3 working days (Royal Mail Tracked)
- Insured: every parcel is fully insured
- Already oiled and wrapped in tissue and kraft paper, ready to go under the tree
Frequently Asked Questions
Got a question? Here’s how to reach us.
Got a question? Here’s how to reach us.
Tamsin, Aubrey's niece, personally replies to every single email – as fast as she possibly can. Whether you have a question about your order or just want to say hello to Aubrey, we're here.
You can reach us:
- Mon – Fri: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM (GMT)
- Saturday: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM (GMT)
Email: info@countycraftco.com
Can I return my order if I don't like it?
Can I return my order if I don't like it?
Of course. We stand behind everything in our shop 100%. If the tray doesn't win you over, just send us an email within 90 days and we'll make it right – no hassle, no headaches.
How is it made?
How is it made?
Aubrey air-dries English oak from storm-fallen and safety-felled Herefordshire trees for months, then carves every tray from one solid piece with a gouge, scrapes it smooth by hand and finishes it with food-safe oil. No glue, no lacquer, no plastic. Six shapes: Christmas Tree, Reindeer, Gingerbread Man, Snowman, Santa Hat and Stocking.