The finish is what makes it feel like thanks rather than habit. These chocolates are handcrafted in Newbridge, Co. Kildare, where Mary Ann O'Brien founded the company in 1992, and a single-origin dark or a hand-finished praline carries that through better than a supermarket box picked up on the last morning.

For anyone who likes to know the background before they buy, the cocoa is sourced through Cocoa Horizons and the company is a member of Origin Green, with production held to BRC Grade A+ standard. Get the list, format, posting and buying done across four November weeks, and Christmas gifting stops being a December problem.

The making is where it earns its place. These chocolates are handcrafted in Newbridge, Co. Kildare, where Mary Ann O'Brien founded the company in 1992, and a single-origin dark, hand-finished, is a more personal gift than flowers bought from a bucket at a garage forecourt.

The making sits behind all of this. These chocolates are handcrafted in Newbridge, Co. Kildare, where Mary Ann O'Brien started the company in 1992, and a boxed selection is put together to survive the journey and arrive looking as it should.

As with any bought-in gift, check allergen information on the packaging or with the retailer directly if buying for someone whose dietary needs are not known well.

The third is presentation. A well-made boxed selection reads as considered on its own, without needing a vase or trimming. It travels by post if you are apart on the day, and it arrives intact rather than needing water within the hour. For a couple spending the evening together, it doubles as something to share bag chocolates after dinner.