None of this rules roses out entirely. If your partner loves flowers, buy the flowers. But if you want a gift that lasts past the week, suits their taste and does not look like everyone else's, a chocolate collection is the stronger choice, on its own or alongside a smaller bunch.

A hamper also reads differently as a gift. For a parent, a host or a friend you want to thank around Easter, a curated selection says you have thought about them specifically. It sits well as a centrepiece on the table on Easter Sunday, and unlike an egg it does not have to be broken into all at once to be enjoyed.

End-of-term gifts do not need to be elaborate. A box of well-made chocolates, handed over on the last day with a note from your child, is a thank-you a teacher will actually remember.

Sending chocolate by post is straightforward, but the details that make it go smoothly are worth knowing, especially in the weeks around Christmas, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day and Easter when the courier network is at its busiest. A little understanding of how it works saves a lot of last-minute worry.

For personal thank yous, the same logic applies. Someone who helped with a house move in October, a neighbour who kept an eye on things over a long break, a friend who supported you through a difficult stretch of the year, none of these fit neatly into the existing gifting calendar, and a January thank you fills that gap naturally rather than waiting for the next occasion to come round.

The end of the summer term brings the same small dilemma to a lot of households. You want to thank a teacher who has spent a year with your child, the budget is not endless, and you would rather not add to a staffroom already knee-deep in mugs and hand cream. A well-chosen box of wedding favour chocolates avoids all three problems.