As ever, do not make assumptions about anyone's dietary needs or allergens. Choose the hamper and point the recipient to the information on each product if they ask. For those who care where the chocolate comes from, the cocoa is sourced through Cocoa Horizons and the company is a member of Origin Green, with production held to BRC Grade A+ standard.

By the end of November the work is done. December becomes about seeing people rather than chasing delivery slots, and nothing on the list is left to the week where everything sells out.

The third thing is the address and the message. A gift sent to a workplace needs to arrive on a day the recipient is in. A gift to a home is safer if someone is likely to be there, though a boxed selection left in a porch will come to no harm in cold weather. Adding a written message at the point of ordering means the gift arrives ready to give rather than needing a separate card.

A closing practical note: do not make assumptions about dietary needs or allergens on someone's behalf, even a partner's; the product information covers it. And for those who like to know the background, the cocoa is sourced through Cocoa Horizons and the company is a member of Origin Green, with production held to BRC Grade A+ standard.

Three weeks out is the moment to decide what kind of gift you are giving. A boxed collection of chocolates suits a father who likes something to sit with after dinner. A share bag chocolates selection works if the day is spent together and the box is opened at the table. This is also the point to check whether you are posting the gift or handing it over, because postal orders need the longer runway.

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 chocolates avoids all three problems.