A word of care on this occasion above others. Questions about ingredients and dietary suitability come up often around new families, so point people to the published product information rather than offering assurances yourself. It is the honest and accurate way to handle it, and it matters more here than most places.

Gifts for men run into the same tired shortlist every year, and flowers rarely make it onto it. Lily O'Brien's chocolate does a better job than its reputation suggests, provided you pick the format with the recipient in mind. For most men and most occasions, a large mixed collection is the sensible answer.

For a birth announcement, the same idea travels well by post. A box carrying the new arrival's name says congratulations more warmly than a card and reaches family who cannot visit in person yet. It suits grandparents, godparents and the friends who want to mark the moment without turning up with yet another set of babygrows.

If you are ordering with a printed message, keep it short and warm, and allow a little extra time for the personalisation, especially in the busy end of the year.

A retirement gift has to carry more than most. It marks the end of a career rather than a single occasion, it usually comes from a group rather than one person, and it tends to be opened in front of the very colleagues chipping in for it. A full chocolate hamper handles all of that with a generosity the moment deserves.

For the major milestones, a fortieth, fiftieth or beyond, the gift is often shared with family, so scale and presentation both matter. A generous collection works as a centrepiece as much as a present, something the wider gathering opens together. A personalised lid marking the number of years gives everyone the reason for the day in a glance.