Choose a chocolate made with care, present it simply, order in good time, and your favours will do exactly what they should. They will say thank you, look the part on the table, and quietly make it home in a handful of pockets.

Provenance suits an occasion built on longevity. Lily O'Brien's has handcrafted its chocolates in Newbridge, Co. Kildare since Mary Ann O'Brien founded the brand in 1992, so there is a continuity to the gift that quietly echoes the anniversary itself. A maker with a long history behind it fits a celebration of years together.

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 personalised touch suits the occasion well. A message marking the years of service, or simply the leaver's name, turns the hamper into a keepsake of the day rather than a generic box. Keep any message warm and brief, allow lead time for the personalisation, and order earlier still if the retirement falls near Christmas.

A last practical point. Recipients occasionally ask about ingredients or dietary suitability, so direct those questions to the published product information rather than answering on the brand's behalf. It is accurate and it protects you.

If you want to lift it further, a personalised message or his name on the box turns a generic present into one addressed to him. Keep the message short and let the collection do the talking. Allow a little extra time for personalised print, and more in the run-up to Christmas when orders stack up.

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