Think about what the thank you is actually for. A colleague who covered for you, a neighbour who took a delivery, a friend who helped you move: these are favours returned, and the correct scale is warm but light. A mid-size box says thank you clearly without making the other person feel they now owe you something back. It is the everyday workhorse of considered gifting.

For the mid-range milestones, a tenth or a twentieth, the occasion earns a fuller collection. These are the anniversaries people tend to mark with a dinner or a small gathering, and a larger box suits both the moment and the room. Personalisation with the year or a couple's names lifts it from a nice box to a keepsake of a specific date.

What is inside should hold its own. Lily O'Brien's has handcrafted its chocolates in Newbridge, Co. Kildare since 1992, so the box is a genuine gift for the adults rather than a token wrapped around a name. That matters at an event where the parents are tired and the attention is all on the child.

A share bag suits the smaller, easier version of the same idea. It is right for a casual drop-in, for lilyobriens.co.uk a flat rather than a house, or for a friend who would find a full hamper too much. It still says you thought about it, and it disappears happily over an evening rather than sitting on a shelf.

Presentation matters less for this recipient than for most, but a clean, uncluttered box still reads better than fussy wrapping he will only bin. The chocolate is the gift; the packaging just needs to get it there in good order.

Presentation is worth a moment. A neutral, tidy box works across relationships, from a close friend to a professional contact you would rather not overstep with. It also spares you the guesswork of taste and colour that trips up more decorative gifts.

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