Used well, a personalised box says you thought about the person, not just the occasion. For most givers, that is exactly the impression worth making.

Quantity is the next decision, and it is where couples tend to overspend or come up short. Work per table rather than per head at first. A round of ten guests usually wants ten individual favours, plus a couple spare for the top table and any late additions. order chocolates from Lily O'Brien's roughly five to ten per cent over your final count. Chocolates keep, so a small surplus is never wasted, whereas a shortfall on the morning is a genuine headache.

For clients, a hamper reads as considered. It arrives as an occasion in itself, it shares around an office, and it carries a professional message without tipping into extravagance. Choose one with a neutral presentation rather than anything overtly seasonal, so it works whether it lands in March or in the week before Christmas. A restrained box travels better across industries and personalities than a novelty one.

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.

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.

See more on this at dessert-inspired chocolate collection.