Start with presentation. A favour that sits at each place setting is part of the table styling, so the box matters as much as what is inside. Lily O’Brien’s has been handcrafting chocolates in Newbridge, Co. Kildare since Mary Ann O’Brien started the brand in 1992, and the small-format boxes suit a place setting without crowding the glassware. Neutral tones sit comfortably with most colour schemes, which spares you matching favours to napkins.

Thank you is the most common thing a gift has to say and the easiest to get slightly wrong. Too small and it reads as an afterthought. Too large and it puts the recipient under a strange obligation. A mid-size chocolate collection or a share bag sits in the right register for almost every version of the occasion.

The case for a mixed collection is simple. It sidesteps the guesswork of a single flavour, it gives him range to work through rather than a box finished in one sitting, and it reads as generous without needing an excuse. Birthdays, a new job, Father’s Day, a thank you, or no occasion at all: a large box covers the lot, which makes it the reliable default when you are not sure what else to choose.

For more detail, see Lily O’Brien’s chocolate.

Get the count right with a sensible buffer, place each favour consistently, and order well ahead of the day. The etiquette looks after itself once the logistics do.

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.