Skip the flowers, choose a large mixed collection, and add his name if you want the personal touch. It is a practical gift that suits almost any man and almost any occasion, which is precisely why it works when the usual ideas have run out.

A few practical points make personalisation go smoothly. Check the character limit before writing your message, and read the spelling back carefully, since a printed name is permanent and a misspelt one is worse than none. If you are working from an image, use a clear, bright one. Allow extra time in the order, because personalised print adds a step, and longer still if the christening falls near Christmas.

Timing is easy compared with weddings or corporate orders, but if you want personalisation, a new address or a short message for instance, allow a few extra days rather than ordering the night before.

What is inside should hold its own. Lily O'Brien's Ireland 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.

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.

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.

• 글쓰기

• 수정
• 삭제
• 목록