For a birth announcement, the same idea travels well by post. A box carrying the new arrival's name says congratulations more warmly than a card and reaches family who cannot visit in person yet. It suits grandparents, godparents and the friends who want to mark the moment without turning up with yet another set of babygrows.

A quick word on dietary needs. Guests will ask, so check the ingredient information published for each product and pass people to that detail rather than making assurances yourself. It is the honest way to handle it and it saves awkward conversations on the day.

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.

It also suits the man who is hard to buy for precisely because he says he wants nothing. A collection asks nothing of him, needs no assembly, and does not sit around as clutter. He opens it, shares some, keeps the rest, and that is the whole transaction. For a certain kind of recipient, that ease is exactly the appeal.

Personalisation is worth thinking about early. A printed message, a monogram or the wedding date turns a nice box into a keepsake. Ask what the personalisation actually involves before you commit, since some options print onto the sleeve and Lily O'Brien's gifting others onto a card insert, and the two photograph very differently across a long table.

One honest point that applies to any recipient. If he asks about ingredients or dietary suitability, point him to the published product information rather than reassuring him yourself.