Sending chocolate by post is straightforward, but the details that make it go smoothly are worth knowing, especially in the weeks around Christmas, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day and Easter when the courier network is at its busiest. A little understanding of how it works saves a lot of last-minute worry.

One week out is for the details. Write the message, confirm the delivery address, and decide whether the gift is arriving on the day or a little before. Chocolate keeps, so a few days early is safer than cutting it fine.

Get the full picture at Easter chocolate hamper.

The finish is what makes it feel like thanks rather than habit. These chocolates are handcrafted in Newbridge, Co. Kildare, where Mary Ann O'Brien founded the company in 1992, and a single-origin dark or a hand-finished praline carries that through better than a supermarket box picked up on the last morning.

The stocking rewards small, well-chosen things. A few wrapped chocolates or a share bag do the job the sweets used to, and leave a better impression at the bottom of the sock.

The second thing is lead time. Every seasonal peak has a delivery cut-off, and it is always earlier than people expect. The safe approach is to order several days before you think you need to, not the day before. Ordering early does not spoil the gift, because chocolate keeps, so an early arrival is simply the recipient having their gift in hand with room to spare.