For many, dates are a healthier, tasty and more natural alternative to chocolate but, let's face it, they don't always look that exciting, especially when they’re dried.
While I get them for special occasions - my dad in particular when he visits is more partial to dates, dried fruit and nuts than he is chocolate and other sugary treats - I'd never consider giving them as a gift.
A box of fancy chocolates or a beautiful bouquet of flowers yes. But dates? Not so much. Until now.
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Artisan food company Bateel has unveiled a stunning selection of organic gourmet dates and shoppers have been snapping them up in food halls in places like Harrods and Selfridges as well as taking to social media to show off how pretty they look.
Specialising purely in dates, Bateel has taken the humble delicacy and added a touch of luxury - not just by stuffing them with a host of delicious complementary flavours but by presenting them in eye-catching packaging a world away from the cardboard box with a plastic stick you might be used to from the supermarket.
Dates are one of those things that whenever I eat them I get a burst of pleasure and think 'why don't I get these more often?' So when I was invited to try some I felt a little surge of pleasure - not least because I knew my dad would be visiting soon and would also love to taste test them with me.
But even on that basis, when they arrived I was shocked by the wow factor that you can get from something so simple.
The four types of dates - stuffed with a pistachio brittle, a zesty candied orange, honey roasted almond and a traditional succulent stone-in variety - came exquisitely packaged in a hand-painted wooden gift box that became a beautiful centrepiece on my coffee table.
The dates were all delicious, although my favourite was definitely the pistachio. What’s great about dates for me is I find one (ok, two) is enough to ease my urge for something sweet whereas when it comes to chocolate I can find myself well into a box before my craving is eased.
Meanwhile every time I saw the box, which was inlaid with a beautiful geometric design detailed with silver and gold, it reminded me of a backgammon set I was given by my grandparents as a child and made me smile.
What’s more, I’ve had this beautiful and eye-catching box on my coffee table for a week - where it’s been commented upon by everyone who’s seen it - and it’s the perfect treat to offer people when they visit.
With the dates individually tucked in paper cases within cellophane that stopped their juices making the box sticky, the box can be kept as a memento long after the rest of the dates are eaten.
With this time of year seeing plenty of visiting and hosting of family and friends, it’s often hard to come up with a thoughtful gift that works for everyone.
While some of the more luxurious boxes come with larger price tags - a two drawer version of the one I sampled comes in at £402 which definitely feels like an A-list price tag, smaller boxes are available from £25 - and for my money I’d be much happier getting those than some flowers.
