I imagine it’s a common experience for those of my generation, but when I was a small child my grandmother always used to give me socks and underpants for Christmas. My cynicism began early, so I quickly concluded that her perverse indifference to my desire for a remote controlled motor boat was a result of her desire to curry favour with my mother who always seemed to approve of such “sensible” gifts. In defence of my mother, I learned later that she thought they were just as daft as I did.

Over the years I have come to realise that the giving of a White Elephant is an art form –  not that my grandmother indulged in such frivolity, she just loved socks and underpants. So I am considering a bid on these, in anticipation that I will, at some point, find someone with a sufficiently well developed lack of taste to truly appreciate their splendour.