Season’s eatings for those who appreciate good food.

There is a certain type of man who would much rather finish the holidays with a full stomach than a full wardrobe. You know the type: always the first in line at the latest no-queueing restaurant; turns up for dinner with not just a bottle, but a whole side of trout; has an Instagram feed entirely populated by plates, not faces. What do you give him for Christmas, except an eye roll and a pack of heartburn tablets? Something exquisite for his dining table, that’s what. Scroll down for our current favourites in this department.

If your intended recipient truly cares about what goes in their mouth, imagine their delight at receiving a gilded silver spoon with which to enjoy their boiled egg in the morning. Imagine further, if said spoon came with an attractive egg cup supported by a pair of chicken legs. Actually, you don’t need to imagine – British brand Asprey has produced such a thing, and it’s marvellous – we can safely say that it’s the best piece of chicken-themed paraphernalia on MR PORTER, if not in the world. Of course, not every gourmand is addicted to the traditional routine of a sit-down breakfast with the paper. If your intended recipient, in fact, is more of a culinary traveller, he may appreciate this set of fine quality chopsticks, rests, bowls and plates from Japan Best – a brand that proffers items hand-crafted by expert Japanese artisans.

There’s foodies and then there’s foodies. The former camp might read Eater and go out for dinner three times a week; the latter camp throws decadent, five-course dinner parties heaving with seafood and wines from the 1990s. These sort of exceptional people need exceptional tools, naturally, so it’s a good thing MR PORTER has invested in a few from Lorenzi Milano. First up, for the champagne-drinking portion of the evening, is this delightful caviar spoon, which has been made from mother of pearl so as not to disrupt the delicate flavour of the delicacy in question. Then, for the sit-down bit, there’s this truffle shaver set, handmade from iroko wood by the master craftsmen of Lorenzi’s workshop in the historic Navigli district of Milan. We recommend whipping it out instead of the obligatory bowl of parmesan, and helping your guests to a delicious serving of thinly sliced truffle atop their pasta. Expect thank you notes.

Of course, some men have eyes bigger than their stomachs, and the healthiest way to indulge these individuals is to take the knives and forks out of their hands and replace them with a nice book to read. MR PORTER currently holds an enviable selection of gastronomically inclined publications, of which the two above – Ms Vanessa Dina’s The Art Of The Bar Cart, and Assouline’s encyclopaedic atlas of good Global Epicuran are just an example. Browse all our books for more ways to keep your hungry friend or relative distracted this holiday.