Present for all the year

A couple of days after that and it may well be presents and paper in the bin.

Such is the fragility of the modern Christmas. But because, like a dog,

some presents aren't just for Christmas, with a modicum of care and attention, they could be for a decent chunk of your life.

For presents, read plants, and for plants read those which have become associated with Christmas. Some are bought with a specific person in mind, some are bought because it's too late to buy anything else, some are bought because the giver just can't be bothered to buy anything else.

But anyone who receives a poinsettia, cyclamen or even a kalanchoe, should accept them with open arms. It may well be better to give than to receive, but a flowering plant should be welcomed as a miniature beacon of beauty and colour in what has become, for many, a time of over-indulgence and cynicism.

So, you've ripped off the wrapping and there you have your poinsettia, the star of Christmas plants, sold in millions to fuel the demand in December.

In its native habitat, it grows tall – very tall. But the ones that come potted and packaged in this country are deliberately kept small. The colourful bracts are just that – leaves, not flowers – but they are eye-catchingly beautiful and can be incredibly long-lasting.

Just remember that this member of the euphorbia family needs good light and a constant temperature of 65F.

Keep the compost dry rather than soaked, and watch out for white fly. Other than that, don't worry.

With that previously mentioned care and attention, you can keep a poinsettia from year to year, although it will grow taller as it gains in years.

Just one word of warning: like other euphorbia, it can secrete an irritating, latex-like sap. Get it in a cut or rub it in your eye, and you will have a Christmas to remember for all the wrong reasons.

Cyclamen, however, are far more friendly.The ones bought now are C persicum and they are capable of living and flowering for decades. They need a cool, light and airy spot. Stand them in a saucer of water, on a bed of gravel or pebbles, and let the moist air circulate around their leaves. Don't over-water and do remove any dying leaves and stems.

The kalanchoe is the sort of dinky plant that mums and grans get from dinky kids. They (the plants, not the children) are cheap and cheerful. K blossfeldiana likes a light spot. Its fleshy leaves store water, so the biggest threat to its continued existence comes from the over-zealous owner who waters regularly.

There are many more flowering plants ripe for giving as Christmas presents – from the stately hippeastrum to the smaller, more sedate African violet, but whatever arrives on the big day, treat it with respect and try to see how long you can keep it from the maw of the compost bin.