We’re off to Galway next week for some friends’ wedding. The happy couple have said something that I wish I’d heard more often before: no wedding presents, please, but you may donate to a charity. They’ve used an exciting service (new to me) called The Alternative Wedding List to help their guests.

Our friends say “with over a decade of independent living behind each of us and with continued residence in rented accommodation, we have most of the moveable goods that we could wish for and no need of the large consumer products which it is traditional to present to a newly-married couple.” I know many more people could say that than actually do.