Dinner with the girls usually goes something like this: wine, weepy confessional, more wine, angry ex-boyfriend rant, more wine, big group hug.

You, however, spend most of the time checking your BlackBerry.

Struggling to bring some unforced emotion to the table?

Look no further than Maria Lintott’s quirky ceramics. The Royal College of Art alumnae believes strongly in the emotional attachment we have to objects, so she created a line of vases, presentation bowls and milk jugs you’ll treasure forever.

The collection is handmade in Hertfordshire using the finest bone china. Pretty little pastel teacups have double handles for ease when passing hot drinks to loved ones. For the man in your life, there’s a moustache cup with built-in rim to protect his hairy upper lip.

It’s enough to show you care.

Available online at marialintott.net.

Photo: Courtesy of Maria Lintott