Dear Mary: How do I guide my godmother to buy me better wine?

Q. When is the cut-off date for wishing people a happy new year and asking if someone had a good Christmas? I’m finding it increasingly difficult to stay civil.

– L.G., Fosbury, Wilts

A. 14 January is the cut-off date for wishing people a happy new year. The Church itself puts an end to Christmas officially at Candlemas on 2 February, so it is absurd to persist in mentioning it beyond this weekend. Bear in mind that these well-wishers mean no harm. They are usually just stuck for something more interesting to say.

Q. We have bought a house in Somerset, but the council requires the bins to be placed at the end of our drive by 7 a.m. on a Friday. We get there on Fridays at 7 p.m. at the earliest and we can’t even find a cleaner, let alone someone to take the rubbish up to the road, then wait around to wheel the bins back. My husband says we will have to sell up. What should we do?

– S.B., London W11

A. Double bag your rubbish and drive it back to London. Dispose of it in your London bins.

Q. I’m in my early sixties and have so far refused to use emojis on principle. However, some of my friends use them multiple times in texts and I have no idea what they’re saying. Any suggestions?

– H.S., Burford, Oxon

A. The website vistasocial.com will allow you to translate the emojis. Meanwhile, hold your nerve and your dignity and continue with traditional vocabulary when you text.

Q. My godmother still looks after me even though I am now 31. She gives me a case of wine each birthday from the year of my birth: 1993. The trouble is that now I have become more interested in and knowledgeable about wine, I realise this was not a very good vintage. I would love to be able to steer her on to better years without causing offence. How can I though?

– I.H., London SW11

A. A wine expert advises: ‘1993 was a challenging year but by no means universally poor. Southern Europe was hit by rain, so that rules out Bordeaux, Rioja and northern Italian wines. However, it was a good year for champagne, with good acidity and ripeness. Top Californian producers did well in 1993… and there was a strong vintage in south Australia, with well-balanced wines showing good concentration.’ You could suggest to your godmother that she explores these regions, but personally I would not rock the boat. It might remind her that you are a full adult and that, since you have outgrown her in sophistication, it’s time for her to wind up this birthday tradition.