And now, with the traditional mass family gatherings over Christmas thrown into question by Covid-19, the sit-ee could come into its own to fill up the chairs left vacant by whatever government restrictions we’ll be living under come December 25.

A doff of the Christmas cracker hat, then, to Dagenham’s Where The Trade Buys which has come up with the genius idea of life size sit-ees as a solution to a very 2020 problem.

“With the current fate of Christmas unknown and households capped to the ‘rule of six’, ensure your nearest and dearest are there with you on the big day, even if they can’t be,” the firm says.

The doppelgangers are up to 3ft in height and printed on Correx – nice and robust for the inevitable party games – and with a fold-out strut to keep them upright. Siblings, aunts, uncles, grandparents, pets and Santa himself can all still be part of the fun.

At £25.50 apiece, they could even represent a saving if absent relatives are of the thirsty variety.