Canderel

Alternative gifts could make for a happier Christmas this year Christmas is undoubtedly a wonderful time of the year, but what's not quite so great is the thought of all that spending in the run-up to the big day itself.

According to the charity Mind, up to 40 per cent of people experience increased levels of anxiety about money during the festive season, while 50 per cent say they usually spend more than they can really afford on gifts for family and friends.

This can't be good at all for your wellbeing and could mean you don't enjoy the festivities as much, especially if you're busy thinking about a big credit card bill come January!

However, Christmas has not always involved big displays of consumerism, so why not go back to basics this year and focus on giving things that will really mean something to your loved ones?

Instead of buying cards, why don't you head to your local craft or stationery store and buy the materials you will need to make them? It's easier and cheaper than you may think and can really personalise your creations.

If you still want to exchange gifts but want something original, getting crafty could be the answer again. Really sweet - not to mention useful - things can be made with a few simple materials and might even start you off on a new hobby.

There are lots of resources you can use to help you, including Simply Homemade magazine and Making magazine, which cover lots of different crafts, and books like Stitch 'n Bitch - The Knitter's Handbook or the wacky Stupid Sock Creatures. Try making your own soaps, cushion covers, wall hangings and toys instead of buying the expensive ones you see in the shops.

You could also get hold of really cheap home decor items and use paints to alter them and personalise them - a photo collage in the style of Victorian decoupage (A popular hobby in the 1800’s, gluing layers of coloured paper cutouts over items to decorate them) would be lovely on a picture frame, tea tray or even miniature set of drawers to remind your friend or relative of you.

The website buynothingchristmas.org suggests giving handmade recipe books to share your favourite dishes and recording your favourite book on tape too, which would be a lovely gesture for an old person who struggles to read small print.

Finally, think about a token gift to go with a charity donation. For instance, if you donate a fruit tree to an elderly person in a third world country on behalf of a friend, you might then use scraps of material to make a scented fruit decoration for their tree that will come out every Christmas.

As long as you get everything ready in plenty of time, you will soon have an array of gifts that have cost you next to nothing but will mean the world to the recipient. You may also find that the time you spend making and creating things from scratch helps to lower your stress levels and increase your wellbeing even further!