CHRISTMAS shopping – for few it’s a pleasure, but for most of us, it’s a chore.

We all know at least one of those smug people who have bought, wrapped and labelled their gifts already. In fact, they probably snapped them up in the sales last January!

But the disorganised and unprepared among us feel a stab of panic when we’re told how many shopping days are left until Christmas.

The toughest task is knowing what to buy. Do we really want to give the same old things – smellies for mum, socks for dad – every year?

Brits waste £50 on unwanted gifts a year, totalling a massive £2.3 billion over the Christmas season. A third are sold on the internet after the Christmas holiday has passed.

So, taking some time to think about what your recipients really want will save you cash – not to mention hours of indecision in the crowded aisles.

Here’s a few ideas to give you some inspiration...

GIVE A DOUBLE GIFT Christmas is the season of goodwill and if you want to be really generous this year, why not give a present that benefits more than one person? You may have seen the TV adverts for Oxfam Unwrapped, showing celebrities with unwanted Christmas gifts. The principle of the Oxfam Unwrapped is to encourage us to avoid giving presents that will never be used and instead donate to charity or sponsor projects on someone’s behalf. Gifts range greatly in price – from basic food or medical supplies from £6 to more than £1,000 to help a farming business back onto its feet. The person you are buying for gets a gift booklet explaining what you have bought on their behalf, with a personalised message. Oxfam Unwrapped is just one charity website offering gifts like these. You could even just give a donation to the person’s favourite charity on their behalf. Charity donations make great presents for those who like to help others – of course, there are some of us who would just prefer a gift to unwrap.

BE CRAFTY To some people, the only thing that counts about a gift is the price tag. But many of us would rather have a cheaper present that someone has put thought into, than an unsuitable gift that breaks the bank. With this in mind, why not consider saving some cash and creating a home-made gift? What you make really depends on what the person likes – you need to know them quite well. One very easy idea is to buy a cheap picture frame and fill it with a photo you know they will love. You could even create a framed memory board, with photos and mementoes of special events like gigs or nights out that you’ve enjoyed together. If they’re into music, you could raid your iTunes or CD collection and create a compilation of their favourite tracks. You could give them personalised home-made sweets, biscuits or mice pies – there’s plenty of recipes online. The list is endless really – if you have a creative talent use it.Your recipient will really appreciate the time and effort you put in – and if not, cross them off next year’s list!

RE-GIFTING We’ve all got unwanted presents stashed in cupboards – sweets you don’t like, clothes that don’t suit you. But it’s worth taking a look at the stuff and considering whether someone you know might love it. Re-wrapping an unwanted gift and passing it on – or re-gifting – is becoming increasingly popular. It can save you money and clear out your closet. Just make sure you don’t give it back to the person who sent it to you!

IT’S NOT EASY BEING GREEN ... OR IS IT? Well, it’s not always easy – but it’s not as tough as you might think to do your bit to save the planet. Everyone seems to want us to be greener, so why not try and give the environment a little gift this Christmas.Simple things you can do include: Avoid leaving fairy lights on all the time – you don’t need them lit when you’re not looking at them! Recycle your wrapping paper and present packaging – or even better, buy recycled in the first place. Buy rechargeable batteries for toys. It saves waste and means you don’t need to find a shop that’s open when the first lot runs out on Christmas Day!Buy a real Christmas tree. It will degrade naturally or it can be recycled at household waste sites. Some community groups like Scouts even do rounds after Christmas, collecting trees for recycling in return for donations.