Wrapping presents is usually a huge drama for many around the festive season (and even for some of those Christmas enthusiasts I might add). I have never really understood this. Maybe it's because I am a perfectionist, or maybe just because I love the idea of giving but I have never had any lack of passion or motivation when it comes to gift wrapping and have for many years now donated my wrapping services to all friends and family who are 'less than thrilled' to do it themselves. Now I would like to share some of the tips I have learned with you to make your gift-wrapping easier too.

First of all when you think 'wrapping', don't automatically assume you have to use paper! There is a huge variety of cost savvy ways you can give your gift that little extra something without having to revert to store bought paper and ribbon. Try using a vintage tea towel (that you can pick up cheaply from your local Sallies or Red Cross). Now instead of ribbon think outside the square. I'm talking shoelaces, headscarves, and ties, fabric scraps. These all make a lovely addition to your gift as the recipient can then use them for the purpose in which they we're originally intended. Let's face it most of us have most of these things hiding in the back of our closet or our miscellaneous draw anyway.

My next tip is to get the kids involved. Most children will be thrilled to help out with any Christmas activity on offer. They can make potato stamps in Christmassy shapes such as stars, trees or holly or with cookie cutters and acrylic paint they can paint inside the shape. Alternatively use red, green, white, gold and silver (or any combination that appeals harmonious to the eye) paint or ink to stamp/ paint onto old newspapers.

When expressing my hatred of paper, I was only referring to new store bought paper. If you can reuse old paper in any way I applaud you. Old maps can make great wrapping for square or rectangular shaped objects such as books.

Another great trick is to re-use old envelopes as seed packets or make new ones from old paper or cardboard. You can draw a picture of what the seeds are on the front of them for added decoration. They make beautiful and thoughtful gifts without having to step off the property!

Make the most of old magazines and last years Christmas cards. You can use pages from old magazines to wrap small gifts. Use the picture side of last years Christmas cards to make gift tags. This can be done by cutting the picture into three width ways, then scoring in the centre of each third and folding to make three gift cards. You can now punch a hole in the corner and tie using old ribbon.

My next tip is to make use of eco bags. Place an item inside the bag and then wrap it up and tie. If your having trouble with getting the fabric to stay in place, some double-sided sticky-tape should do the trick. Now when your friend/ family member opens the gift they will discover they have two gifts, and one is a very useful eco bag!

If you decide to give someone some nice tea or coffee use old glass jars to store it in and then make pretty labels out of brown paper to stick on the front saying things like 'organic, fair-trade green tea, picked and given with love'.

Now for my final tip for this particular silly season. Last year I made up my own gift hampers for friends and family, which were very well received! I used baskets bought from the second hand store then filled each basket with a small glass jar of tea, a few small packets of incense from trade aid, old samples of body lotion etc. that I had got given as promotion or in magazines, two white dove Christmas decorations (made from old cardboard cut into the shape of a dove, glued together with a piece of looped string inside and covered in fine sparkly white glitter) and seed packets. I know they consisted of more than that but my Christmas brain sometimes forgets things as it gets reloaded with new Christmas ideas. This year I think I will also include ethical soaps or maybe washing powder, second hand fashion accessories like broaches and silk scarves, articles from magazines bound with string that I think would be appreciated by the particular recipient, second hand tins filled with organic, fair trade coffee, candy canes (for colour) and perhaps notebooks made from old papers or books with cardboard used for the front and back, tied with string then covered in fabric.

Hope this helps ease your pre-Christmas anxiety. Just remember KISS...Keep It Simple Stupid. With ethical gifts less is more. Often what you don't add is just as important as what you do.