by Silva Payne

Created on: October 14, 2009   Last Updated: May 31, 2010

One of the biggest drains on a household budget can be buying gifts for Christmas. We all know that it happens at the same time each year, yet somehow it often manages to sneak up on us and take us by surprise. Then we rush out and spend more money than we can really afford, often on things the recipient doesn't want. Here are a few tricks to avoid spending too much on Christmas gifts, and to have a merrier Christmas all round.

It may be boring, and somewhat depressing to be thinking of Christmas in the middle of June. However, forward planning is one of the best ways to avoid spending too much on Christmas gifts. Set yourself a small budget for each month, and make a list of the people you want to purchase gifts for. I

f you are buying timeless gifts such as perfume, clothes or books, or just vouchers for the individual to choose their own gift, these can be bought early on in the year. Leave the very special individual gifts until around October. By allowing yourself a set amount of funds each month, you should be able to avoid borrowing too much from the household budget. Plus you should be able to keep track of how much you have spent on gifts.

Another practical way of spending less on Christmas gifts is to make some or all of them yourself. Homemade gifts need not look second rate, and often they can be tailored to suit the individual much more easily than trying to find something in a shop. If you are going to make your own gifts, remember to start early in the year, and set aside some space in your home to store the finished items away from curious eyes.

Food makes a great gift at Christmas; preserves and chutneys can be made some way in advance, but for last minute gifts, candies and cookies are ideal. For these gifts, the packaging is just as important as the contents to avoid them looking cheap. You can find small baskets in most charity shops for just a few pennies, and then decorate with seasonal ribbons and tissue paper before adding your goodies. Finish by covering with cellophane wrap and a big ready-made adhesive bow.

If you have a large family, agreeing some Christmas gift ground-rules is a very useful strategy. In many families, the adults agree to spend no more than a small amount on gifts for other adults. Sometimes there is an agreement not to buy gifts at all for adults other than the parents or spouse. Alternatively, if your family is large but close, a version of the office party favourite Secret Santa can be a good way of limiting

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