Do Christmas differently

Swap gifting for giving

Instead of getting caught up in the frenzy of Christmas present shopping, stay at home and get creative instead: ■ Make picture memories

Photographs can spark so many joyful memories from the past. You could make a scrapbook, buy a frame or put a special image in a wintery snow globe.

Give your time

Doing a simple favour for someone can be the greatest gift of all. Whether it’s promising to babysit or offering to do the ironing, relieving someone from the hectic strains of everyday life can be a very thoughtful gesture.

■ Say it with a letter

A handwritten note to say how you feel about your loved one can mean everything to them, be it a note in a card or a letter.

■ Try Secret Santa

With this fun idea everyone takes a name out of the hat and buys or makes a gift for that one person. You write their name on the giftwrap but not who it’s from. When the presents are handed out you’ll all have fun trying to work out from the handwriting who gave you your gift!

■ Get together

Set a date between Christmas and New Year to do something fun with close friends who you don’t see often.

■ Give to others

Give to charity on behalf of a loved one – choose one close to their heart.

New traditions

■ Volunteer

While many of us are lucky enough to be surrounded by friends and family throughout the Christmas period, some people are left to spend the season out on the streets. Give up your day to help the homeless with Crisis.

■ Call 0300 636 1967 to find out about Christmas volunteering opportunities in your area

Strapped for cash? Do Secret Santa with your family!

■ Stay in a hotel

If you’re lonely or suffering bereavement at this time of year, home can sometimes feel like a painful place to be. Emotional memories of the past can be triggered, or you may have increased feelings of isolation. There are plenty of hotels open over Christmas that could help to ease those feelings of grief and bring you some much needed peace, calm and company in a new environment.

■ Reverse advent calendar

Instead of filling a traditional advent calendar with chocolates and sweets for your little ones, why not create a reverse advent calendar where they can give back to those less fortunate? Get a big box and ask them to put one unwanted item in there, such as toys and clothes, each day of advent. You can then take the box to a charity shop after Christmas.

If you’re by the sea, you can do your bit for the environment and have a Boxing Day beach clean with the family Get your little ones to do some cartoon drawings of your dinner guests for their place setting, so they can have fun guessing who’s who