You know it's getting close to Christmas when you see a jump in the amount of advertising material appearing in your letterbox each day. Catalogues from toy stores, hardware stores, pharmacies and all manner of other businesses encourage us to spend and keep spending.

Giving presents can be hard work. There is the desire not to disappoint, and the question we all face at some stage: What do you get for that person who already has everything?

Let's be honest: Receiving presents is generally far more fun, and less stressful. Looking at those boxes under the tree and trying to guess what's in them can be fun, as is actually getting to open the presents.