It’s December, so it’s officially safe to talk about Christmas.

I have already witnessed trolleys teetering with towers of toys departing Smyths. Piles of plastic distraction, presumably heading into homes with entire wings as playrooms.

I simply can’t fathom how all this stuff fits into ordinary houses. It is the true miracle of Christmas.

Most of us struggle to keep on top of all the possessions that accrue with living, and the thought of more stuff coming into my home at this time of year makes my neck itch!

But I’m not a total grinch and realise that this is the season of gifting and some shopping will have to happen between now and the 25th

So, what are the best presents for people who really don’t need them, and can we give something meaningful that will be joyfully unwrapped on Christmas morning without breaking the bank and the planet?

My goal for Christmas shopping is to find something for the people I love that they will appreciate, and applying the dual rule of buying local and avoiding plastic whittles down the endless choices nicely.

Vouchers are a popular fallback for those wary of bestowing an unwanted gift. No-one wants their recipient to think, “Jeez, thanks, great… just what I always never wanted” and a voucher is a safe option.

But before you resign yourself to a generic gift card, just remember the company that sells One4All gift cards in Ireland reported a profit of €5.8 million last year with much of its revenue coming from........

© Evening Echo