How to have a green Christmas without being a Grinch

If you're looking for a holiday that holds less waste, less debt and less stress, there are many ways to shift the gift-centric nature of the holidays.

Gift-giving is a strangely sweet tradition when you think about it. One person holds out an offering to the other, something they thought beautiful or unique or useful, and they hope that this token will be able to convey the words which are sometimes so difficult to say: I love you or I'm proud of you or I'm sorry.

Christmas, of course, is the granddaddy of all gift-giving celebrations. Nothing else even comes close. This year, each household in the UK is expected to spend 596 pounds on gifts, resulting in predicted Christmas spending of 42 billion pounds ($63.5 bn). (In other news, 12% of respondents to that survey admitted that they'll be ringing in 2016 with a nasty financial hangover.)

That says a lot more than I love you, doesn't it?

If you're looking for a holiday that holds less waste, debt and stress, there are many ways to shift the gift-centric nature of modern Christmas celebrations without eliminating the tradition of exchanging presents altogether. Did you really think I was going to tell you to do that? I'm no Scrooge. I mean, without gifts, Christmas morning would find us all staring blankly at each other as we sip coffee and wonder: "What now?"

Because I've never been good in extremes, I've found over the years that the best way to shift the spotlight away from gifts isn't to declare an outright ban, but to just ... moderate them a little instead.

For families, organizing a Secret Santa gift exchange is a fantastic way to decrease the number of gifts on your to-buy list, as well as ensuring that the gifts you do buy are of good quality. The I look at it, you can either spend December in a frenzy and just have one person to buy for. With just one person you can ditch the mall and spend your time and money to find a gift which will be well made, useful and just perfect for the intended recipient.

Also, don't discount gifts that aren't things. We often assume that because a tangible object lasts longer than a once-and -done experience, it will bring happiness to our recipient for longer too. Not so. Research has shown that the way we quickly adapt to new possessions means that new experiences make better gifts. So consider ski passes, concert tickets, spa days (please, Santa: spa days!) or art gallery memberships for those you love this year.

As for the little ones, I like to remember just how many people will be buying gifts for my daughter when I'm tempted to go overboard. Grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins - it will be enough. Repeat that as many times as you need to until the panic passes: it will be enough. A nice rule to follow if you need some guidelines to assist in your gift-giving restraint is to buy each child just four things: something they want, something they need, something to wear and something to read. Simple, useful and more than enough to keep any kid happy.

Now, let's talk wrapping. Your thoughtfully chosen gifts look even better when they're brightly festooned with colorful paper and bright ribbons and bows, but consider that American wrapping paper sales total $2.9bn annually, and the the UK uses enough paper to stretch to the moon.

Gorgeous gifts don't have to create this sort of waste.

Eco-friendly wrapping options don't stop at secondhand wrapping paper and mismatched ribbons; this is a chance to get crafty and creative. In past years I've used newspapers (the comics section for kids) with a bright red fabric ribbon, or brown paper grocery bags decorated with stamps. This year I've saved the paper roll from my daughter's easel, and I think friends and family will love getting gifts wrapped up in her bright paintings.

When you're brainstorming wrapping alternatives, don't ignore all the non-paper options either; with a little forethought the wrapping can even become part of the gift. A cute tea towel, a reusable bag, a soft scarf or even a fabric gift bag like the ones my mother-in-law sewed one year - think outside the box for beautiful, creative and eco-friendly wrapping options.

Finally, and this last point belongs not so much in the eco-friendly zone as it does in the decent-human-being one: remember others. There are many for whom the number of gifts bought and received, or whether to use burlap or hemp wrap, is the very least of their worries. Socks are some of the least donated and most needed items at homeless shelters; each Christmas thousands face going hungry instead of tucking into a feast; and this year, more than ever, there are thousands of families experiencing their first winter in a strange new country. Donate your time, your money or a turkey dinner to those who need it the most.

That, more than anything, is a tradition worth preserving.