THERE are some things I love about Christmas, and some I don't.

It's certainly a season that comes with its fair share of fanfare, and like many festivals has been engulfed by commerce.

One thing I do love is the decorations. Each year the box of memories comes out. There's a little leather camel that was a gift from a primary school friend and musical hangings from students of many years ago. There are delicate clay hearts made when the children were small, a 1950's fairy with no arms from my childhood and my father's before that, embroidered stars, angels and trees from crafty friends over the ages.

I think a mish-mash of decorations makes a beautiful display. This year, rather than throwing away decorations, try to build on what you already have. Think “Do I really need to buy more?” If the answer is yes, then head down to your local charity shop, where there are always delightful and eccentric finds to be had. This is a good option if you have no storage space; buy what you need then donate back after Christmas.

It's easy to make Christmas decorations for gifting. Simply buy air-drying clay, roll thinly, cut out hearts and stars with biscuit cutters and make a small hole for threading a ribbon through. When dry decorate with acrylic paints and string with metallic thread or thin ribbon. When it comes to decoration, anything goes, the more personal the better.

Last year, inspired by the jetsam trophy we won at the Cornwall Sustainability Awards, I gave our staff decorations from beach waste, and this year plan to make a giant beach-waste wreath. It's a great excuse to go beach-cleaning, and get creative.

We decorate our house with greenery. It's worth letting the ivy get a bit rampant and the rosemary a bit bushy so there's plenty to cut. If you have space consider growing a few variegated evergreen shrubs like euonymus, lonicera and pittosporum; also handy for filling vases through the winter.

If you have a small garden, see if you can raid a friend's. Anything pine smells lovely, as do evergreen herbs such as sage and rosemary. Finding holly berries is a challenge; the birds have always stripped ours by the end of November.

We all have too much stuff. My heart sinks a little when given another thing I don't need. However I do always appreciate a perishable treat that I wouldn't buy myself; nice soap, a luxury shampoo bar, homemade chutneys and special biscuits.

Experiences and gift vouchers can make good presents, but do have pitfalls. Before purchasing make sure the experience is something the recipient will want to do! Also check expiry dates. We've had the embarrassment of standing at a counter with a basket full of goodies only to be told the card is no longer valid.

I strongly feel expiry dates on vouchers shouldn't be permitted, but they are. Big stores are often guilty of this. Try if you can to find a local business offering gift vouchers as they are likely to offer greater flexibility.

Finally there are some fine charity gifts that won't load the recipient with stuff, but benefit people in need. Cornish based charity Shelterbox has lots of virtual Christmas gifts, from solar lights and blankets, to a comprehensive shelter pack.

Heartwarming and absolutely in spirit of Christmas, I personally love this sort of present; it feels like gift money is being spent wisely and thoughtfully and means far more than yet another piece of stuff.

Visit shelterbox.org for more.