Many factors influenced my scribbling decisions, the first being: “Does this person like the gifts I choose for them?”. Then after I’d tackled the first hurdle, I began to ask myself other questions: “Did this person give me a gift last year? How much was this person there for me this year?”. It may seem shallow, but once you’ve re-evaluated your list, it’s incredible how you begin to see who is important in your life.

“I am a huge advocate of having those conversations with all of those family members that you don’t ‘need’ to buy presents for,” says personal finance expert Lynn Beattie. “Be open and honest, say that money is a bit tight this year, can we not exchange gifts. You’re likely just exchanging smellies or vouchers anyway!”

Beattie also recommends talking to the people you are going to exchange gifts with about setting a budget beforehand to help minimise your costs. “Or do [a themed] Secret Santa and buy a present each,” she says.

In 2019, Beattie did a Secret Santa with her family and says it was “so much fun”. She also suggests abiding by the four-gift rule: “Choose something you want, something you need, something to wear, something to read.”

Meanwhile, Peter Kimpton, a personal finance expert at Family Money, recommends taking a hard look at your finances before you even start shopping. “Firstly, work out what your budget is. You can’t decide who you can spend on and what you can spend until you know exactly how much you have to spend.

“Be realistic, not idealistic about it,” he continues. At the end of the day, you should never “feel pressured into spending more than you can afford”.

How to save money this Christmas: “I culled my gift-giving list”