It will seem obvious to some, but now it’s official - Britian is a nation of bad gift-givers. According to new research by Catalink, an online guide to mail-order catalogues, a third of presents given in Britain are unwanted - and the average person spends £21,000 on gifts in a lifetime! As Christmas approaches, here are my top tips for successful present buying…

Think about a person’s taste and needs. If you know them, spend some time working out what they might like. Many men fail to do this for girlfriends and wives - 21% think it's acceptable to buy them practical gifts such as an electric tin opener or an alarm clock!

Think about the lifestyle of the person you're buying for. If they have a family, get them a board game, and if they're outdoors types buy them exciting activity vouchers. Equally, mums might want a day of being pampered at a spa, and the person with everything might just want something fun.

If you really have no idea, you could enlist the help of a professional - most department stores offer a complimentary personal shopper service to customers.

Don't forget that good presentation can make a gift much more exciting. Spend some time wrapping it nicely and it will be obvious you have gone to a lot of effort with this at least.