It’s not that you forgot to do your Christmas shopping, it’s just that there was the nativity to organise, and then carols at the nursing home. And then there was the call from Ofsted just before the end of term.

All of a sudden you find yourself standing in the middle of a crowded shopping centre at 5pm on the Friday before Christmas, without even a scrap of wrapping paper to your name.

Where do even begin you start?

Re-gift

You’re bound to receive some presents that you’ll never use. Put them aside and save them for the following year, when you can rewrap and give them out as new gifts. Just make sure that you keep note of who gave what in the first place, so you don’t return it back to them …

Give ‘experience’ gifts

Online shopping can be your best friend. But this close to Christmas, you’re cutting it fine to have anything sent to you in time. The solution? Order “experience” gifts that don’t need to be physically sent. Vouchers can feel like a bit of a cop-out, but planning an outing for a loved one is far more personal.

Get baking

A handmade gift shows that you care (and nobody will ever know that it’s actually because you ran out of time). Get yourself in the kitchen and start cooking up some presents. Jams and preserves make lovely Christmas gifts, and gingerbread is also a great option: it’s easy to make and keeps for ages in an airtight container.

Outsource

If you do decide to brave the shops, get there early and take a list of exactly what you need. Bring someone to help you - someone efficient, there’s no room for dawdlers here - and divvy up the list between you.

If you have children, get them to wrap the family presents, and then add a label to the resulting mess that reads: “Wrapped for you by [child’s name]”.

Helen Amass is the deputy commissioning editor at Tes