Are you still using your Christmas pressies? Some research suggests that only 1% remain in use six months after sale. I wonder if that is overblown – a high proportion of the gifts I get and give are things like books and music which have longevity even though not in frequent use. However, there is a lot of tat around – for example, the typical output of ‘Secret Santa’ games and certainly almost everything I’ve ever got in a Christmas cracker.

Christmas is now past but, as birthdays come up through the year, you are likely to still be giving and receiving presents. Might be worth having a quick skim through George Monbiot’s article, ‘The Gift of Death‘, before your next opportunity comes up.