Christmas is just over a month away and your Christmas shopping is potentially in full swing! When it comes to wrapping those delightful gifts, you can easily be eco-friendly with just a few simple ideas. Abandon your usual gift wrap and check out this list of green wrapping alternatives, so that every present you give can also be helping the environment too.

Newspapers & Magazines - All of us have old magazines and newspapers lying around somewhere in the house; why not put them to good use? Use them to wrap your gifts, and stick a few sheets together if you have to. Add some colourful ribbon and a few pretty bows, and your presents will look wonderful under the tree.

Craft Paper - This is a personal favourite of mine, and one I do every year! If you're a crafty person and have a lot of craft paper lying around, a great way to use it is to wrap your presents. Place a few together if you've got a large gift, and use various patterns.

Old Wrapping Paper - Many people do it, so no need to shy away from this one. If you're a careful un-wrapper, and attempt not to let any rips ruin your paper, you can easily reuse last year’s wrapping paper. The best way to do it is to iron the pieces on a very low heat setting. If you want to, iron it through a thin towel or something similar to be on the safe side. After a few runs of the iron, your wrapping paper is good as new and ready to be used again.

Maps - Sat navs have definitely taken over as the direction wizard for the car, but what happened to the maps that used to grace the back seat? If you're anything like us, they'll still be hanging around in drawers somewhere, or under the car seat. While it's a good idea to hang on to one just in case, if there's any out of date ones, use them to wrap your gifts. People pay for wrapping with maps on, so why not have the eco-friendly version?

Paper Bags - Do you ever keep brown paper bags from the store or farmers market? As long as they're in good condition and not marked (you don't want your presents smelling of food!), they make great wrapping material. Cut into the shape you desire, wrap them up in the beautiful brown paper, and decorate with all sorts of ribbons to add a touch of colour. People will never know.

Fabric - This one is really unusual, and sure to be a winner with the ladies! If you have old fabric lying around, whether an old dress or a craft project you're done with, use the scraps to wrap presents with. It gives gifts such a personal touch, and will definitely encourage others to do the same in the future.

Old Calendars - Still have 2014's calendar in the drawer somewhere, or the past months of 2015? Some calendars have beautiful images on them; why not use them to make wrapping paper? This is especially useful when the images centre on what the recipient likes, such as the beach, or the latest teen pop star for your nieces and nephews.

Children's Art - Perfect for the Grandparents, this one is sure to delight. Use your little ones drawings as wrapping paper - perhaps ones they don't mind having tape stuck on to them. You could even make it into an activity, and have them draw pictures specially for using as wrapping paper; there's no better to show your little drawers how much you love their work!

Wallpaper Samples - Remember when you were trying to decide what colour/pattern to decorate the kitchen in, and brought home half a dozen wallpaper samples? Are they still lying around? Wallpaper samples make perfect Christmas wrapping with a bit of a twist. Add some ribbon and a bow and your recipient’s will think that you spent a fortune on thick and luxurious wrapping.

Have you got any additional eco-friendly wrapping tips you'd like to share? We'd love to hear them!