Meet the Greater Manchester woman who works as a professional gift picker - her top tips for Christmas 2023

A professional present picker says 2023 of gifting "things people actually need" - such as a food subscription or hiring someone a CLEANER - due to tighter budgets.

Lizzie Scholes, 28, works as a gift selector picking out the perfect presents for people based on their interests and needs. She said this year in an environmentally-friendly bid to reduce waste, as well as budgets being tighter, people will change their priorities.

Lizzie says practical or meaningful gifts will be top of the list - rather than "things that end up in the bin". She also said she's expecting to see less cash given as a present - because it can be "absorbed in every day life" with rising daily costs.

Lizzie insists sentimental gifts like personalised items with names or photos on will be popular - as will well being-focused items such as diaries and journals.

Similarly, "helping hand gifts" will be big this year, Lizzie predicts - such as food hampers, food subscription services or a visit from a gardener.

Lizzie, who is head of gifting at Needi, from Saddleworth, Manchester said: "The big component for me is finding things people actually want, and what they need. 2023 is the year of buying things people need. Economically people don’t have as much to spend, so helping hand gifts are good too.

"The biggest trend I've seen this year is giving someone something with a purpose they'll actually use. Once when I had just had a baby, someone gifted me a visit from a cleaner. It was the best gift I ever got."

The gifting expert said it's about thinking about what people "actually need" and what can give someone "a pick me up."

She added: "Our way of gifting is moving away from generic brands and trends, to more thoughtful and sentimental gifts. That's what we want to change in this gifting industry.

"There's no point getting someone something that's on trend if they won't actually like it. It's about finding something that will make that person happy and gives them that little bit of joy."

Some of Lizzie's sustainable, practical and personal gift recommendations are below: - Shoe making experience - Personalised diary/journal - Food/drink hampers or weekly subscription - Personalised comic book - Personalised board game - Kitchen item (e.g. chopping board) with personalised message engraved - Visit from a gardener/cleaner