With this in mind the Advertiser Chief Reporter, Nicole Le Marie, spoke to some Mole Valley residents who had plenty of tips on how to save money this festive season.

Caroline Salmon, proprietor of the Wow Gallery, has encouraged people to get arty this Christmas.

She said: "If you have a fine saw and a drill you can make key-rings and coasters out of old computer chips. Key-rings only cost about 10p.

"Jewellery is another thing that you can make.

"You can buy beads or you can go to a car boot sale or charity shop and buy some old necklaces to break-up.

"If people want to learn about making jewellery I am offering to show people in the shop and they will only have to pay for the materials."

Forget spending money on tinsel this year and save the pennies by pruning some traditional holly.

Rob Hewer, head warden for the Surrey Hills, said "We have a lot of holly up on Bookham Common and if people want to come up and prune some to decorate their homes we would be more than happy.

"If you want to arrange it contact the warden Ian Swinney on 07770 887683."

Anne Brewer, from Chapel Lane, Bookham, said: "We always save our wrapping paper every year and reuse it the next.

"Also we have a game we play where you cut each Christmas card into five pieces and then you keep one piece from each card.

"You then jumble all the pieces together and the children have to look for their pieces. It is a bit like a big jigsaw and lots of fun."

Ali Kelman, from Lower Road, Great Bookham, is encouraging forethought.

He said: "I have already made savings this credit crunch Christmas because I bought all my cards and wrapping paper in January when the prices were reduced by 80 per cent."

"Another money saving tip is to make your own mince pies. They taste better and you can get the children (or grandchildren) to help. Remember and you will always need a couple of extra pies to leave out for Santa."

Bev Williamson, headteacher at Eastwick Junior School, has been teaching pupils to make table decorations called "Christingles" this year.

She said: "Making a Christingle is really simple. All you need is an orange to represent the world and a candle cut into the top to mean Jesus as the light.

"A red ribbon around the orange shows how he shed his blood for our sins and cocktail sticks with sweets show the fruits of the spirit."

The Dorking Stitch-Up is a new group set up so that people can share their sewing skills. Why not go along to their next event at the Christian Centre between 10am and midday on Saturday and create a special gift.

Serena Webber, who helped set up the group, said: "People can bring along whatever they want and there will be people on hand to give them sewing tips.

"We are also showing people how to make a sausage dog draft excluder."

For more information call Serena on 07727 123 874.

From maps to thread, Marigold Downman, from Dorking, transforms throw-away pieces into imaginative Christmas cards.

She said: "I use all sorts of materials and I also make the envelopes from different pieces of paper.

"For example there are some that have come from an old desk diary from the Victoria and Albert Museum and any odd bits of paper I find.

"The only thing I buy is good quality watercolour paper."

Nature can also be used to create cards.

Nancy Elias, from Dorking, has supplied family members with many beautiful cards made from pressed flowers.

She said: "I have given them to family members for birthday and Christmas's for years."