How you can make this year's Christmas shopping a treat instead of a trauma. Zeena Lemon on where to find great gifts.

It's either a necessary evil or one of the most enjoyable bits of Christmas. No, not spending time with the in-laws, but the annual retail pilgrimage that is Christmas shopping.

Some people start in September and it is female bravado gone mad to hear some women vying for first place in the 'I'm so organised and ready for Christmas, I bought all my presents in the January sale,' stakes.

If you prefer your Christmas a little less organised and bit more festive then there are many delightful ways to wile away a relaxing afternoon, soak up a bit of festive cheer and find truly individual gifts for your loved ones.

A visit to The Cotswolds is one such example. Wandering in and out of the honey-coloured stone shops of villages like Stow-on The Wold and Broadway at anytime of year is a treat but Christmas in The Cotswolds has a magical air.

Be lured by the promise of some wonderful gift shops and the antique centres of Stow, Moreton and Broadway offer the tantalising opportunity to be able to browse with a purpose and maybe find a gift that is truly unique.

Why not try Traffords in Stow on the Wold? This shop sells work by new and established British craft workers, including ceramics, glass textiles, jewellery, metalwork, papier mach and wood.

Or there is The Christmas Shop in Bourton-on-the Water, tempting shoppers with all manner of wonderful gift ideas. And weary shoppers in need of sustenance have the perfect excuse to be able to enjoy lunch in one of the many inviting places to eat -- all in the name of Christmas giving, of course.

Evesham is another place that takes the strain out of trying to find the right present. The historic town has undergone something of a transformation recently and is now another great place to enjoy Christmas shopping. The newly refurbished Riverside shopping centre, Bridge Street, High Street and Vine Street all offer a great mix of high street names and independent shops.

Just out of town is the Evesham Country Park. In the courtyard shops there, you can choose from fresh local produce in The Country Larder to everything for cooking, eating and drinking in a shop called Top Table. There is plenty of free parking here and children may enjoy a visit too, with a steam train and wildlife park on hand to entertain.

With so many beautiful local places to shop, make sure buying your gifts this year is retail therapy, not retail hell.

Dates for your diary

November 20

Festival of Light and Carnival, Evesham, 11am-6.30pm

December 2

Christmas lights, Moreton-in-Marsh, 6.30pm

December 2

Broadway in Lights - late-night shopping and carol singing, 6pm-9pm

December 2

Victorian Fair and Christmas Lights (including Father Christmas and reindeer), Bourton-on-the-Water, 6pm-9pm

December 3

Father Christmas, late-night shopping and street entertainment (from 3.30pm), Stow-on-the-Wold

Evesham's revamped Riverside Shopping Centre is a great place to find Christmas gifts, and the streets around it offer a great mix of high street names and boutiques where you're bound to find the perfect present for the most discerning relative or friend.

Pauline Zelinski's colourful ceramicware makes an ideal gift and is available from Traffords in Stow-on-the-Wold -- just one of the delightful places in Evesham and around the Cotswolds that will make Christmas shopping a pleasure, not a pain.