German trade publisher Bastei Lübbe and book retailer Hugendubel have come up with an unusual idea to get rid of unwanted Christmas presents....

German trade publisher Bastei Lübbe and book retailer Hugendubel have come up with an unusual idea to get rid of unwanted Christmas presents.

The companies have invented a vending machine (pictured below) where consumers can dump a present and exchange it at the touch of a button for a book.

The device will be set up outside Hugendubel branches on 28th December in a busy shopping centre in Munich, followed by appearances in Ingolstadt (29th December) and Nuremberg (30th December).

Bastei Lübbe will supply seven frontlist titles by bestselling authors like Rebecca Gable and Ethan Cross for the campaign.

All unwanted presents will be given to local charities.