Organize Christmas

Most Christmas lists live in a phone note, a group chat and somebody’s head at the same time. That works until December, when you cannot remember whether the thing you bought your brother in October is still in the wardrobe or whether you bought it at all.

Start with the people

Type everyone you are buying for, one to a line — family, the neighbor, your child’s teacher, whoever is on the list this year. That is the whole of the setup. Nobody is invited, nothing is sent, and nobody else can see your list.

Then keep track of the rest

• What you are giving them. An idea, then bought, then wrapped, then given. You can jump straight to whichever one is true.
• What it cost. Set a budget if you want one, or just watch the total. Nothing is guessed on your behalf.
• Where the receipt is. A photo, or just the shop and the date, and the day the return window closes.
• What still needs doing. Reminders when a return date is running out, and when gifts are bought but not wrapped.

Stuck for ideas?

The Gift Finder asks who the gift is for, their age, your budget and what they are into, and suggests things to consider. You do not need an account to try it.

It is free, and it is private

Your list of people, your gifts, your budget and your receipts are visible to you and to nobody else — not to other families, not to anybody you add. You can read exactly what we store, download all of it, or delete the lot whenever you like.

Some gift suggestions link to shops, and some of those links earn us a small commission — that is what pays for the site. It never changes what gets suggested; the full disclosure is here.

And if you do want to draw names

You can do both. A Secret Santa for the family, and your own private list for everybody else on it. Here is how the swap works.