Friday Question #136
What do you think of holiday wish lists – tacky or useful? Do you make one for anyone? For whom if so? What is on your wish list this year?
(Not my wish list – one I found online)
I find wish lists extremely useful. Sometimes, I want to give someone a gift, but have no idea what they would like, so a wish list can give me ideas, or at least get me going in the right direction.
Of course, I have that internal struggle of “Why do I want to buy someone a gift if I don’t even know what they would like or want?” Ugh. I am very much of the mindset of wanting to buy people things they want, but when I have no idea what that is AT ALL, I feel like I am kind of missing the point.
We always give a wish list to my dad’s mom, because she asks for it. In fact, last week I asked Steven to start working on his wish list, because I figured my grandma would ask for it – sure enough, she did when we saw her last weekend! Sometimes we share a list with my mom and Steven’s family. Of course, then you have to split up the list so you don’t get duplicates of things – does anyone else split their wish list?
I have a lot of running stuff and a few movies on my wish list this year.
Themocracy
We’ve kind of stopped the ‘buying gifts for everyone’ thing, but I really like wish lists. I usually split things up, and some people are much better at getting what you really want, so those people usually get the most coveted items. It was really helpful when the niece and nephews started ‘wishing’ for big-ticket items that no one could afford.
I’m getting anxiety just thinking about the holidays… that’s not normal!
I should probably work on a little list to give to the ‘rents. I assume it will be full of running things and gift certificates. 🙂
I can’t say that I’ve ever actually written out a wish list, but if my parents ask, I’ll usually come up with a few ideas for them. In the past few years, I think I’ve picked out the main gift they’ve gotten me.
I appreciate a wish list, especially if the gift is for someone I love but don’t get to see too often (and therefore have no idea what they are currently interested in) such as my nieces. They are very young now (4 months and 3 yrs) so I usually just ask my SIL what they want or need and go from there. I can’t wait until they are older and can actually tell their wishes!
Wish lists are a topic I have a lot of thoughts on. On the one hand, I love them, not necessarily so I can buy someone exactly what is on their list but so I have an idea of the kind of things a person wants when I don’t have a clue.
For my kids though, it makes me crazy. My husband’s parents always ask me for a list for each kid. That’s great in theory but then other relatives ask too so I have to divide up the lists and make sure that I put things of all prices on each list. It is COMPLICATED and makes me feel like it is almost a job. I kind of think it sucks the fun out of it all since it is so much work for me. Plus, then I get all mad and think that maybe people could think for themselves a bit because I don’t really feel like it is much of a gift if I have told them what to get. I feel like it is kind of impersonal.
So, complicated is how I feel about wish lists. Yes I like them but I also hate them.
I don’t have them because we don’t do the whole holiday gifts thing, but I would think that wish lists would be extremely useful. What’s the point in getting someone a gift they hate, or don’t need / want?? I guess it’s a little different if it’s someone you’re really close to, because then I can see how they’d expect you to know them well enough to know what they want…
<3 <3
I like wish lists. It’s nice to give someone a bit of direction and to receive a bit of direction. Sometimes I use them or sometimes I just come up with my own ideas.
For me it is just two people who ask for a wish list, my mm and my hubs. I tend to split it up for them but really I don’t know, I can think o what I want under pressure so I just think of a few things but really, I don’t need anything.
I’m being hounded for a list right now, but sadly I’m not sure what to put on it. I don’t usually divide mine up. My family is pretty good about gift receipts so if I get doubles I can take care of it. I like the idea of wish lists for when I am shopping for others, but I hate coming up with them myself.
I totally think wish lists are a good idea. I want people to buy what I like and I want to buy what people like. I think it makes sense. I give my list to my fiancee and my parents. They can do as they wish with it. BUT I do like to have some surprise gifts up my sleeve for other people. I think that’s the fun part.
I’m a fan of the wish list both from others and from myself. That said, I also think it’s essential to through some unexpected surprises in there or else it’s too boring. This year I’m wishing for a new bike, cycling/running clothes, a GPS for my car (need it for work), laptop. Not much at all, right?
Throughout the year, I sometimes drop ideas out there. And my mom is a careful listener. And usually my sister and brother will call her to see if she’s got ideas if they don’t. We’re sneaky like that. Although, my mom and dad never let anything slip.
If I dropped my hints right, I’m getting new cutting boards, a spirlizer and a food scale. I always have “Cooking Christmas!”
I always make up a list and will give it to anyone who asks. I don’t usually bother to split it up because I’ve discovered that the people who are using the list don’t get me the same kinds of things. For example, Jason’s family usually disregards the list entirely, my parents buy me the pricier stuff on the list (along with non-list stuff), and whichever sibling gets my name gets me the less expensive stuff (we have a price limit).
My biggest stress is buying things for all my nieces and nephews. We’re up to six kids and I never know what to get them!
I do make a wish list. I feel a little greedy about it, but there are always things I would enjoy having as giftS, and my family likes knowing what to get me. Amazon offers a really good solution – you can create a wish list that includes items from any online store, not just Amazon, and e-mail a link to your family & friends. Then they can go in and select things so that other people know what they’ve gotten. Takes the hassle out of dividing up the list.
Although last year my brother found my e-mail for the wish list from the year before and bought me the same thing he had already given me. LOL!
i always want to be able to come up with something awesome without the use of a list… but i’m pretty terrible at that, so i should really just embrace the use of wishlists 🙂
I used to think wish lists were tacky, but then I had a boyfriend whose family SWORE by them and I realized how satisfying and efficient they are. ha. It is nice to actually get what you want, ya know? And it’s nice to know you’re getting something someone else wants too. I’m not too into gifts as I get older, but if there’s something specific I want, I make it known. I can’t expect loved ones to read my mind 😉
My baby sister is a pro at christmas ‘want’ lists, she gives make/model/colour/upc, it’s very detailed.
If someone wants to get me something I need, then I’ll usually give something pretty specific; I have a small apartment, and not alot room for frivolous items. I’m also a bit snobby when it comes to kitchen items, if I want something, I know exactly which one. But if someone just wants to be nice and get me a gift, my usual response is “I like sparkley things”, then it’s pretty open to anything from a hairclip to a diamond ring…but I really do like anything with a sparkle, it’s the little girl in me.
How can the holidays be sneaking up on us already?
I used to do wish lists (when I actually got anything) sadly having kids changed that. I do find them very helpful though, especially for those who are hard to buy for.
I LOVE wish lists, especially for people I buy for but don’t know their tastes that much (like my 13 year old cousin). I try really hard to come up with gifts on my own for Scott and my parents, but sometimes it’s nice to know buy something and know 100% they really want it.
I never make wish lists.. mainly because my family isn’t big on presents. For some reasons holidays are so much more popular in the States than over here ;). I like giving family/friends small mindful gifts though.
I have been trying to get my friends and family’s wish lists, but no one has told me what they want! I hate having to guess!
I think wish lists are great. And I don’t think it’s always a matter of not knowing what to get for someone, but often I will think of something someone would like but I have no way to know if they already have it. My parents and I both tend to buy ourselves what we want, so it’s hard to know what would be a good gift.
I like to receive a combination of things on my wishlist and surprise presents. My mom always manages to get me really great pajamas. 🙂
Yes, yes, yes. My brother and I (age 24 and almost-23) still give my mom our Christmas wish list, hehe. 🙂 It’s the best way to give someone you love something they WANT. Because it’s a sucky feeling to give somebody something and realize they’re not too thrilled about it.
My family does wish lists because we’re going to get each other presents, so we might as well get each other what they people actually want. Makes sense!
I rely on lists from other people for gifts. Even if I know the person. I always try to surprise them with a gift that was not on a list and almost every time, it’s been a small train wreck.