So how do handle wish lists in your family?

[binny]

I have been reading some of the things that people have been asked to do and have been amazed at some of them. I guess every family is different though.

In our family my 2 SILs and I all share a FB message with everyones Amazons wishlists on it. I guess its just understood that these are WISH lists. None of it is expected. We use it as a guideline if we dont buy right off the list. We dont get to see each other often as we all live in different places, so we dont really know the kids that well and lets face it, kids change their minds a LOT. One of my SILs only has boys so really has no idea what to buy for the girls in the family so we all find it really helpful.

Besides my brothers can be real PITBs to buy for. I love getting ideas for them.


So how do you all handle wish lists?

 

[Judy in Texas]

My family does a gift exchange. All names are put in the hat at Thanksgiving and those in attendance draw names. Those who live too far away find out who they have by a phone call or by email. Our limit is $20. We ask the person we are buying for what they want. Children's wish lists are for the parents/grandparents to handle.

 

[Melmac]

I like lists from family members - I also like to have a variety of things to choose from on that list (this way, if I can't find one thing, I have a backup). I always make a list and stick it on the fridge. Then, when DH's parents/siblings/whoever call and ask what I want for Christmas, he'll give them a couple of things off the list. DH also makes a list.

We do a Secret Santa exchange with my family (there are 9 of us). In June, everyone fills out a piece of paper with their name on it and top 3 items they would like ($50 limit) and names are drawn. I think I had on my list a red hoodie, a specific Wii game and a gift card to a bookstore. This year, I was able to get everything on my aunt's list because I got the books she wanted on sale.

I know some people don't like the idea of lists but I am very happy for them as I would like to get something that someone would want. And even though there are no little kids in my family, kids have so many toys that I wouldn't even know where to begin.

 

[C.Ann]

This is the first year ever that I did a "Wish List" on Amazon - just to satisfy my Dson-in-law.. (He does all of his Christmas shopping online..) I felt very uncomfortable - only listed a few things - and most were used books..

This year DD and DGD did "Wish Lists" as well - but they were only exhanged among ourselves (me, DD, and her DH).. We're not big fans of them - and would never send them to anyone outside of this household.. The only reason we even had DGD do one (she's 11) is that no matter how many times we asked her what she wanted for Christmas the answer was the same: "Five pair of knee socks.."

We knew there had to be something else she wanted, so I showed her how to make a "Wish List" and sure enough she found a few DS games, a board game, and a Critter car for her hamster..

She's definitely not in the "gimme" set..

 

[Crystal0608]

This year, I did amazon wishlists for the kids for myself. When someone gets them something I take it off the list.

I shop early and shop for my mama & grandma as well, so quite a few things they ask for I have bought by October. I know my son asked 5 grandparents for the same thing (Wimpy Kid Books) and I have to tell them go by the list, if they want it and its not on there it's for a reason .

My FIL takes dh with him and picks each kids gift out. My mama & g-ma give me a $$ amount and I stretch it will sales and mostly online deals. I emailed my MIL a list of what wasn't purchased, but a few times I have to text and see if she's bought an item if I find a really good deal on it. DH's g-ma usually does clothes. It sounds convaluted, but makes it sooo much easier not to do returns on multiples like I usually do .

 

[castmemberb4]

My husbands family started Christmas lists years ago, at first I was a little uncomfortable with it, now I have my side of the family doing it.
We all keep our list either in our own data base or on Amazon and update it through the year. Some time around Oct I'll send out an email to everyone reminding them to get their lists out. We all only send it to people we know will be buying for us, and we all list items with a wide range of price points as well as places we could use gift cards from. It has been very very helpful over the years, as I have no kids I'd have no idea what to buy our niece and nephew who live in another state, or DHs 90 something Grandmother, who is all the way across the country from us otherwise. Personally I keep a printed copy of everyone's list and mark off what I know they got then use it for buying their Birthday presents.

 

[binny]

The price range thing is a big deal to us too.

We all can do different things financially and since the list goes to ALL Of us including spouses (who spend more on each other of course) the range is huge. We have anything from stocking stuffers to big ticket items ( I had a Cricut on my list this year and DH had a new Ipod Touch). Then there are the accesories to go with all of it.


We have always done lists at our house. It started out as the Sears Wishbook (and all of us had our own colour marker!) when we were kids then just a list posted on the fridge that we all wrote on (all 6 of us). One year when we teenagers my youngest brothers list was really long and he got a little embarrassed I guess and he wrote at the bottom "And a little red wagon" well Santa brought him a little red wagon key chain in his stocking

I guess it all depends on how the list is intended. Like I said, ours is a WISH list. there is no way they will get everything on the list, we have made that clear to the kids from the begining, but we do encourage them to add several things to it so people have choices or can find things on sale or whatever. In our house its never a "Give me this and only this" type of a deal.

 

[Fire14]

I know I personally love the wish list idea and email mine out to DH, BFF, My dad, and sibs. I usdually put everything from Mcd's Gc to the scrapbooking stuff I can only dream of on it but hey it works.

I wish DH would do same I'm still trying to figure out what to get him.
As for My dad It's my job as oldest to get him , his Murphy's Law desk calender and Turbo Tax, but this year he's getting a bonus!!.

 

[ndelaware]

http://www.giftiegiftie.com/

 

[minkydog]

We've always done wish lists because we all live so far apart, and in different climates. So we might not always know what another one wants/needs or their colors or sizes or furnishings. Three of my sibs I'm lucky to see every other year, if that.

My DD16 just wants cash and the aunts/uncles are just fine with that. I always send out a wish list for Christian because he's so "different". We ask for snacks that he can take to school, sweat pants &/or jeans, and maybe some footie pajamas. Christian doesnt watch TV & videos, with teh exception of "Fantasia", doesn't play much with toys except things that light up and play music, doesn't do hobbies or crafts. Mostly he just walks a lot. It's maddening to try to find gifts for him. In fact, a lot to times we'll buy a book for his school library or at Christmas we'll make a shoe box full of toys & small gifts for Operation Christmas Child, in his name. He doesn't care. Christmas is just another day for him. Frankly, the best Christmases have been the ones when we gave him a big cardboard box to sit in while the rest of us open gifts. He gets pretty wound up with all the lights, music, and paper ripping. Sitting in a box reduces the sights and sounds and he's happy as a clam.

 

[golfgal]

We pretty much just email the family we have to buy for and ask what do you want for Christmas--we are highly technical about it .

My Step-mom emailed us some ideas for my Dad, I got the rest of the ideas from the good old DIS . Same thing with my step-mom's present, got the idea here.

I put DD14 in charge of getting presents for my sister's kids this year. She got something for the girls and we got my nephew a Wii game. The kids draw names for the cousins on the other side and they had ideas of what they would get them already. DD14 did that shopping too .

Our kids never give us lists (well DD did FINALLY this year). DS17 mentioned that he wanted an ITouch and ended up with a Motorola Droid instead-he is ok with that.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I don't mind mutually accepted lists. DH's family expected it for years--so as much as I hate "checklists"--it was okay as it was expected.

I Cannot stand unsolicited lists.

So for example--DH's family cancelled the gift exchange under the premise that the family is now too big and the economy.

Okay--that makes sense.

However, I still got 5 unsolicited lists that began with....since people are asking, I'm just sending this to everyone in case they were wondering. NEver mind that except for DH's parents (who were essentially forced to do this by their dd )--noone has any intentions of buying us anything.

So no, we weren't wondering and the next time you cancel a gift exchange after preaching how little you can afford, please take your "wish list" and put it where the sun don't shine.


No offense to anyone here--this is just my vented frustration over DH's family who I have told DH for years would never not have a Christmas where they couldn't go without their family tradition.

Really--the idea is nice if mutually agreed upon--but coming out of nowhere, it's just tacky and greedy IMHO. IF I want to give you a gift and care what you "need" specifically, I will ask. But after 12 years of lists--I always feel like I am being given a to do list and resented it b/c for the first 5 or so years, I'd be expected to make this stupid list and noone would get a durn thing on it.

The only thing I send out for my kids now is what they are into if asked and updated sizes (usually only when asked).

 

[luvmy3]

My family does a gift exchange. All names are put in the hat at Thanksgiving and those in attendance draw names. Those who live too far away find out who they have by a phone call or by email. Our limit is $20. We ask the person we are buying for what they want. Children's wish lists are for the parents/grandparents to handle.

This is exactly what we do.

 

[DMickey28]

Between my parents, my brother, my DH and my DS we do an email list in early December. We have yet to include my MIL and my brother in laws on these lists ... they just don't do that. We grew up with HUGE Christmas's and are working on cutting back ... they did not!

I like the idea of the Amazon Wish List or something like that. Most of the people in my family buy anything they need or want fairly easily so it wouldn't make sense to get stuff on the list any earlier than November. This year however we all have one big gift we are getting and a few smaller ones ... the big gifts are ideas that have been floating around for over a year and finally make sense for the person!!

Works for us!

 

[Quacktatty]

In my family, if you ask for it, you get it. We do Amazon wish lists and traditional lists. I'm usually the only one who actually buys outside of the list, but only after all the wish list items have been satisfied. If I can't afford or don't want to get something, I let the person know. For example - my mom wanted a Wii a few years ago and I told her that I would not purchase it for her because I didn't think she would use it and I didn't want $250 to go to waste.

 

[Angelhalo]

We each make a list in our family. There is myself, my husband, my brother, my mom, and my dad. We can put anything on our lists no matter how crazy and as many things on our list as we want. In fact the more the better because it gives people lots of options. Then we each give everyone a copy of our lists. Usually you end up getting many things from your list plus many things that weren't on your list.

 

[KirstenB]

1 SIL sends out a Target wishlist for their kids each year. She started doing this a few years ago. At first, it seemed a little tacky. None of the other 5 siblings did a wish list for their kids. Honestly, I've grown to appreciate it. Since I don't have boys, I'm clueless what to get my nephews. So, I have a new appreciation for the wish list.