---
name: gift-ideas-list
description: Use when someone wants a running per-person list of gift ideas captured all year, whenever a person mentions something they want or need, with sizes, preferences, and a budget, so gift-giving is calm rather than a last-minute scramble. Pairs with [[birthday-reminders]] (the dates and lead-time alerts), and is distinct from [[event-planning]] (organizing the occasion), [[personal-budget]] (the overall spending plan), and [[the-upgrade-list]] (items for yourself).
---

# Gift Ideas List

The best gift ideas arrive at random moments: a friend mentions a
broken kettle, a colleague admires a book, a sibling's coat is worn
through. The gift ideas list catches those moments in one place, per
person, so that when a date arrives the answer is already there. It
holds ideas, sizes, tastes, things to avoid, and a budget. It does not
decide what to buy; it removes the scramble.

## Input required

- **People to track**: family, close friends, colleagues, teachers,
  hosts. Start small.
- **Occasions**: birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, thank-yous. Dates
  go into [[birthday-reminders]].
- **Where the list will live**: a notes app, spreadsheet, or paper,
  chosen so that adding an idea takes seconds.
- **Gift budget per person or per occasion**, with an overall limit.
- **Cultural, religious, or personal customs** that shape gift-giving.

## Questions to ask first

Ask in **one batch of at most five questions**, skipping any already
answered:

1. Whose gifts do you want to track, and which occasions matter most?
2. Where do you capture notes fastest on your phone or at home?
3. What budget do you set per person, or per year in total?
4. Are there customs, dietary needs, allergies, or values to respect?
5. Do you already know sizes, favorite shops, or past gifts for those
   people?

## Method

1. **Choose one capture place.** One list, with a section per person.
   Add a shortcut on the phone's home screen so capture takes under a
   minute.
2. **Create each person's card.** Fields to fill in:
   - Name and relationship.
   - Key dates (linked to [[birthday-reminders]]).
   - Budget range.
   - Sizes: clothing, shoe, ring, and anything the user can discover
     naturally. Never press for private details.
   - Interests, hobbies, and favorite things, such as colors, foods,
     authors, or teams.
   - Allergies, dislikes, and things to avoid.
   - Past gifts, with a note on how they landed.
3. **Capture in the moment.** When someone mentions a want, a need, or
   an admiration, write it down with the context and the date: "Mia,
   said her headphones broke, March". Capture exact details when
   given: model, size, color.
4. **Add ideas by category**, not just objects: experiences, consumables,
   handmade items, donations in someone's name, and time together. Not
   every gift is a thing.
5. **Set lead times.** Put a reminder at least a few weeks before each
   occasion to choose and order, with a second closer reminder to
   check delivery. The user decides the lead time; shipping and
   handling vary by place.
6. **Review before each occasion.** Pick from the captured ideas, check
   the budget, and look for something that the person said rather than
   something the user guesses.
7. **Record the outcome.** Note what was given, the price class, and
   the reaction. Next year's list starts with this record.
8. **Prune yearly.** Archive ideas that no longer apply, and refresh
   sizes if someone's circumstances change.

### Staying on budget

Agree a total yearly gift amount first, then divide it by person and
occasion. Place any large known occasions, such as a wedding or a major
holiday, ahead of the small ones. Use [[personal-budget]] to set the
envelope, and track against it.

## Output format

- **List template**: one card per person with the fields above.
- **Capture rules**: where, how, and what detail to include.
- **Occasion calendar**: person, date, budget, reminder dates.
- **Starter ideas** for the people the user describes, grounded in the
  things they actually mentioned.
- **Yearly review checklist.**

## Ground rules

- **Use only what the user reports.** Do not invent a person's tastes;
  mark guesses as guesses.
- **Privacy**: the list holds personal details about other people. Keep
  it private and avoid sizes or health notes beyond what the user needs.
- **Do not ask for** card numbers, passwords, or addresses of other
  people. Delivery details stay with the user.
- **No pressure to spend.** A small, thoughtful gift is fine; respect
  the user's budget.
- **Do not name brands as endorsements.** Describe the type of item.

## Self-check before answering

- Is there one list with a fast capture path?
- Does each person card include budget, sizes, interests, and avoids?
- Are lead-time reminders set?
- Are ideas drawn from what the person actually said?
- Is outcome recording included?

## Common pitfalls

- **Capturing in several places** and never finding the notes.
- **Relying on memory** for what was said months ago.
- **Missing sizes** at purchase time.
- **Ignoring past gifts**: the same gift appears twice.
- **Buying early, forgetting where it is.** Note the hiding place.
- **Overspending** because the budget was never written.

## Example prompt

> Set up a gift ideas list for my family and five close friends. I want
> a template per person, a way to capture things I overhear during the
> year, budgets, and reminders before each birthday so I can order in
> time.

## Learn more

- [[birthday-reminders]] for the dates and the alerts that trigger the list.
- [[personal-budget]] for setting a yearly gift envelope.
- [[event-planning]] when the occasion is a party that needs organizing.
- [[the-upgrade-list]] for the same capture habit applied to your own items.