Christmas list guides for every family member

Make a list

• Christmas wish list apps compared: Giftster, Elfster, Amazon lists, MyRegistry and Hollyhush, checked against their own help and privacy pages.
• Christmas list template: build a list on the page, copy it as text or print one of three PDFs.
• What to put on a Christmas list: a ten-item worked example and what shoppers say they want most.
• A gift list that hides what is bought: what the owner, the buyer and everyone else see.

Lists by person

• For kids, for teens and for college students.
• For parents and for grandparents.
• For couples: a budget split, one list or two, and surprises.

Sharing and alternatives

• How to tell family what you want for Christmas: a timeline and messages to copy.
• Amazon wish list alternative: when one store is not enough.
• Doing a gift swap instead? Try Secret Santa with built-in wishlists.

Which guide first

How we checked the facts

Facts about other services come from their own help, privacy or app store pages, read on October 31, 2026, and each guide lists what it used. Where a service blocked us or did not say, the guide says so instead of guessing. Age and safety advice comes from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Spending figures come from the National Retail Federation survey. Hollyhush buy links may earn a small commission at no extra cost to the buyer, which is the kind of relationship the FTC asks sites to state near the link.

All guides in this section