Keep a running list through the year
The best time to save an idea is when you see it. Add a shop link, a photo or a simple written item. If you haven’t decided where it belongs, keep it in Inbox and move it into a birthday list later.
You can have a list for yourself and separate lists of ideas for other people. A private list is useful for remembering something a friend mentioned months before their birthday.
Give people enough detail to get it right
Add a size, colour, edition or preferred date in the notes. For clothes, say whether the size is a retailer size or your usual fit. For an experience, include the location and any dates that work.
It helps to include both specific items and flexible ideas: a particular novel, something for the garden, or a voucher for your favourite café. An item can be saved without a price or a product link.
Send a list instead of a string of messages
When someone asks what you’d like, share the list’s invitation link. The page shows your chosen display name and the list title before they sign in, so they know whose invitation they’ve received.
Your friends can join in their browser with a free account. The same list stays up to date when you add a new idea or edit the details; you don’t need to send every change separately.
Keep the gift a surprise
Invited friends can mark gifts as bought, and other members can see that they’re taken. The list owner can’t see those marks. If someone changes their mind, they can undo their own mark.
Bought marks help people coordinate, but they don’t place an order or reserve stock at the shop. Purchases happen separately with the retailer.
A few useful answers
Can I make a birthday list without sharing it yet?
Yes. Lists are private until you invite someone. You can collect and edit your ideas first, then share when you’re ready.
Can I add an experience or an idea without a link?
Yes. Enter the item yourself and use notes for details such as a location, preferred date or alternative.