“Make a wish!”
That’s probably the most common line in fairy tales. But there’s something kind of weird about it…since the most exciting part of the story is when a wish actually comes true, we never expect them to. As fun as wishes are, they almost seem to contain their own nearly-assured disappointments.
But they don’t have to. If you’re holding a gift exchange, and you let people make a wish using the best wish list creators, they will almost certainly come true. That’s because a great wish list makes it easy for people to both find the perfect gifts and buy them for their giftee.
If you’re holding a Secret Santa, you’ll want to use a wish list creator that facilitates gameplay for everyone, whether in-person or remote. There’s no need to wish upon a star, and you certainly don’t have to wait around for any bewitched godmother. You just have to click a few buttons, and your wish for a perfect party will come true.
The Importance of a Great Wish List Creator
Remember the old days of making wish lists for gift exchanges? You’d get everyone together to draw names, and they’d put their name on a scrap of paper along with a few wish ideas. I could never, ever remember what I wanted. Pants? Sure. What size? How should I know? I can’t turn my neck around to see!
Needless to say, there were some disappointments. But that wasn’t the only problem with the system. Some of the other flaws included:
- Inability to update the list (“Oh yeah—blue pants!”)
- Inability to browse a variety of stores (who brings catalogs around with them?)
- Inconvenient for the Secret Santa (what store do I need to visit?)
- Hard for remote players (“Tim probably would want us to get him golf balls. Maybe he’s thinking of taking it up!”)
So, while this system was easy, it had a lot of problems. What you want is a wish list creator that solves all those problems.
What to Look for in a Wish List Creator
There are a few things that make up a good wish list creator, and there are a few more that make a GREAT wish list creator. Here are the features of the latter:
It Should Be Free
If you can get all the features of a great wish list creator for free, should you get the same or fewer features for a price? I am not the President of Money, but my answer would be: no. The best wish list creators are free.
It Should Be Accessible to Anyone
Your party might be fully remote. You might have people who are social distancing. You may have friends around the world who want to play. Your Secret Santa generator should be accessible to everyone.
Your List Should Be Accessible to Your Secret Santa
Your wish list generator should be part of a complete system that lets you assign names randomly. After you make a wish list, your Secret Santa should be able to check your wish list without you knowing who is looking at it. Bonus points if the platform lets you send anonymous messages to get more info or confuse your giftee!
It Should Have Gift Guides
I usually sort of know what I want (outdoor…plants?) but can’t get more specific. That’s why I love a wish list creator with gift guides. I can search for general things like “Books” or “Outdoors” or get specific like “Camping” or “Sloths.” That way you can find exactly what you’re looking for—even if you didn’t know you were looking for it.
Many exchanges have some sort of price limit, so filtering by price when shopping to stay within that limit saves a lot of difficulties.
You Should Be Able to Shop From Multiple Stores
I don’t know about you, but my wish lists tend to be pretty omnivorous. Sporting goods, bookstores, boutiques—you get the idea. I think most people are like that. So ideally, you will have a wish list creator that lets you shop from multiple websites. That way, you have options from all the best retailers online, all in the same search bar. And all your picks will go onto the same list.
It Should Be Easy To Update
Oh no—it turns out you don’t want pants, you don’t need them, and can’t even imagine why you put them on your list. With the right wish list creator, you can unclick them. And then you can keep adding things. You can update continuously, whenever you find something new.
It Should Have Apps
You’re going to want to use your phone to play. So, a wish list creator should have an iPhone app or Android app. But those should be more than just cosmetic. I really like being able to use a wish list maker app with pictures. That is, if I’m out and about, and see something I like, I just need to take a picture of it. And voila—it’s uploaded to my updated list. That’s some pretty sweet technology.
It Should Let You Buy Directly From The List
Here’s the other side of the equation. You’re going to be someone’s Secret Santa, of course. You’re going to get their list with all its delightful updates. But you don’t want to have to hunt around for the item. That’s why the best wish list creators let the Secret Santa just click on the gift or gifts they want to buy, and they’ve bought it. No fuss, no muss.
When You Wish Upon a Generator
It’s kind of weird, I think, that we don’t really expect wishes to come true. We just sort of shrug and say, “If only I’d closed my eyes a little tighter when blowing out those candles, maybe a fancy talking cricket would have become my new bestie.” Or whatever. Stories are weird.
So, maybe you don’t want to just wish for a wish list generator. Maybe you want to access the one that really works, for the organizer and every participant. The one that makes everyone’s wishes come true. The one that turns your plans for a great party into a reality…no wishing required.
Looking for the best wish list creator? Use the Secret Santa generator that makes everything easy for everyone, in-person or remote. Thanks to Elfster, you can easily shop for gifts and start a Wish List. Plus, you can access it all from an iPhone app or Android app.
