Best Gift Registries for the Holidays

Move aside weddings and baby showers; Registries are for the Christmas season too, and we’re here to tell you the best gift registries for the holidays.

While the holidays are more than just about giving gifts, the inevitable remains that holiday gift exchanges are not going anywhere soon. But, how many times have you banged your head against a wall because you aren’t sure what to get Aunt Jean or your boyfriend’s sister? How nice would it be to share a list with all your loved ones interested in buying gifts for you and the kids? Instead of having someone guess what you want, you can provide all the details, from brand to style. This is also a great option for Secret Santas. Not to mention, when buying blindly, money is often wasted. Save time and money this year with a gift registry.

Best Gift Registries for the Holidays

While there are plenty of options to list gifts for moms-to-be and brides, not as many exist for this time of year. However, we found a few that we liked and hope you do too.

Giftster

Giftser’s website, which is actually sold by Amazon Digital Services, allows visitors and subscribers to create gift registries for any time of year but is especially useful during Christmas. You can certainly make your Giftster list public, but you have the option to create private groups as well. It also offers an app for both the iPhone and Android so that you can check your lists while on the go. Once your list is created, you can share it with close family members and friends who have been pestering you for gift ideas. Likewise, you can encourage them to create their own list to help in your own shopping efforts. And, if an item from the list is purchased, it will note it as unavailable, which is another useful tool to avoid repeat presents.

MyGiftList

MyGiftList boasts of year-round gift registries as well, but what makes it exceptionally unique is that it contains multiple purposes. Not only can you create and find gift lists, but you can compare prices as well as find gift ideas based on demographics. Probably the most impressive characteristic of the site, though, is you can choose a charity as your list so that friends and family can donate to a charity as a gift to you. If you like one-stop-shops, MyGiftList also provides online shopping as an option through their web page.

MyRegistry

Like the others, MyRegistry.com provides registries for any occasion. Instead of being specified as a holiday gift directory, the company refers to it as a “Wish List,” generalizing every other occasion separate from weddings and baby showers. With a live chat option for direct access to customer service and the opportunity to pull desired gifts from various retailers, such as Walmart and Macy’s, you can review the site for ideas from others. Additionally, subscribers can scan barcodes to add items to your list while out shopping.

Amazon

Although Giftster is sold by Amazon, registries can technically also be made directly through your Amazon.com account. Just as MyRegistry has a “Wish List” option, so does Amazon. Have you ever put items on your “Wish List” while browsing the retailer? That list can be searched by others when shopping for you. You are also able to search for others’ lists as you shop for the holidays. If someone you know uses Amazon but does not have a list, you can send them an email through the “Wish List” section to prompt them to create one. Moreover, they can be set to private, shared or public in your settings.

Be thoughtful, not thoughtless

The above are some of the best gift registries for the holidays, but proceed with caution. Sending your holiday gift registry to someone you are not close with may be perceived as selfish and may offend the receiver if they did not ask for it. This action assumes they were considering buying you a gift in the first place, which may not be the case. Even though these lists can be money-savers due to preventing useless spending on unwanted gifts, asking for presents may annoy some individuals. Nonetheless, it is still beneficial to see recommendations, and this is still an excellent option to share wish lists of kids and teenagers.

What are your thoughts on holiday gift registries? Are you a fan? Share your thoughts in the comments below.