Do you tell your partner what you want for Christmas?

I send my husband a list of suggestions . Occasionally I even buy the items and hand them to him to wrap because I have accounts that get points or discounts and he does not.

I’m ok with this because occasionally he surprises me with something truly thoughtful and just astounding. The kind of gifts that just blow you away and you still think about the perfection of them years later.

My experience of surprises is that they more often tend to be things that you quite like but you don't love. Whereas if you ask for what you want you get something you really love

Exactly what @Notmydaughteryoubitch said! 😊

I don't really see the point in buying each other lots of stuff for Christmas. If we want or need anything we just get it ourselves. We do absolutely LOVE Christmas though so we're no bah! humbugs! We would much rather spend spare cash on a holiday that we can enjoy together. We do spend max of £50 for some little gifts to open on Christmas day and these are things we just know the the other would like.

We give each other a list of things we'd like. With no expectation that we will get all of the list, just something on the list.

So no one knows exactly what the will get, but will know it's something they want.

I do that with my oldest friend too. We are fortunately all financially comfortable, so can afford what we each need. So that only leaves "things we quite fancy" as presents, and although I'm close to my immediate family and friends, none of us are mind readers.

We do a mix, there's usually always something I want every year so I will ask for that specifically and then DH will get me a few smaller surprises as well. This year I've asked for AirPods so I know DH will buy those, I'm 29 so perhaps by the time we're older we will have all of those things we want anyway so can just do surprises. Of course I could have just bought the AirPods for myself at any point during the year but we are saving to buy a bigger house so we tend to either save or spend money on days out with the kids etc. We are quite frugal when it comes to ourselves really.

Definitely not unusual amongst our family and friends either, there's always group WhatsApp messages on the lead up to Christmas asking what people would like.

After years of dropping hints that DH and sons never picked up on I started writing a Christmas list many years ago. Usually at the beginning of November. It has approx 20 items of varying costs from a couple of pounds upwards. The men in my life love it and I still get a surprise as there is lots to choose from.

I don't like surprises so I hint heavily what I'm thinking of getting dh and he tells me if he'd like it. He does the same in return.

For example
-Did you say you wish you had some warm pyjamas?
-I did yeah, I'd love some warm pyjamas, the button up kind especially

I think it depends on the OH. Some guys are really good at either buying great surprises, or picking up on hints, whether subtle or not! Some are dreadful at it.
If you really care about getting the right gift and are with one of the latter blokes, I guess giving a list ensures you get what you want and saves wasted money on unwanted gifts.

I hate surprises so I do the list with links too. I find it far more exciting to look forward to the items I know I really want.

No - if I want something I buy it and same for him. We don't bother with gifts for each other.

My DH has asked for ideas this year and my DB always asks too. I always send loads more than I want, so lots of different options so I don't actually know what I am getting and also very clear they don't have to get it for me and can absolutely go off piste if they choose.

I don't like the idea of it, I would like a partner who knows me so well that he can pick out perfect, thoughtful things for me and surprise me with them.
But I've never had a partner like that, at least by doing this you get some of what you want, if not the thoughtful surprise!

I do the same as your friend. It means I get EXACTLY what I want.