Does anyone else find telling people what you'd like for Xmas really hard work?

[TougherThanTheRest]

Every year I'm asked to provide a list of what I'd like for Xmas by my DH, my Mum, my ILs etc and while it's lovely that people want to buy me things, I wish they could use their bloody imaginations! I know this sounds really ungrateful but I find there's little enough 'magic' about Christmas when you're an adult and a few surprises would be lovely.

This year has been a bit better since I discovered the ability to add anything to your Amazon wishlist, not just things that Amazon sell. I think that's got DH covered and hopefully he will pick out something as a suggestion for the ILs but as I don't know what he's chosen I now have to think up some different things to suggest to my Mum so nobody doubles up.

Those things will have to be easily available on the high street as she hasn't got to grips with online shopping yet which makes it even harder - I'll have to be really specific (this perfume or this book), so no surprises and the bonus of knowing she could have got the damn thing for half the price online.

Often when I'm in the shops or browsing online I see things I'd really love, but I'd love them so much more if somebody thought about me and what I like, chose something specially and gave it to me without having to be given the name, make and serial number beforehand :( I'm, struggling to come up with ideas to be honest, which sounds hideously spoilt I know but I'm really stuck this year.

Ah, I have the opposite problem. People refuse to buy anything I really want (craft stuff) and insist on getting me 'normal' stuff like clothes/money/slippers (same old things every year)

Yes I agree op, sounds ungrateful but it gets on my wick a bit too. I always end up saying "pyjamas" to my mum because I know i'll always need pyjamas. I always email my DH a list of stuff i'd quite like but then I never get any surprises because of this. Sometimes I wish they'd just go and walk round Debenhams to get some ideas. They know me, they know I love perfume, make-up, handbags, scarves, gloves etc. etc. I 'm so easy to buy for! I haven't asked anyone what they want this year, theyve all got lovely surprises (whether they'll like them or not is another matter!).

No, I have no problems.

I look online and send them links to things I like (if they ask)

Christmas is never disappointing chez Scarlett

The only thing i ever ask for is a new piece of myth and magic ,but i never get any ! I am happy to have anything.For some reason all of my family think i am the worst person to buy for.I too would like my dh to think of something himself for me,i am the only person he has to buy for as i do all the rest of the present buying. I dont like telling anyone else what i would like in case they dont have much money so i prefer to leave it and let them get something they can afford.But i do have to say i get very spoilt by everyone ,my two adult children ,all my siblings and my dh.

Tell me about it! DH has 6 sisters and they ALL ask what I want, when I say "no don't worry, just buy for DS" they insist, so I say "a dvd" they honestly want me to tell them exactly! It does my head in - that's not supposed to be what Christmas is about, I love going out and finding little gems of gifts for everyone - I'm really easy to buy for as well, but last year I just ended up saying "just get us b n q vouchers" because I felt so cheeky!

Its different with my Mum because she always gets us a useful present and then a surprise, so last year a drier and hamper of lovely treats and this year a ds it WILL be useful and a surprise

DH doesn't really buy much but he has strict instructions for what he does buy ha ha

I am always browsing on amazon and save the things I would like to have. Books and music mostly (sometimes I ask for a magazine sub, or itunes, or a dvd) so its all dead easy for my DH to buy stuff.
He does the same so its also easy for me.

It works out well for us this way as we used to really struggle to come up with any ideas for one another, then a couple of years running, if I didnt ask, I didnt get anything! Seriously, nothing!!!

With my parents who also do not use the internet, my DH asks them if they need any help, they say yes and then DH refers to my list and buys it for them online! (They wrap it of course)

We did it this way (which I know is a very boring and organised) mainly to avoid the heartbreak of seeing big bucks being totally wasted.

One year my parents gave me a Slendertone and they refused to take it back for a refund when I said it wasnt really "me" being a size 12 and being quite happy with my shape (those were the days!!). This was before ebay so I was stuck with this dreadful expensive thing.

My il's also get guided toward stuff from the lists because again money was being totally wasted on things like a perfume that I had stopped wearing 10 years ago.
DH was also victim to money being wasted by his Mum and Dad as they used to get him strange gift items like sliver plated computer mouses, or expensive but rubbish items they had bought in a rush.

You have to face the facts. Its very hard to know what other people want as a gift. I look at my DH's list and dont know what the heck most of the music or books are. He has totally different tastes to me.
I think if we had more dosh I would be trying to suprise him with something different, and the same can be said for other people. Whilst every penny counts though, its the only way to go as we cant really waste money at the moment, and I hate to see other people waste money on us.