Do you have a system?

[AmyAmoeba]

I'm finding it hard to find a way to keep track of my Christmas shopping, particularly as the kids are far more technologically advanced than I am and consider my phone and iPad their own. And I have one voracious reader who can't pass print without reading it, so I have to be careful not to drop a receipt.

I would hate to lose the Santa magic because they stumble on my Amazon history or find my shopping list. But I definitely can't keep it all in my head.

Do you have tips, a system or an app?

If you are a SAHM this may not help, but I have an excel spreadsheet on my personal drive at work.

What could, possibly, help, is maybe putting something like that in the cloud - so a spreadsheet in a dropbox account or similar?

(Someone else I spotted has an app, which is password protected - possibly on 1 of the 2 Lidl threads - but I can't remember who or what it was called, sorry).

I use a private Pinterest board. But you'd need to password protect your Pinterest - unless they don't look there and you gave the board a boring name?

I have a nondescript note book I keep in the 'gift cupboard' with a page for each person so I can add as I go :)

I second vote spreadsheet with a password!

i have a notebook that i use, i started using a gift tracker app but found it to be too much of a faff

I have also reverted to a notebook after finding the app frustrating. I also make a note of where I have hidden things.

I use an app called gift list, I'm liking it so far and it's password protected!

I have a spreadsheet. I am sad enough that I can tell you what I got all members of my family every Christmas since at least 2008.

It's a bit interesting now as it brings back memories of what they were into at the time and what they've now long moved past wanting now they are older. The spreadsheet is buried in a folder that the kids have no need/desire to access and at some points it's been password protected as needed. Nowadays they don't use my laptop because they have their own!

I lamented the point where DD1 learnt to read as you could no longer pick something up in a box with writing on it (but no pics) and know that she wouldn't guess what it was. No more taking her on trips to the post office when collecting parcels!

I've had a small notebook each year since 1982. It makes fascinating reading now, seeing what my boys had each Christmas.

Often it seems to be "buy stuff, put it aside somewhere safe so children don't find it, then I find it a week after Christmas...."

Notebook with a code name for each recipient :).

I use an app called mGifts and its passcode protected :-).

Notebook with no names but different pen colours for each child. If they ever found it I would just say it's a list of present ideas for various people

Wow gingerivy we have the exact same system

A notebook. It lives in my handbag. No one is allowed in my handbag. Big things we hide in the in-laws' house, eg bike. Other things I hide in empty cereal boxes in the utility room

Mine is don't even think about it till halfway through November. Then there is no trail to follow. And you l ow what they are in to and what is 'in' and you won't forget where stuff is.

I have a notebook which lives in my handbag / on top of the fridge.

I have a page per person and several columns so it goes L-R

ITEM eg mlp castle
WHERE eg attic
WRAPPED? eg rudolf paper
FROM? Eg Santa / us / grandma
COST? Eg £40
REMAIN eg £60 (of total budget)

I am a bit list / Xmas obsessed though

I have a list written in "notes" on my iPad, entitled Boring House Stuff! If the kids ever looked at it they would indeed find a list of stuff that needs done/fixed/repaired/bought for the house, but...

If they scrolled down about 200 lines they would find their Xmas lists