15/04/2026 7:20 pm
Topic starter
Notifications
Clear all
Accessories & Other Talk
3
Posts
4
Users
0
Reactions
4
Views
0
So every single holiday season is basically a nightmare of group chats and individual texts from my relatives in Florida and Chicago asking what my boys want for their birthdays and Christmas. It's getting so old copying and pasting links to everyone. I really need a way to just dump all these ideas in one spot where people can see what has been bought already so we dont get duplicates. I'm torn between a few ways to handle this:
- Elfster: I heard it has a secret santa feature which we might do this year to save money since everyones budgets are a bit tighter lately.
- Giftster: It seems maybe a bit simpler for my grandma who basically can barely use an iPad.
- A shared Google Doc: Maybe I'm overthinking it and should just use a basic document?
I'm worried a Doc wont look gift-y enough or people will accidentally delete stuff and mess up the whole list. The main goal is to keep things under 40 bucks and make it idiot-proof for the older folks in the family who get frustrated with phone apps. Which one of these is actually the easiest to manage for a group of about 15 people? I want to get this set up by next week before the Black Friday sales start so people can actually find the deals I'm looking at.
3 Answers
12
15/04/2026 7:40 pm
I've been the designated tech support for my massive family for like a decade now, so believe me, I've seen it all. We tried the Google Doc route back in 2016 and it was a total train wreck. My aunt accidentally deleted half the rows while trying to scroll on her phone and ngl, it was a nightmare trying to recover it while everyone was already out shopping. In my experience, here is how those options actually play out with real people:
- Elfster: Its awesome if you are definitely doing a Secret Santa because the automation is great for that. But honestly? The interface is super cluttered with ads and suggested gifts these days. My grandma always ends up clicking on some random sponsored blender instead of the actual list I made for the kids.
- Giftster: This is the one I usually recommend for families with less tech-savvy members. It is much more low noise than Elfster. You can set up a family group, and it has a claims system that hides what has been bought from the kids but shows it to everyone else. Very clean.
- MyRegistry: I tried this for a baby shower once. Its okay, but can feel a bit overly formal for just a casual family Christmas. If you want to keep stuff under $40, I usually just name the list something like Boys List
- Budget Friendly so it is the first thing they see. Tbh, the biggest hurdle is just getting them to click the link, so whatever you pick, make sure it doesnt require them to create a complex password or they will just give up and text you anyway...
10
15/04/2026 8:05 pm
Re: "I've been the designated tech support for my..."
- Unfortunately, Elfster's ads were so messy.
- Elfster: too cluttered
- Giftster: dated but works It's the best way to avoid gift duplicates tbh.
1
15/04/2026 7:20 pm
In my experience, avoid the Google Doc route. You'll run into version control nightmares and accidental deletions from non-tech users. Giftster is objectively better for older relatives since the UI is basic and it manages the 'purchased' tag without spoiling surprises. I've tried many platforms over the years, and it's definitely the most stable for large groups. You should try Share Product; it's a browser extension that lets you build lists in like one click.
