What is your Christmas gifting superpower / kryptonite?

It’s that time of year again. Making a list (of people to buy gifts for), and checking it twice (on Dec 24—oops). Tell me how amazing (or terrible) your Christmas logistics skills are. Are you the type of person that keeps a spreadsheet and buys gifts 6 months in advance?

I want to hear some STORIES: The good, the bad, and the ugly. In case you’re coming up short on ideas, here are some prompts:

Talk to me in general about the logistics of giving gifts on Christmas. Any war stories? Huge successes? Tricks of the trade? Pet peeves?

Where do you keep up-to-date addresses? What about your system do you like? What are its flaws?

How do you ask people for their address? Look it up on Facebook? Email? Call? Do you contact their friends? Have any stories to share?

How many people will you be buying gifts for? If you have no idea, why not? Tell me a story!

How do you decide who gets a card vs a present? Tell me your thought process. And give me numbers—how many cards versus how many presents.

How do you keep track of who wants what? Tell me your tips and tricks! Any mishaps or other stories to share?

How do you keep track of POTENTIAL gifts for each person?
Tell me about your process. Ever forget what you were going to give someone? Tell me a story!

Do you maintain to-do lists? Checklists? Or other organizational tools? Tell me about them. How well do they work? What are their flaws?

Do you maintain a timeline? Do you adhere to it? Are you done months in advance or are you a last-minute shopper? Tell me stories!

Do you have any tricks that simplify the logistics? (e.g. Buying cards en masse.). We’re all logistical genuses. Tell me your tricks.

Do you involve other people in your gifting logistics? (e.g. Asking for another’s opinion on a gift). How much do you value others’ opinions? Do you ever coordinate with other people? Tell me a story.