Seven Reasons It’s Not Rude To Send People A Gift List For Your Children

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When I became a mum for the first time I went through so many eye-opening (and eye-watering) moments. But nothing could have prepared me for the astonishing amount of baby paraphernalia we accumulated in the first few weeks and months.

We were so grateful for all the love our friends and family showed our babies, but dismayed at how many gifts were duplicated or weren’t used.

For years, couples have sent their loved ones a wedding giftlist ahead of their big day. If it works for weddings, I thought why shouldn’t it work for new babies, birthdays and Christmas? That’s why I co-founded Little Wishlist – a free giftlist registry that helps everyone get the gifts they want and need.

READ MORE: 21 Gifts Every New Parent Will Be Thrilled With… And That You Might Not Have Thought Of

Depressingly, an estimated £5 billion-worth of unwanted presents are given during just the festive season, and more than half us will receive at least one unwanted gift. If we’re serious about reducing this huge amount of waste, it’s time we challenge the stigma around asking for specific gifts.

Some might see this as presumptive, but I’d argue now is the time to change how we give gifts, and here are seven reasons why it’s rude not to make an online wishlistwhen there's a new baby, a birthday or Christmas on the horizon...

Gift-giving has never been easy...

But throw in a global pandemic, and WFH, and nipping to the shops after work has become even more difficult. Online shopping has become the way forward for busy families and, in our current locked-down circumstances, it’s becoming more necessary than ever.

It's low-stress... for everyone

It’s been a particularly tough and anxious year for parents, with pressures coming from all angles. But finding that perfect present doesn’t have to be another thing to stress about. A wishlist will give your overworked aunt or cash-strapped cousin one less thing to worry about.

We need to cut waste. Now.

Anyone who's had to sort the aftermath of a children's birthday party knows that they can be inherently wasteful exercises and, if David Attenborough’s documentaries have taught us anything, there’s no time to lose in cutting the waste we produce. We each have a personal responsibility to reduce what ends up in landfill. A wishlist will mean your children will only receive presents they’re genuinely going to love and use.

Nobody wants three of the same Jellycat

Receiving the same present multiple times seems to be a rite of passage for new parents. But Little Wishlist lets users mark which items have already been purchased, so you’ll never again be stuck with three copies of the same bedtime story book or Jellycat stuffed toy. Plus, we’ve spent lockdown getting rid of all the clutter - nobody wants to refill all those cleared out cupboards.

It clears up the etiquette

Present etiquette is a minefield. Some people are extravagant and others might seem a little bit stingy. Save your loved ones money and any potential embarrassment, and give them a range of price options and types of gifts that you know will go down well with your little ones - and not end up in the dreaded re-gift pile!

You can buy from small businesses

Most of us already know about creating wishlists through larger retailers, but do you really want to keep boosting Amazon’s profits? Little Wishlist lets you add any item from any store, so you can show your support for smaller retailers and independent brands, who particularly need our business this year.

It simplifies everything

It can be hard to keep track of who you’ve dropped present hints to. A wishlist, where your loved ones can mark off what they’ve bought you, will mean you can easily track who’s bought what. And that’s going to make sending out thank-you cards easier than ever.

So instead of spending the next month worrying about finding the right present, why not focus on quality over quantity, and take comfort in the fact you’re doing your bit to protect the planet too.

Julia Boullemier is the co-founder of Little Wishlist****__**

Looking for some inspiration? Why not peruse our Christening Gift Guide?