Tis the season of making Christmas wishlists, and for some this means gathering gift ideas that have accumulated throughout the year. With wishlist making apps like Listful and GoWish gaining popularity, the question arises: “How early is too early, and how much is too much?”
When you think of a wishlist, you picture a child innocently sketching pictures with captions in crayon, or circling toys they like in a catalogue. Those days are long gone, with innovation swooping in per usual. GoWish’s (a wishlist making service/app) ads run rampant on YouTube and TikTok depicting young kids lecturing their parents on what they want and how they can just “go look at their GoWish.”
Wishlist making apps can be convenient, especially with newer features enabling the users’ friends and families to check off the item they purchased off of the list, ensuring no one else will buy that same item. However, user-oriented apps like this may have hidden implications that one may not realize. On the GoWish partnering website, businesses can apply to be shown or promoted on the app or website. Many of these businesses have their products promoted, encouraging an individual to spend more money or ask for more gifts.
Despite the possible economic impacts of early or lengthy wishlist making, social consequences exist too. Young kids have transitioned from asking for toys at the age of 10 to asking for Sol De Janeiro products and Pink Palm Puff hoodies. This rise in mature Christmas wishes is arguably due to social media. Sites like Instagram and TikTok have popularized the request of more mature and less childlike items, and although there can be upsides to this, such as less clutter and more useful items, the childhood we once remembered may be long gone. TikTok also provides an avenue for people to come up with things to add to their wishlist, as many people post Christmas wishlist ideas and Christmas gift hauls.
One LSE student, River Hill (12) says that she uses social media, like Tiktok, for wishlist purposes.
“Based off of what people are saying on TikTok, that’s like kind of the sh*t. If I feel like it’s the sh*t, I’ll ask for it [on my Christmas list].” said Hill.
Hill explained that this year it was better to make an early wishlist in preparation for college, and asking for nicer things was just a good way to set herself up for success with things she doesn’t necessarily want to buy herself. Hill says that making a list can be really overwhelming for some; the aspect of thinking of things they want can be a lot. But for Hill, making a wishlist is fun.
As for early wishlist making, Hill says “Everyone makes their list early. What’s new?”
Another student at Southeast, Amorita Payne (9), said she feels like early wishlist making can be a good thing in most instances. She explains how early wishlist making can actually be really helpful, especially when you might need to tell someone who may not know what to get you what to get.
Payne also acknowledged the fact that there may be a downside to early wishlists.
“If you make it really early and shove it in people’s faces, that can be unhelpful. As long as you’re not being greedy, just give suggestions instead,” Payne said.
Both Hill and Payne said that they didn’t use wishlist making apps, but other students at Southeast do. So what are the functions of using a wishlist making app? I decided to find out for myself.
Using the wishlist making app ‘Giftful,’ I went against my own opinions for the sake of research. I must admit, although dystopian and seemingly wrong, the app was easy to navigate, and simplified making a gift list. For instance, one is able to attach an online link and the app does the rest. A photo is generated, a caption written and a price is attached. Nonetheless, although easy, it doesn’t have the same Christmas magic as a traditional paper list off-the-dome.
Early and lengthy wishlists seem to generally be seen as more of a helpful tool for loved ones, but can also be interpreted as greed or a sign of the ever-changing modern times. Even though we may never go back to circling things in a catalogue, do we need to transition to electronic wishlist making in October? I think not.
