In this guide, we’ll take you through three methods for creating a Christmas gift list in Notion. Using these strategies, you can stay on top of who’s left to buy for, how much you’re spending, and any important gift details, so you can relax in the run-up to Christmas.
1. Use the Database Feature
Using databases in Notion is a super-organized way to keep track of the gifts you need to buy, manage your budget, and acknowledge other relevant factors for your purchases. Creating a new database in Notion is an easy process:
Type the command /page in the text editor to insert a new page, or select the Add a page option from the sidebar. Underneath the Database heading, select the Table option. If you have no existing databases to link, select the New database button.
Following these steps, you’ll see a blank database set to the Table view. This option is best to gain an expansive view of the gifts you have to buy, and the most important attributes assigned to each.
After creating the database, you can also make use of the Sort and Filter options, which can be helpful for seeing what gifts are left to order and managing how much you’re spending on each person.
Let’s take a look at how you can use a database to set up your Christmas gift list.
The Title property on the far left side of the database is the default field for entering text. Here you can list down all the gifts you’ve purchased or need to order.
Next, you can add new attributes by clicking on the property header to the right of the Title field. This will open a menu to set up the new property where you can give it a name, and select the type of property to use.
Following the names of gifts, possibly the next most important attribute is who the gift is for. The best option for this is the Select property. This enables you to set up several options to pick from for each item. To use this feature, click on the Type button and choose Select.
Now, click on a blank field next to an item’s name to mark down who the gift is for. You can type in a name for new recipients, or select a name from the dropdown for existing members.
Now it’s time to add a price to every item in the list. This is a relatively easy process. First, click the plus (+) icon to the far right of the property names, and choose Number from the dropdown menu. Assign a title such as “Price”, then ensure to select your currency from the Number format option signified below.
For gifts you’ve ordered online, a URL can come in handy to check up on delivery updates or messages related to the order. For this, use the URL option from the list of property types.
If you’ve scheduled a gift bulk-buying session online, you’ll likely not get around to ordering every item on your list. To help clarify what you have purchased, you can set up an Ordered? attribute using the Select property.
If you’d like to add further attributes to your Christmas list, you may wish to explore this beginner’s guide on using database properties in Notion.
2. Create Your Own List in the Text Editor
If you’re looking for a simpler, quicker approach to jotting down your Christmas gift list, you may consider using Notion’s text editor to create a list.
Notion’s built-in checkboxes make it easy to mark down and cross off gifts. To insert a checkbox, type the forward slash ( / ) to access the commands list and select To-do list. For speedy list-makers, you can also use the shortcut Ctrl + Shift + 4 on any new line to insert a checkbox.
To mark off gifts you’ve bought, simply click the checkbox or use Ctrl + Enter with your cursor on the relevant item.
The Bulleted list block is an alternative format that can give your gift lists further depth. This can be found in the commands list, or for a quicker approach, you can type the hyphen key ( - ) followed by Space to generate bullets fast.
To add attributes to your list item, such as the price or delivery date, you can create indented bullets using the Tab key. This gives you a simple and compact view of everything related to your gift list:
If you have an uncountable number of people to buy for, you may wish to categorize your gift list using headings in notion. You can use the smallest heading size (H3) to list individual people, and a larger heading size to group the people into larger categories.
This helps you manage who is left to buy for, and can also be useful for generating ideas for gifts before deciding to buy them.
3. Use a Notion Template
Notion offers multiple templates that can be found in the Template Gallery on its website. This method saves you the work of manually creating a gift list, as outlined in the previous methods.
There are both paid and free templates available for creating smart lists—Christmas Gifts is one nice option you may wish to consider. Applying a template is as simple as clicking the Duplicate template button and selecting a workspace for the template.
Providing you like the design, this approach can save lots of time and make your life easier. Of course, there is less customization available, so this approach is not best for creative Christmas list makers. If you’re paying for a template, you may wish to consider some important factors before buying a Notion template.
Use Notion for Your Last-Minute Shopping This Christmas
Buying gifts can be an overwhelming and never-ending task. But by using Notion’s powerful editing and database features, you’ll have no worries getting all of your gifts bought in time. Use Notion for a super-organized gift-buying process, so you can relax and enjoy this festive season.
