Ever wish for that perfect gift?
Some people might tell you to be careful for what you wish for, but others are plugging their wishes on-line to gift registries that ensure the gift they receive is exactly what they want — and not just for the holidays.
Family and friends can select the perfect gift for any occasion from these cyber-registries and will even be notified by e-mail about what and where to buy on-line.
Some sites offer gift ideas based on the recipient’s age, gender, interests and geographic location, while others provide personal shopping assistants to do the legwork on finding the best and most affordable gift on-line.
Della.com is one all-occasion gift registry site that offers users the smart, simple way to give.” Users can create a “wish center” or personalized home page to create and manage wish lists with personalized notes, current hobbies, favorite colors and even a personal photo. The wish list can be edited, updated and yes, even checked twice.
Visitors can type in a name to find a friend or family member’s gift registry and be directed to partnership stores such as the Gap, REI, Amazon.com, Restoration Hardware and Neiman Marcus, which offer merchandise that corresponds with the list. Gift givers to this site and others can order on-line and have the gift shipped directly to the recipient.
OhIWish.com offers users 300 merchants and 4 million products from which to choose. Gift registries are available, as are e-reminders and suggestions for gift buyers, plus a “gift surprise” area, which creates an anonymous gift list for preview and comment by the gift recipient. Users can be notified by e-mail if selected gifts go on sale.
OhIWish.com also offers event planning and promotional tools including calendars, budget templates, guest list managers and an RSVP system for that special day.
UGive.com has a “giftfolio wizard” database that allows a buyer to create a custom gift folio by plugging in descriptive information on the person for whom they’re shopping.
For example, if you plan to buy a gift for your brother, you tell UGive he is an adult male, you want to spend $50 to $60, you want the gift to be personal and you know he’s interested in computers. The service lets you plug in other information that describes him, and you can characterize him with words like “technophile and trendy” or other suitable adjectives. The gift folio will return with 20 “personalized” items from which to choose.
IveBeenGood.com provides a downloadable plug-in that allows users to visit Web sites to capture and store gift ideas that later can be exchanged with family and friends. Personal shoppers also can be contacted to research, purchase and coordinate gift ideas. And for friends and family members who are not on-line, a festive greeting card with the wish list will be mailed at a user’s request.
Other sites:
Wishclick.com offers hot gift ideas from such partners as The Sharper Image and FAO Schwartz and lets users create a wish list registering for gifts they want from retailers they already know.
Wish-list.com is another site that lets you create a home page with your wish list and offers 400 retailers to choose from by category and product descriptions. It also allows you to send an e-card to let others know about your wish list.
Makemywish.com is a gift registry site that states it donates 10 percent of its profits to the Make-A-Wish Foundation and Save the Children Foundation so, as you make your friends’ and family’s wishes come true, you also can help the less fortunate.
Ewish.com is the “wish list network” that makes it easy to find and shop from a friend’s or family’s wish list or gift registry, regardless of where they are registered.
Wishconnect.com is the simple approach to building a personal wish list by allowing users to include products from their favorite stores, publishing their list on the site and e-mailing it to curious gift givers.
Wishworld.com has areas to register for baby gifts, birthday gifts, family gifts, bridal gifts and Christmas gifts, allowing users to register for any gift from any store. Friends and relatives can check the wish lists on-line and mark items they would like to buy. Once they mark an item, other users will not be able to preview that gift, making sure you won’t receive duplicates.
MyWishList.com offers users gift ideas, virtual wish mail and newsletters and also lets users post their best and worst gifts ever received to a message board. Here, you’ll find Fred who wrote, “The worst gift I ever got was a rock with my initials on it. I put the rock in my garden.” Fred most likely will not let that happen again by registering for his perfect gift on-line.
More sites
You’ve made your wish for the perfect gift, registered on-line, and though you haven’t been naughty, you’d like to be extra nice to others by making someone else’s wish list come true. Though Christmas is only two days away, it’s not too late to be generous.
At www.makeawish.org you’ll find stories of children who would like their wishes granted. They haven’t registered their wish lists on-line, but Make-A-Wish Foundation works to fulfill the dreams of children between the ages of 2 1/2 and 18 who are battling life-threatening illnesses.
At www.makeawish.org you’ll find the stories of Josh, 11, who wanted to go to Alaska; Kaeli, 8, who wanted to meet Mary Poppins at Disney World; and LaToya, 9, who wanted to go on a shopping spree.
Although you can’t send gifts directly to these children, you can donate frequent flyer miles, hotel points and cash to help them reach their destinations. Donations are accepted on-line or you can contact the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Northern Illinois by visiting www.wishes.org or by calling 312-943-8956.
Another organization reaching out to fulfill wishes is the American Red Cross. You can visit the Chicago chapter at www.redcross.org/il/chicago or call for information on donations at 312-729-6100.
The Jane Addams Hull House also is looking for donations to fulfill the needs and wishes of others. For information visit www.hullhouse.org or call 312-906-8600.
