The Independent's journalism is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn commission. Why trust us?

How to make and share an Amazon wish list for easy Christmas gift shopping

Take some of the stress out of Christmas with Amazon’s version of a letter to Santa

Your support helps us to tell the story

Support Now

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

You may outgrow writing letters to Santa but you’re never too old to write a Christmas wish list. Telling your friends and family what you really want is the only way to avoid unwrapping another pair of socks, a perfume that doesn’t suit you or some toiletries you’ll probably never use.

Making a list in advance of Christmas is the best way to avoid being put on the spot when the question “What do you want?” comes up. You can spend a few days, or weeks, adding to your list whenever you think of something. You can even encourage your loved ones to create their own list, so you know the gift you spend your hard-earned money on will be well-received.

Using Amazon to create a wish list takes just seconds and makes it easy to keep track of items, too. For example, an Amazon wish list updates automatically as products are purchased, so you don’t accidentally end up with multiples of the same item.

It’s a win-win for everyone involved: they’ll feel confident about gifting you something that won’t go to waste, and you’ll save yourself the trouble of faking your excitement on Christmas day.

Here’s everything you need to know about making and using an Amazon wish list this Christmas and beyond.

What is an Amazon wish list?

An Amazon wish list is a tool you can use to make a list of things you love, want or need. You can add any items you like to the wish list – books, toys, gadgets – as long as it’s sold on Amazon.

Your wish list can be private, so only you can see it, or you can make it public and share it with friends and family, so they know what to get you for Christmas. They can add it to their basket straight from the list and there’s even the option of getting it delivered straight to your address, if your friends and family won’t be visiting you in person over the festive period.

How to make an Amazon wish list

There are a few ways to create an Amazon wish list. When you’re logged in to your Amazon account on a browser, you should see “Account & Lists” at the top of the page. When you hover over that, you’ll see a column titled “Your Lists,” and from there you can create a list.

If you’re using the Amazon app, you’ll click the personal profile icon at the bottom of your screen, and then you will see “Your Lists” as an option at the top of the screen. Once you open that page, you can see your existing lists or create a new one.

How to add items to your wish list

As you’re browsing items on Amazon, you will find a drop-down on the right side of your screen that says “Add to List”.

After clicking on that, you’ll get the option of adding the item to an existing list, or you can create a new one from scratch, if its the first product you’re adding to your Christmas list.

If you have an Amazon speaker such as an Echo Dot, or an Amazon smart TV, you can use Alexa to add items to your list. Be clear about the title of the item and make sure to say to which list it should be added.

How to share your wish list with family and friends

It takes just one click to make your wish list public and share it with family and friends. Navigate to your list, and you’ll see an “Invite” button at the top. You can either copy the link to share via WhatsApp or use the “Email” or “Text Message” options.

Set up your Amazon wish list now

Voucher codes

For discounts on Christmas gift shopping, try the links below:

Looking for more gift inspiration? Read our round-up of the best Secret Santa gifts for under £20

Thank you for registering