Gift lists get out of hand fast, especially with kids. This free Christmas gift planner uses the popular Want, Need, Wear, Read and Do approach so each person gets a balanced set of gifts, plus a stocking plan. Rename the categories to fit your family. Everything works right here on this page, your entries save on your device, and you can save a backup file to keep a copy.

How the Want, Need, Wear, Read and Do gift plan works

  • Want: one thing they are asking for.
  • Need: something useful they can really use.
  • Wear: clothes, shoes or pajamas.
  • Read: a book or two.
  • Do: an outing or experience, like a zoo pass or movie night.

How to use the Christmas gift planner

  • Add each person, then fill in a gift idea and price for every category.
  • Paste a link to each item so you can find it again, and check the box when you buy it.
  • Use the stocking list for small extras, and watch the total for each person.
  • Rename, remove or add categories to match how your family does Christmas.

Keep the total on budget

Set your holiday budget first, then use our Christmas Spending Tracker to log what you actually spend. Not sure how much to set aside? Read our November curriculum for a step-by-step plan.

Christmas gift planner ideas for kids and stockings

A Christmas gift planner keeps the pile of presents fair and the total under control. With the Want, Need, Wear, Read and Do method, every child gets the same five types of gifts, so nobody ends up with a mountain and nobody feels left out.

Start with the big gift in the Want slot, then fill the rest with things you were going to buy anyway, like pajamas, boots and books. Use the Do slot for a zoo pass, a movie night or a baking day, which costs less than a toy and makes a better memory. Small treats such as chapstick, stickers and a candy cane go in the stocking list.

Every family does this differently, so rename the categories if you like. For tips on avoiding holiday debt, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau offers free budgeting resources. Then use your Christmas gift planner totals as the gift line in your holiday budget.

Next step

Your next step: Add the first person in the planner above and fill in all five categories today. Then browse our free printables page for more free tools.