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Queen of the festive season Mariah Carey might only want “you” for Christmas, but my 11-year-old daughter Addison wants much more.

In fact, according to her curated “Christmas wish list” Google Doc she would like a “slay” Scorpio T-shirt, a personalised blue neon name light for her room, sparkly black Converse shoes, clothes that are “in”, a Ouija board and scary books by a specific author.

Teenagers around the world are creating elaborate Christmas wish list presentations.Credit: Marija Ercegovac

When I first received her list – shared with me via email – to say I was taken aback would have been an understatement.

This reaction wasn’t due to the items on the list, but the detail and effort that had gone into researching and collating it. There were hyperlinks directing to the specific products requested and screenshots of clothing items, demonstrating her preference for the “aesthetic” (her words) she would prefer. Truth be told, I thought it was pretty impressive.

There were even check boxes aligned next to each item, seemingly for me to tick off once purchased; a document key, which specified that any item underlined is a present she really wants; and a note to say that I don’t need to buy everything on the list (thanks, Hun, I won’t be).

While I had initially thought my daughter was quite a pioneer in savvy Christmas list organisation, TikTok and its 1.8 billion views of #christmaswishlist would prove this assumption incorrect.

On the social media platform, scores of videos featuring elaborate PowerPoints and Canva presentations point to the hashtag, highlighting how popular the trend has become across the world, especially among Gen Z and Generation Alpha.

14-year-old Sydney teenager Isla Crawford, who posted her two Christmas wish list presentations (a general Christmas wish list and an “ultimate” version on TikTok) says the process provided a fun and creative way to share what she would like for Christmas with her parents.

“I really enjoyed making it, organising it into sections and presenting it to the family,” says Isla.

The two presentations – one with 19 slides and the other with 89 – which were created using design templates, not just to look sophisticated and aptly festive-themed, are incredibly detailed with the use of hyperlinks, available product options, prices and even starred items to indicate which gifts Isla would most like to receive.

“When I started watching the presentation my reaction was, ‘Wow, this is very detailed and organised’. I appreciated her tenacity and creativity,” says Isla’s father, Blake Crawford.

“Then when we got to slide three, I asked her how many slides there were, and she told me 89, then I said, ‘Oh, crikey’.”

The presentation of both slideshows, which included present requests ranging from a $38 body mist to a $1,500 MacBook, took around 30 minutes but its creation, the family says, is a much longer process. It’s something Isla and her brother, 12-year-old Aden, have now been doing, to varying degrees, for years.

Isla Crawford and her father Blake, alongside Isla’s Christmas wish list.

“Aden and Isla actually started this when they were quite young. We made a rule that as of the end of October, don’t ask us for anything, make a Christmas wish list instead,” says Blake.

The lists, which originally started on a piece of paper stuck to the fridge, eventually evolved and moved into the digital realm.

“The process is just good fun, and it also teaches them some life skills too,” Blake says.

While the wider Christmas wish list trend has been met with some criticism online around entitlement and taking the surprise out of the holiday, many parents, like Blake, don’t see it this way.

“We definitely have a price limit and set realistic expectations of what they will be given,” he says.

And when it comes to the element of surprise, well, that isn’t completely removed either.

As one of Isla’s slides had five pairs of earrings from different brands, Blake says the surprise will come in which he decides to pick and purchase.

While I would have once turned my nose up at the idea of having a tailored list of what to buy Addison, preferring to put thought and consideration into the gift-giving process myself, the list now provides a sense of relief. The older my daughter gets, the more challenging her tastes and interests are to keep on top of. It has become much harder to really know what she likes and wants.

Having specific items listed in one place has been incredibly handy and has streamlined my Christmas shopping process considerably. It’s also stopped me from wasting money on things my daughter wouldn’t even use.

Now, I just need to get my youngest daughter on board for next year.

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