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Hi, and welcome to Try AI For Growth, a baby podcast out of Make Space for Growth. Here, I share short and maybe surprising stories of how I’ve used technology to tackle everyday challenges – at home, at work, in business. I’m your host, Sara Vicente Barreto, and today, I want to show how AI can help, even during the holiday rush. After my HR topic last week, I thought I would go with something fun and light for the final days just before Christmas. We all know how overwhelming it can feel to come up with thoughtful gifts for everyone on your list, especially when you feel they have everything and you are trying to stick to a budget. This year, as I had a handful of gifts left to decide on, I went for yet another experiment. Instead of roaming around stores or using the usual websites “20 ideas for a 20 year old men”, I turned to ChatGPT for help. The result? A more creative, intentional, and even enjoyable shopping experience.
Background: The Problem to Tackle
So here is the background. We don’t have a large core family that we spend Christmas with, but there is still a fair amount of gifts to be bought, as we have not yet adopted the Secret Santa style in our families. So I looked at my journal for what was “unticked”. My (almost) 30-year-old nephew who loves to travel. My sister, a 45-year-old extrovert who has gone through a journey of personal development, loves to travel and is really fit. And my in-laws, who have such different personalities that finding something thoughtful for both of them felt almost impossible. I had roamed the usual “best gifts for my sister”, “what to gift a men in his late twenties”, “best gifts for an 80-year-old”. The ideas were lame and the budgets so varied that I had anything from 5$ to $500 in one place. It was not working for me.
Holiday Gift Ideas with AI
So, in a moment of lack of inspiration, I asked ChatGPT:
“Can you recommend 5 gifts for my almost 30-year-old nephew? He is getting married next year, he likes to travel, he moved recently to the US. He is originally Portuguese. I would like to spend no more than X.”
The AI came back with a range of options, like travel-friendly accessories, personalized keepsakes, and even creative DIY ideas. Some suggestions stood out immediately, while others inspired me to refine my search further. Funny of them, one I already bought, so I added one more to my shopping list. Can’t tell you what it is, just in case he is listening and it ruins the fun!
This first answer was actually pretty decent and I felt like it was taking into consideration not just general themes like – men, twenty-something, lives in the US, but also incorporate his likes and life circumstances. So, I decided to make another attempt and turn the attention to my sister. Now, I know she is the one guaranteed listener of this podcast, so I am running a risk here!
“Can you suggest gifts for my 45 year old sister? She is a fan of London and general travel. She is an extrovert. She has done a lot of studies around child psychology , health and personal development over the last year. She is very fit. I would like to spend no more than X.”
Once again, the suggestions were incredibly thoughtful and ranged from practical items to unique experiences. It even suggested a few things I hadn’t considered, like incorporating her love for London into the gift theme. Funny enough, it confirmed one of my ideas, and it gave me an idea for a new one. I was on a roll.
As always, I did not always get perfect answers. I tried for my mother-in-law: “She is in her 70s and a doctor. She is trying to work less but loves working. She is very pragmatic. She has a lot of small gifts from her patients. We usually spend X. Any thoughts?”. I was not convinced by the answers, that ranged from spas, doctor jewellery (I did not know that was a thing), smart devices, a work bag or elegant home comforts. Part of the reason was we already gave her most of these over the last few years, part was because some ideas were very generic. What are elegant home comforts anyway? So I prompted the AI further saying I was not convinced and needed more ideas. The truth is, I did not give it much more detail, so they did not come back that different. Rule #1 is is always in the prompt.
One thing I learned quickly was that the more constraints I provided, the better the suggestions became. For example, for my father in law, I asked “what about ideas for my 80-year-old father-in-law. His health is difficult at the moment and he is not very mobile. He reads a lot, watches TV, is very intelligent and knowledgeable about many themes. Any thoughts on what we could offer that makes his life more enjoyable?” Funny enough, the ideas that came back were pretty decent for my description, even if not all fit for my father-in-law for various reasons that I had not included in my constraints. But it ignited some ideas of what I could get.
Each time, I asked clarifications when there was a suggestion I could not quite understand, like “personalized book collection” and ChatGPT helped me understand, refine them and, as an added bonus, point me in the direction of where to find some of these items. It gave me a mix of suggestions, from mainstream platforms like Amazon and Etsy to local boutiques and even DIY ideas. This extra layer of guidance saved me from spending hours hunting for the perfect items. I was ready to wrap up my Christmas shopping.
Lessons
So what did I learn from this experiment, in a way very aligned with the last episode?
- It’s All About the Prompt:
The more detail I gave about the recipient, the better the suggestions. It helped me think through their interests and needs more intentionally. Which is how I like to choose holiday gifts, making it about the person and not about ticking the shopping list. - AI Makes the Process Easier, with Guidance and Interaction:
Instead of starting from scratch, I had curated suggestions within minutes. It felt like brainstorming with a creative partner. But it was even better when I gave feedback and asked for refinements. - AI Can Inspire New Ideas:
Maybe this is the new lesson for this experiment. Last time I spoke about its analytics, today about its brainstorming power. Some suggestions were spot-on, while others sparked ideas I wouldn’t have considered otherwise. Either way, it expanded my possibilities and definitely made for a more enjoyable experience.
Try it at home!
Now, this episode is coming out pretty close to Christmas. But in many prior years, my shopping spree would still be starting at around this date. So perhaps this episode still comes in time for you to give it a go. If you’re feeling stuck with holiday shopping, here’s how you can use AI to make it easier:
- Write down a few details about each person on your list, including their interests and any constraints like budget, shipping needs, or timelines.
- Use a tool like ChatGPT to brainstorm ideas. Be as specific as possible in your prompts—include age, hobbies, and anything else that might help. I am thinking Gemini would be quite useful too, with some of the results well linked to Google powerful search engine.
- Refine the suggestions. If the first answer feels too generic, add more constraints or ask follow-up questions. Don’t give up on the first round.
- Ask for shopping guidance. ChatGPT can suggest websites, marketplaces, or even DIY options that align with your needs.
This holiday experiment reminded me that AI isn’t just a tool for work—it can make personal tasks like gift shopping more fun, creative, and thoughtful. It helped me move past the stress of brainstorming and focus on the joy of giving.
If you’re curious about how AI can help with your holiday planning, give it a try. You might be surprised at how much it can simplify the process. And if you have your own tips or stories, I’d love to hear them!
Thanks for joining me for this holiday-themed episode of Try AI for Growth. Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share your thoughts. Until next time, keep experimenting and keep having fun.
If you missed the prior episodes, go here!
Photo by George Dolgikh