Christmas is coming up fast and my family is always so weird about gifts like we never know what to get each other and then it ends up being a bunch of random stuff from Target that nobody actually wants. I really want to avoid that this year because I actually have a few things I need for my new apartment like a specific air fryer and some linens but I dont want to just hand them a printed list and look like a greedy kid lol.

I looked online for ideas and saw people suggesting apps like Elfster or Giftster but honestly my parents are barely tech literate so trying to get them to download an app and make a profile sounds like a nightmare plus it feels a bit too formal for just the four of us. I also saw people say just leave a list on the fridge but that feels so aggressive and tacky to me like Im demanding stuff. I'm trying to keep my requests under $100 since we're all on a budget this year but I still dont know how to bring it up without it being super awkward at dinner.

Has anyone found a way to like naturally drop hints or accidentally let them see what you're looking at without it being a whole thing or making it feel like a transaction? I really want to make it easy for them but without being weirdly direct about it...