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Curation · 5 min read

Wishlists that keep the surprise

A list of things you'd love to be given, in a way that lets the giver feel like a hero. Yes, you can have both.

Renée O. · April 8, 2026

Birthday gifts are an unsolved problem. Either you get a sweater you'd never pick, or you tell them exactly what to buy and the surprise dies on arrival.

There's a third way: a wishlist that hides what's already been claimed. The giver still feels clever. You still feel surprised. Everyone wins.

Curation can be generous. This is one of its most underrated tricks.

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