Gift planning status
A Gift Idea can move through the planning lifecycle rather than remaining a permanent vague Idea. Depending on the current record, available states include stages such as Chosen, Bought, Arrived, Wrapped and Given.
To change status:
- Open the Gift Idea.
- Open its actions/status controls.
- Choose the new status.
- Confirm any Occasion/occurrence context when asked.
Mark a Gift as given
- Open the Gift.
- Choose Mark as given.
- Confirm the appropriate Occasion/date when required.
- The Gift becomes part of long-term history rather than disappearing.
Add fulfilment information
Light fulfilment is optional. It is for remembering practical details, not becoming a parcel-tracking service.
When editing an appropriate Gift, add any useful fields such as:
- expected arrival date;
- tracking link;
- order/reference number;
- return-by date.
These fields can produce calm planning cues on Today/Occasion surfaces.
Remember where a gift is stored — Version 1.4
For outgoing gifts, Version 1.4 adds an optional private Stored at memory so you can remember where a chosen or purchased gift is hidden.
- Edit an outgoing Gift whose status is Chosen, Bought, Arrived, Wrapped or Given.
- In the fulfilment area, enter Stored at.
- Save.
The value is journal-only private memory. It is deliberately excluded from notifications, Spotlight/App Shortcuts, widgets, Watch transport and ordinary sharing. If a saved value already exists and you later move the Gift back to an earlier status, it remains editable so the memory is not stranded.
Open tracking information
When a tracking link is present, use the tracking link action from the Gift detail. The Gift Journal does not maintain a carrier account or carrier-integrated logistics platform.
Remember a gift you received
Received Gifts remain relationship memory rather than a possessions or household-inventory system. Version 1.4 expands them beyond Self: an ordinary Person can now also have gifts they received, with recipient and giver roles kept distinct.
A Received Gift can keep a title, photo, saved link, notes and price, plus:
- Given by — one or more giver relationships, or unknown initially;
- Received on — exact date, month and year, year only, or unknown, without inventing false precision;
- Occasion / reason — optional context for why it was given.
You can add a giver from an existing Person, create a real Person manually or from Contacts, or leave the giver unknown. The app does not manufacture an “Unknown” Person record.
Received Gifts can surface in Journal/search and in the appropriate relationship history. Your own received gifts can appear under Gifts received from them for a giver. On another Person, Version 1.4 keeps Gifts they received separate from gifts you gave them and from gifts they gave to somebody else. Received Gifts remain private and do not contribute to outgoing gifting readiness, recipient budgets or fulfilment planning.
If the item was on My Wishlist first, use Wishlist → Mark as received so its photo, link, price, notes and Wishlist origin are preserved.
Gift history
- Open a Person.
- Choose History.
- Review gifts you gave them and, where relevant, Gifts they received, Gifts they gave, and Gifts received from them.
- Use Journal search/filter when you need to find older history by Person, date, source, title or other available criteria.
Reactions and anti-regift memory
Where available, record a lightweight reaction such as Loved it, Good, Neutral or Miss. This helps the journal remember what worked.
The journal can also flag potentially similar previous Gifts. It is a warning to check, not an automatic ban: intentional repeats can be valid for traditions, replenishable favourites or consumables.