10 AI Christmas Hacks to Nail Your Timings, Gifts, and Sanity
Let’s be honest for a second. We all love Christmas, but it is basically a massive event management project disguised as a holiday.
Between the military precision required to get the turkey and the roasties ready at the same time, the mental load of gift buying, and the endless "admin" of thank you notes... it is exhausting.
I recently shared a post on LinkedIn about the best £15 I ever spent: a magic wand from a garden centre that turns my Christmas lights on and off. It is pure magic. But for the other kind of Christmas chaos—the logistics—I am using a different kind of magic this year.
I am using Artificial Intelligence.
Whether you use ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini, AI is the perfect tool to handle the boring logic puzzles of Christmas so you can focus on the fun stuff (like eating pigs in blankets).
Here are 10 short copy-and-paste prompts to help you nail your Christmas timings, sort your shopping, and save your sanity.
1. Digitising the Wish List
The Prompt: (Upload photo of catalogue page first)
"Please transcribe the items circled in this image into a text list. For each item, search for the current best price online in the UK (in GBP/£) and provide a direct link to purchase from a trusted source e.g. Argos, Smyths."
2. The "All-in-One" Menu & Schedule Planner
The Prompt:
"I am hosting Christmas dinner for [Number] people. We want to eat at [Time, e.g. 2:00 PM].
The Main: I have a [Weight] Turkey (or specify other meat).
The Sides: I need recipes for [List ideas, e.g. Honey Glazed Carrots, "Jazzy" Red Cabbage with apple, Crispy Roast Potatoes, Pigs in Blankets].
Please do the following:
Find/Generate Recipes: Provide a simple ingredient list and method for the sides above, scaled specifically for [Number] people.
The Master Plan: Create a single minute-by-minute timeline for the whole meal working backwards from the eat time. Include when to preheat the oven, exactly when to put each dish in (accounting for oven temperatures), and when to rest the meat."
3. The Smart Shopping List
The Prompt: (Run this after generating your menu/recipes)
"Based on the recipes and menu you just generated, please create a master shopping list.
Combine Duplicates: If onions are needed for the stuffing and the gravy, add them together into a single total amount.
Categorise: Organise the list by supermarket aisle (Produce, Dairy, Meat, Cupboard, Frozen) so I can shop efficiently."
4. Recipe Resizing
The Prompt:
"Here is a recipe for [Dish Name] that serves [Original Number]. Please rewrite the ingredient list to serve [New Number] people instead. Also, suggest one substitute for [Ingredient you are missing]."
5. The Battery Calculator
The Prompt:
"Here is a list of toys/gadgets we are gifting this year: [Paste List]. Please review the battery requirements for each item and give me a total shopping list of exactly how many AA, AAA, C, D, or 9V batteries I need to buy to cover everything."
6. Recycling Crafts
The Prompt: (Upload photo of packaging/rubbish)
"I have these leftover materials (boxes, wrapping paper tubes, ribbon) as shown in the photo. Please suggest 3 simple craft ideas suitable for a [Age]-year-old that we can make using these items right now."
7. Custom Colouring Sheets
The Prompt: (Requires ChatGPT Plus/DALL-E or Midjourney)
"Create a black and white outline colouring page for children featuring [Child's Interest, e.g. a dinosaur wearing a Santa hat skateboarding]. Make the lines thick and clear suitable for crayons."
8. The TV Curator
The Prompt:
"I have access to [Netflix/Disney+/Prime/iPlayer]. I am looking for a Christmas film that is suitable for [Ages], but isn't one of the usual classics like Elf or Home Alone. We are in the mood for [Vibe, e.g. something funny, animated, or heartwarming]. Give me 3 recommendations and explain why they fit."
9. The Gift Solver
The Prompt:
"I need a gift idea for my [Relation] who is [Age]. Interests: They love [Interest A] and [Interest B]. Problem: They already own [Common Item]. Budget: [£ Amount]. Suggest 5 unique, non-generic gift ideas that fit this profile."
10. The WhatsApp Thank You Helper
The Prompt:
"I need to send some quick thank you texts. The Gifts:
Grandma gave [Item]
Uncle Bob gave [Item]
Please write a cheerful, casual WhatsApp message for each person from me. Mention that I will send a photo of the kids using the gift in a moment. Keep it warm but brief."