Ask someone what they want and you will often get "anything is fine". That is usually not politeness. People do not walk around with a list of wants — something comes up, they notice it, and then they forget it.
The answer is already in ordinary conversation
What does not surface when asked directly tends to show up in passing. Treat these as hints:
- "Mine broke" / "I should replace this" — needed, but postponed
- "I'd like to go there" / "apparently it's good" — an experience rather than an object
- "I like this" / "I've been looking for something like that" — a direction, not a product
- "I don't really like…" — what to avoid, which matters just as much
These remarks pass in context. You remember them for a day or two, then they are gone. Whether you write them down in the moment decides whether you still have them six months later.
Record three things, no more
Detailed notes do not survive contact with a busy week. Three fields are enough to be useful later:
- What they said, in their own words where you can
- When you heard it — old hints may no longer apply
- The context — a joke, or an actual problem
Keep track of how it landed
Noting what you gave and how it was received makes the next one better, and stops you from repeating a gift. Recording what did not land is just as useful.
Prepare early so you never have to ask
The way to avoid a last-minute scramble is to collect candidates all year. Searching only once the date is close pushes you towards the safe and forgettable option.
Cherimo is built for that preparation. Keep notes from conversations, and track gift ideas as candidates or plans. Likes and dislikes are recorded separately, so what to avoid stays visible too. You can also ask the AI for gift and date suggestions based on what you have saved.
Everything you record stays with you. There is no sharing feature, so the preparation itself stays private.