Build Your Own Family Christmas Shopping App
My ChatGPT Sites prompt · Setup checked October 14, 2026
One place for the people, the ideas, the budgets and the gifts you've already bought.
Start in Work on ChatGPT web. That's the easiest route for this guide. The complete prompt below asks for the finished planner, including product photos, researched ideas and purchase tracking. You can use the same prompt in Codex.
Unlock all my prompts and guides
- 100+ prompts and guides
- Everything new I add to this library
You’ll also get practical AI tips from me by email. Unsubscribe anytime.
Filling in the prompt:
- Replace the brackets and repeat the person block for everyone you're buying for. First names or nicknames are enough.
- Leave details blank when you don't know them.
- The caregiver label is yours to choose, such as “Gifts from Alex.”
- A fictional example: Casey, age 8; interests in order: space, soccer, drawing; already owns a soccer ball; Christmas budget $250; St Nick budget $35.
- Put an item they don't own in notes, rather than the “Already owns” field.
What your app will have
Family profiles: A sidebar with Everyone and each person, with their age, interests in order, what they already own and any wish lists.
Gift sections: Extra Gift Ideas first as an ideas inbox, then Gifts from St Nick, Gifts from Mom and Dad, Christmas (or Santa) and Gifts from you.
Separate budgets: Christmas and St Nick budgets for each person, plus an optional household budget, with planned cost, actual spending, remaining amounts and over-budget warnings.
Researched ideas: Up to 8–12 ideas per person from Target and Amazon, matched to their first-listed interests, age and budget, each with a short reason it fits.
Real photos and links: The exact product image from the retailer listing and a View gift link on every card, with a tidy placeholder when a photo isn't available.
Discover and organize: Filter ideas by person, store and maximum price. Drag gifts between sections on a computer, or use Move to on your phone.
Shopping progress: To buy, Purchased and Wrapped, search across gift names and notes, and a CSV shopping checklist you can export.
Saved and private: Autosave, sign-in, and a private Site so your family's details aren't on a public page.
Before you start
You need ChatGPT Sites access.
ChatGPT Sites: Sites is in public beta on Plus, Pro and supported workspaces, including Business, Enterprise and Edu. It isn't available on Free or Go. Rollout and workspace permissions can affect access. Check current Sites availability.
Codex: Codex access alone doesn't mean you have Sites: Codex is also included on Free and Go. You don't need to choose Astra for this guide; start with an available default model. Check current Codex plans and model limits.
Setup details checked October 14, 2026. Features and access can change.
Open Work or Codex, then use the same prompt
- Recommended: Work on the web. Open ChatGPT, sign in, start a chat and select Work. Paste the master prompt below after filling in your details. OpenAI's getting-started instructions.
- Desktop alternative: In the current ChatGPT desktop app, select Work or Codex, start a chat and paste the same prompt. Sites isn't supported in the ChatGPT Classic app. Supported places to build a Site.
Check it before you rely on it
Try one person's full shopping flow before you trust it with the whole family.
- Step 1Save an idea, move it into a section, mark it purchased, then wrapped. Check that the right budget changes.
- Step 2Reload the app to confirm the saved information is still there.
- Step 3Open a few product links and compare each photo, variant and price with the retailer.
- Step 4Publish privately first. Review the Site's actual audience and sign-in settings.
The prompts show up right here.
Enter your first name and email in the form at the top of this page, and every prompt shows up in this spot.
Take me to the formQuick questions
Do I need a paid plan?
Yes, for Sites. Sites is in public beta on Plus, Pro and supported workspaces, including Business, Enterprise and Edu. It isn't available on Free or Go. Check current Sites availability.
I have Codex. Is that enough?
Codex access alone doesn't mean you have Sites: Codex is also included on Free and Go. Check current Codex plans and model limits.
Can I start before I've filled in everyone?
Yes. If you haven't entered people yet, the prompt asks for the complete app with an empty family setup screen, and you can add profiles later.
Do I have to use my kids' real names?
No. First names or nicknames are enough. Leave details blank when you don't know them.
What if the first version isn't right?
A first version may need corrections, and the exact layout or supported features can vary. Continue in the chat that built it, be specific about the change and ask it to preserve your saved information. The prompts under Make it yours are a good start.
Does the app buy the gifts for me?
No. You check out at the retailer separately. The Purchased checkbox records your progress; it doesn't buy anything.
Will it keep prices up to date?
No. Discover ideas filters the curated catalog it researched; it isn't automatically researching the whole internet or refreshing every price. Return to the build chat when you want fresh research or more products added.
Is my family's list private?
Publish privately first and review the Site's actual audience and sign-in settings. Don't choose a public audience for your family list. First names or nicknames are enough. How Sites access and private publishing work.
Keep going
Real life first. AI gets a job. Build your gift app, and tell me what's on the list.
Follow along on Instagram and TikTok: @samantha.catanzaro