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Guide · Agent skill

How to use the Gift Ideas Finder agent skill (Gifts)

Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data

The Gifts skill is an add-on for Claude Code or another agent that reads SKILL.md files. It keeps a short registry of the people you buy presents for, then researches uncommon, well-made gifts for each of them. This guide explains what the skill does, how to install it, how to ask for ideas and how to check that it works.

Gift Ideas Finderdanielmiessler/LifeOS · MIT

Quick start

  1. 1Download and unzip. Download the Gifts ZIP from the page and unzip it. Place the folder in ~/.claude/skills/ or in a project's .claude/skills/ folder.
  2. 2Or upload in the apps. In the Claude apps, go to Settings, then Capabilities, then Skills, and upload the skill.
  3. 3Create the registry. Create Recipients.md in the Gifts folder under ~/.claude/LIFEOS/USER/CUSTOMIZATIONS/SKILLS/Gifts/, with one section per recipient.
  4. 4Confirm the setup. Run the test command from the guide. It should print ok when the registry file is in place.
  5. 5Ask for ideas. Request ideas by name, for example 'gift ideas for taylor'. The agent reads the registry and past history before it researches.
  6. 6Review the saved run. Open the saved list in the History folder or the Downloads copy, and check the links and ideas.

What the Gifts skill makes the agent do

An agent skill is a folder of instructions that an agent loads when your request matches the skill's triggers. Gifts teaches the agent to find gift ideas for specific people in your life, using a registry of recipients with their ages and interests.

For each request, the agent checks what is currently popular in each recipient's interests, looks for uncommon, well-made items from makers and specialty shops, and returns a ranked list of about 8 to 12 ideas. Each idea comes with links the agent checked during that run. Every run is saved, so later runs avoid repeating earlier ideas. The skill can also add or update recipients from a sentence you type.

  • Keeps a registry of recipients with ages and interests
  • Researches current trends in each interest
  • Returns a ranked list with links checked in that run
  • Saves each run to avoid repeats next time
  • Does not buy or order anything

What you need before installing

The skill expects Claude Code or another agent that reads SKILL.md files and has web search or fetch access, because it checks product links. It also expects a LifeOS-style folder at ~/.claude/LIFEOS/USER/CUSTOMIZATIONS/SKILLS/Gifts/ containing a Recipients.md file. Setup.md describes how to create that file.

The optional history checker, Tools/CheckHistory.ts, needs the Bun runtime. The skill runs scripts and uses the network, so review the files before you install it.

  • Claude Code or another SKILL.md-compatible agent with web search or fetch
  • A Recipients.md registry in the Gifts folder
  • Bun runtime, only if you want to run the history checker

Install the Gifts skill

Download the ZIP for the skill from the page where you found this guide and unzip it. For Claude Code, place the Gifts folder in ~/.claude/skills/ to make it available to all your projects, or in a project's .claude/skills/ folder to limit it to that project.

In the Claude apps, you can instead upload the skill under Settings, then Capabilities, then Skills.

  • Personal install: ~/.claude/skills/
  • Project install: .claude/skills/ inside the project
  • Apps: Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Create your recipient registry

Create the registry file at LIFEOS/USER/CUSTOMIZATIONS/SKILLS/Gifts/Recipients.md under your home folder. Each recipient gets one section, headed by a short lowercase id. Record the age together with an as-of date, so the agent can work out the current age at run time.

Check that the registry is in place with the command below. It prints ok when the file exists. Never leave ages or interests blank if you want accurate results. The skill is designed not to guess them.

  • Use one ## section per recipient
  • Record age with an as_of date in YYYY-MM-DD format
  • Add interests, most important first
  • List constraints such as sizes, allergies, budget and shipping region
  • Add a Group tag if you want to run a whole group at once
test -f ~/.claude/LIFEOS/USER/CUSTOMIZATIONS/SKILLS/Gifts/Recipients.md && echo ok ## taylor - Name: Taylor Example - Age: 52 (as_of: YYYY-MM-DD) - Relationship: friend - Group: friends - Interests: sea kayaking, specialty tea - Constraints: no alcohol; ships to the US; budget around 100 - Occasions: birthday in June

Ask for gift ideas in plain language

You do not need a special command. Ask in ordinary words that name a recipient, and the agent will match the request to the skill. Phrases such as 'gift ideas for', 'what should I get', 'birthday gift' and 'find a gift' all trigger it. To cover a whole group, name the group.

To add someone, say so directly, for example by giving a name, age and interests. The agent writes a new section in the registry and confirms it back to you.

  • Gift ideas for taylor
  • What should I get Taylor for a birthday?
  • Run the gifts for the friends group
  • Add my coworker Jordan, 35, into bouldering and film photography
  • Update Taylor's interests: now into pottery

Read what a run produces

Each run gives one ranked list per recipient, grouped by interest. Every section opens with a short note on what is moving in that category, and each idea includes a line of quality evidence such as materials, maker, award or reviews. Ideas that could not be checked are marked unverified.

The run is saved to a History folder in the Gifts directory, and a copy goes to your Downloads folder for review. The skill does not place orders, so you buy the gift yourself from the links.

  • Ideas are ranked and grouped by interest
  • Links are marked as checked or unverified
  • History files are named by recipient and date
  • A second run on the same day is saved with -2, -3 and so on

What people use it for

  • Finding a birthday present for a friend who is into a specific hobby, such as sea kayaking or specialty tea
  • Planning holiday gifts for a family group, with one list per person
  • Keeping a record of a coworker's interests so each gift occasion starts from current information
  • Getting fresh ideas for someone you have already bought for, because past runs are checked for repeats

Frequently asked questions

Is the Gifts skill free and what is its licence?

The skill is published under the MIT licence, as stated on its listing. The source for this guide does not give a price, so check the listing page for any cost before you install.

What do I need to run the Gifts skill?

You need Claude Code or another agent that reads SKILL.md files, with web search or fetch access so it can check product links. You also need the Recipients.md registry in the Gifts folder. Bun is needed only for the optional history checker.

Where do I put the Gifts skill folder?

For Claude Code, put it in ~/.claude/skills/ for all projects, or in .claude/skills/ inside one project. In the Claude apps, upload it under Settings, then Capabilities, then Skills.

Will the Gifts skill buy the gift for me?

No. The skill only researches and lists ideas with links. It is not designed to handle payments or purchases, so you order the gift yourself.

Why does the skill say it cannot find information about a person?

The skill only works with recipients who are in your registry. It does not guess ages or interests, so add the person with AddRecipient or by giving the agent their details in a sentence.

Can I use the Gifts skill for general product research?

The skill is for gift recipients only. For general product research unrelated to a recipient, the source points to the Research skill, and for looking up a person, to the People skill.

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Our verdict

The Gifts skill suits people who buy presents for family, friends or coworkers regularly and want less mass-market output. It needs a maintained registry, a compatible agent with web access, and some care with ages and sizes. If you only need a quick search or a store to buy from, a general search or the Research skill will serve you better.

Download the skill