Act as Santa’s Little Helper – How AI Can Save Your Christmas

Why did the AI refuse to go caroling? It couldn’t find its festive algorithm. (ChatGPT 4.0, 2024)

Not bad, right?! But let’s just say the rest of its top five “jokes” didn't make the cut. Anyway, it’s that magical time of year again, and what a year it has been! A mere twelve months ago, I hadn’t even heard of generative AI, let alone used it. Now, it has become my go-to tool for personal and professional tasks, transforming how I tackle my day-to-day. So, in the spirit of giving, here are three AI-powered prompt ideas to save you time and maybe even your sanity this festive season.

Present Inspiration

Long gone are the days of flipping through the Argos catalogue and punching in those seven-digit codes to see if that item was still in stock. Why do I look back on those experiences fondly? Who knows—maybe it’s the nostalgia of the anticipation. But these days, as the years tick by, coming up with thoughtful gift ideas has become harder and harder. That was, of course, until ChatGPT came to the rescue.

Try this:

Act as my personal shopping assistant. We are looking to purchase a present for a mid-twenties male who is interested in Premiership Football, Online Gaming, and Ballroom Dancing. The budget for this present is between £20 and £30 and needs to be something that could be easily shipped or posted within the UK. I would like ten ideas presented in a table format with the item name, description, picture, rationale for suggestion, where to buy the cheapest, and with a link if possible.

(Note: See the full prompt template at the end of the article.)

Result:

Food Preparation

This year, I’ve been promoted from Sous Chef to Head Chef - much to my family’s amusement and my rising anxiety levels. Let’s face it: no one wants dry turkey or to need to carve a Brussel sprout. Thankfully, AI can help me get ahead of the game, from crafting a precise shopping list to orchestrating the perfect culinary timeline.

Try these:

Act as my Head Chef. We are looking to cook the best Christmas meal ever tasted and need to ensure our timings and actions are to perfection. We have two cooks with access to a standard oven, induction hob, microwave, steamer, warming draw and other standard kitchen accessories. They will be cooking for six people and there are three courses to the menu which include: Prawn Cocktail Salad, Turkey Dinner, Christmas Pudding. I have three requests that I would like your help with. Please let me know if you understand and when you’re ready for the first request.

• The first request is for your support in creating a shopping list for the three course meal separating ingredients out into where I would find them in the supermarket.

• The second request is for you to provide the list of ingredients purchased underneath each dish along with the expected cooking apparatus needed to make this dish.

• The third request is for you to suggest the appropriate preparation, cooking order, and timings to create this three course meal and assign actions between the two chefs (A and B). The plan is to serve the first course at 5pm so I need to understand when I need to start preparation.

Result:

Present Acknowledgments

Ah, the tradition of thank-you letters—equal parts gratitude and hand cramps. As a kid, I dreaded the ache of drafting and rewriting these notes, especially with Tipp-Ex forbidden and errors met with tears. Over time, the dread waned, mostly because the letters grew fewer. Still, there’s something undeniably special about a well-crafted thank-you note, and AI can make the process faster without sacrificing sincerity.

Try this:

You are a grateful receiver of gifts and an exceptional writer. Please create a template to thank relatives and friends for specific presents they have given you. I want you to include what you plan to do with that gift and how grateful you are for their generosity. You should also hope that they’ve had a fantastic Christmas and wish them a happy New Year. Please create a draft thank you to each of these people, noting the gift they gave.

• £15 gift card (Uncle Tom)

• Toy train (Auntie Joan)

• Taylor Swift Vinyl (Cousin Travis)

Result:

Wrapping It Up

Hopefully, these festive prompting ideas leave you full of inspiration, with time to spare and a Christmas dinner that’s remembered for all the right reasons. Whether it’s finding the perfect gift, nailing your holiday feast, or drafting heartfelt thank-you notes, AI is here to play Santa’s little helper this year.

Now, merry prompting, you filthy animals!

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Prompt Templates

1. Present Ideation Prompt: Act as my personal shopping assistant. We are looking to purchase a present for <insert audience> who is interested in <insert hobbies/interests>. The budget for this present is between <price range> and needs to be <insert other parameters>. I would like <insert number of ideas> ideas presented in a table format with the item name, description, picture, rationale for suggestion, where to buy the cheapest, and with a link if possible.

   
   

2. Food Preparation Prompts: Act as my Head Chef. We are looking to cook the best Christmas meal ever tasted and need to ensure our timings and actions are to perfection. We have <insert number of cooks> cooks with access to <insert kitchen appliances>. They will be cooking for <insert number of guests> people and there are <insert number of courses> courses to the menu which include: <insert names of the dishes>. I have three requests that I would like your help with. Please let me know if you understand and when you’re ready for the first request.

   
   

   1. The first request is for your support in creating a shopping list for the <insert number of courses> course meal separating ingredients out into where I would find them in the supermarket.

      
      

   2. The second request is for you to provide the list of ingredients purchased underneath each dish along with the expected cooking apparatus needed to make this dish.

      
      

   3. The third request is for you to suggest the appropriate preparation, cooking order, and timings to create this <insert number of courses> course meal and assign actions between the <insert number of chefs> chefs (<insert names of chefs>). The plan is to serve the first course at 5pm so I need to understand when I need to start preparation.
      

3. Present Acknowledgement Prompt: You are a grateful receiver of gifts and an exceptional writer. Please create a template to thank relatives and friends for specific presents they have given you. I want you to include what you plan to do with that gift and how grateful you are for their generosity. You should also hope that they’ve had a fantastic Christmas and wish them a happy New Year. Please create a draft thank you to each of these people, noting the gift they gave.

   - <Insert gift> (<Insert gift giver>)

   - <Insert gift> (<Insert gift giver>)

   - <Insert gift> (<Insert gift giver>)

Credits

Author: Rob Anderton

Editorial: Rob Anderton / OpenAI. (2024). ChatGPT 4o [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat

Images: OpenAI. (2024). ChatGPT 4o [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat