How to Find out What You Got for Christmas

Open all of the browsers on your family computer. If the gifter has their own computer that they use, then go to that computer. Make sure you do this when they aren’t home, or are busy with other things so they won’t notice what you are doing.

• Remember to open all the browsers installed on the computer, unless you already know what browser they use. For example, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, etc.

Open settings. Although the instructions will vary based on which browser you are in, you will probably need to go to the “settings” or “preferences” tab in the browser.

• In Google Chrome, for example, if you go to settings, a new browsing tab will open. On this browser page, you will find the “history” section.

Go to browsing history. Again, this will vary depending upon your specific browser, but you will usually see a setting called history.^[1] If you click on this, it will show you a list of the websites that have been visited using that browser.

Check the history carefully for websites that might sell your gift. Once you have found the history page, look through all the websites listed carefully. If you made a list of things you want, you should look for websites that might sell what you asked for.

• Remember though, that just because you don’t see anything that looks like it could be your gift doesn’t mean they didn’t get you something online. They may have just deleted the browser history. It is possible to delete a specific website without clearing everything.^[2]
• Understand that it is unlikely that you will be able to figure out whether they actually bought the gift for you or not using this method. However, it may be able to clue you in on what they have been considering getting you.

Check their email for purchase confirmations. If you have access to their email, you can look through to see if they received any emails that confirm their purchase. If you find any, then you will know exactly what you’re getting.

• However, be careful doing this! This is a big violation of privacy, and they may feel very hurt if they find out what you've been doing.

Examine the box. When doing this, keep in mind the things you asked for. For example, if you asked for a CD, and you find a gift that is thin, relatively small, and square, it is likely the CD you asked for.

• If you find a relatively light, rectangular box that gives a bit when you press on it, it is almost definitely clothing of some sort.
• If the box is tall and a bit rectangular, try feeling along the long edge of the box. If you can feel a lip where a flap is, it could be a new pair of shoes.

Shake the box. What do you hear? Is there a rattling noise of any sort? Do things shift around in the box? Although this will not give the most obvious clues, it can help if the shape of the box didn't give you any answers.

• This will be especially helpful if you have all of the things you asked for in mind. For example, if you asked for a music box, and you hear a chiming sound when you shake it, then it is pretty likely that is what's in the box.

Beware of very large boxes, as they may be a trick.^[3] If the gift giver likes to play tricks, then they may have also put your gift inside a box that is way too big for it.

• If you find a very large box, but did not ask for anything very large, and if the box is also light considering the size, then you probably have a smaller gift inside a larger box.
• Keep in mind that this could mean that the gifter knows you are likely to snoop!

Feel around in gift bags for clues. If you find your gift already placed in a gift bag with tissue paper, you can also slide your hand down the side, between the side of the bag and the tissue paper.

• Be careful doing this! You don’t want to disturb the tissue paper too much or it will be obvious that you peeked. Simply slide your open hand down the side, and try to gently feel around in the bag.
• You can also carefully remove the tissue paper. Try to grab all of the tissue without crushing it. Lift it out of the bag and peek inside, Your gift may be wrapped in more tissue, or it may simply be in the bottom of the bag. Either way, you should be able to see what it is.

Open the gift carefully. You should only do this if you have enough time, all of the right supplies, and the skill to re-wrap the gift exactly as it was done the first time. If you want to do this, make sure you have all of the supplies out (e.g. wrapping paper, tape, scissors, etc), and a way to dispose of all the evidence, for example, in a dumpster down the street. Unwrapping the present will only work with gifts that come in regularly shaped boxes, such as squares or rectangles. If they have wrapped a gift with a strange shape, it will be hard to get the paper back in place exactly as it was.

• Snap a photo of the gift. You should make sure you take a photo so you can compare your rewrapped gift with how it was originally. Make sure to take a close up of the wrapping on the edges, too!
• Begin by trying to cut the tape. Carefully use a pair of open scissors, or a knife, and slide the blade along the seam of the paper, where the tape is. Repeat this for all tape on the gift.
• Very carefully open the paper. You should try to unwrap the present in the reverse order that it was wrapped in order to avoid tearing or creasing the paper. This usually means you will have to unfold the paper on each end of the box first. If there are any bows on the gift, leave them alone as much as possible.
• Examine the box. Hopefully, the box will give you an indication of what is inside. If so, you now know what you are getting. If not, you will need to see if the box can easily be opened. If it is sealed with packing tape, do not try to open it. In this case, it is very unlikely that you will be able to seal the box so that it looks the same.

Rewrap the gift to look as though it hasn't been opened. If you were able to unwrap the gift without tearing, creasing, or otherwise messing up the paper, then you should just wrap up the gift again. Use the creases in the paper to guide you. If you damaged the paper, then you will need to use your gift wrapping supplies to wrap your gift again. Make sure that the gift wrap is the same one, and that you use the photos you took to wrap it up to look the same as it did before.^[4]

• If you are simply folding the paper back onto the box, and not rewrapping with new paper, you will need to begin by folding the paper over the gift lengthwise. After you do this, tear off a piece of tape that is exactly the same length as the old piece of tape.
• Carefully line up the tape with the old piece. If you are able to lay the new piece directly on top of the old piece, it won’t be so obvious that it was re-taped.
• Fold the paper at each end of the box. Do this carefully, as each person tends to do this a bit differently. You should try to fold the paper as neatly and carefully as it was done the first time. Once you have folded it as best you can, you will need to, again, lay a new piece of tape over the old ones so that they line up exactly.