"You're trying to find something that really, that they would appreciate, but it's so hard," said Denise D'Antonio.
On Michigan Avenue, some shoppers are stumped.
"I'm having a hard time trying to figure out what to get more and more," said Brian Freeman.
"They know what they want right away and if you don't get what they want, you're in trouble," said Julie Meister.Trouble is exactly what northwest suburban Cary resident Sharon Mohr is trying to avoid this holiday season.
"A whole new way of doing Christmas lists," said Mohr.
This year, she's using a new Web site called Rubity.com. It's a gift registry that lets parents manage what their kids want and what they already have.
"When I see a gift idea for my children, I don't' have to call six people and say, hey are you interested in this, no, you're done with them, oh OK, call the next person," said Mohr.
Mohr says it's even settled arguments about which grandma gets to give what.
"It puts everything on the same spot so they can pick and choose. So I'm not giving all the same, all the clothes to my mother in law, all the toys to my mom," said Mohr. "You can pick and choose whatever works for you."
"You don't have to worry about getting something that somebody already got," said Don Bora, Rubity.com.
Don Bora created Rubity.com after he couldn't figure out what to tell his friends and family to get his daughter Ruby.
"I was thinking, if I've got this problem and I only have one kid, I know people with eight kids, this has got to be a huge problem," said Bora.
,p> Here's how it works. Parents log on to Rubity.comand list their children and the gifts that they'd like. Then friends and relatives browse the list and reserve gifts that they want to give. Each item also links to where you can buy the gift online.Don says he hopes the site will cut down on returns -- and his biggest holiday worry -- duplicate gifts.
"They start opening the stuff up and oh, I already have this, and the words leap out of their little mouths before you even know it and grandma's just going," said Bora. "I wish I'd known/"
Rubity.com also can be used for birthdays or other gift giving occasions. The site plans to add a feature soon to help users donate presents that kids no longer need to charity.
