Organising Christmas as a family: fourteen at the table without one person doing everything
The Android and iOS app for coordinating presents, food, shopping and arrivals across the extended family.
Every year, the same person knows who is coming, who is allergic to what, who has already bought the Lego and who sleeps in the back room. For the holidays, Zoku creates a « Christmas 2026 » tribe with everyone taking part (siblings, cousins, grandparents) so the menu, the shopping, the presents and the arrivals are shared rather than centralised.
The real friction of a family Christmas
Fourteen, then twelve, then fifteen with the new boyfriend. The number changes three times; the menu follows, or does not.
Two identical Legos under the tree, nothing for Nan. The present list is scattered across six private chats.
Everyone brings a pudding. Nobody brings the bread. Splitting the dishes happens from memory, over the phone.
The host fronts the Christmas shopping, then « we'll sort it out ». It never gets sorted out.
How Zoku is built for Christmas
Up to 8 adults per tribe (one per branch of the family if there are a lot of you). Kept apart from the rest of your tribes.
A « Menu » list with every dish assigned to someone, a « Shopping » list ⭐ ticked off in store. The bread has an owner.
One pinned note per person to buy for. Everyone writes down what they are getting, and private notes keep the surprise.
Who arrives on the 23rd, who leaves on the 25th, what time we sit down. One source, no more « I thought that ».
Turkey, wine, hall hire, a joint present for the parents. Named payer, total per person with one filter.
→ La Caisse and shared expenses · → The meal planner · → The same mechanics, for group holidays
A setup that works
- Tribe « Christmas 2026 »: the five adult siblings, their partners, the grandparents. Menu, shopping, presents on The Wall, arrivals calendar, La Caisse for shared costs, chat.
- Tribe « Home » for each household: invisible from the Christmas tribe.
- Tribe « Children - presents » (optional): adults only, for the little ones' presents, out of reach of the teenager who joined the Christmas tribe.
On 1 December the menu is split: every dish has a name on it. By the 15th the presents are on The Wall, one note per person, with no duplicates. On the 23rd the calendar says who arrives when. On the 26th the filtered cashbox settles the accounts in three taps. On the 27th the tribe is renamed « Christmas 2027 » and starts again from the same list of dishes.
FAQ - Christmas with Zoku
How do we stop someone seeing their own present?
Create an adults-only tribe for the children's presents, or use private notes for anything concerning you. Tribes are kept apart: what is in « Adults » never shows in « Christmas family ».
There are more than 8 of us: what do we do?
One tribe per branch or per house, coordinated by whoever is hosting. Lists can be copied from one tribe to another.
Does Nan have to install the app?
No. A tribe with the organising adults is enough. The host relays the details to anyone who is not connected.
Does it work for other occasions?
Yes: an 80th birthday, a family wedding, Easter. The temporary tribe is the same mechanic as for group holidays.
Is it free?
Yes. The tribe, the lists, The Wall, the calendar, La Caisse and chat are free. Multiple lists and receipt photos are Premium.
This year, Christmas gets organised by everyone
Free on Android and iOS. No credit card.