A wishlist is a written or mental collection of things you hope to get or achieve. When your birthday approaches, you might create a wishlist of gifts you'd like to receive. Online stores let you save items to a digital wishlist so you can remember what you want to buy later or share ideas with family members shopping for you.

The concept extends beyond physical objects. A traveler might keep a wishlist of countries to visit someday. A reader might maintain a wishlist of books they want to read. Scientists often have wishlists of experiments they'd love to conduct if they had unlimited time and resources.

Creating a wishlist serves several purposes. It helps you clarify what matters to you and organize your hopes in one place. When someone asks what you want for a holiday, having a wishlist ready makes it easier for both of you. However, a wishlist differs from a realistic plan: you might wish for a trip to Mars, but that doesn't mean it will happen anytime soon.

Unlike a shopping list of things you actually need, a wishlist captures your dreams and desires, whether practical or fantastical.