Secret Santa gifts for colleagues and friends
Michael S. Taylor
Funny blank lined journal, 110 pages, matte soft cover, 6 x 9 in
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Secret Santa gifts: start with the spending limit
Most groups set a cap, and £5, £10 and £15 are common ones. The gifts here run from about £3 to £15, with a median near £7.50 and an average rating of 4.5 out of 5. Below £5 the range is thin, so for a £5 cap read Secret Santa gifts under £10 (and under £5).
| Spending limit | What the range offers |
|---|---|
| £5 | Stretchy figures and small novelty toys, but the choice is narrow |
| £10 | Most of the range: stress toys, a glass trinket dish, a scarf, desk signs and notepads, a joke pill box of jelly beans, a multi-tool pen |
| £15 | A scented soy wax candle in a glass jar, a metal pin-art desk toy, a true-or-false card game |
Choosing Secret Santa gifts for work and friends
Gifts for someone you barely know
Pick something neutral. A scarf, a glass trinket dish, a desk sign or a notepad rarely misses. Items that depend on size or taste, such as clothes, perfume and strongly scented candles, carry the most risk, and the most unwanted Christmas gifts shows what to give instead.
Funny Secret Santa gifts for the office
The range includes desk plaques, a flipbook of office phrases, a joke pill box of jelly beans, an insulated lunch bag with a human organs print and a pet rock. Aim the joke at the job rather than the person, and leave out anything about age, looks or money. Funny Secret Santa gifts for work and friends has more.
Gifts for her and for him
The listings label some items for women, such as the scarf, the trinket dish and the candle, and others for men, such as the multi-tool pen and the lunch bag. You do not have to follow the labels. If you know the person’s hobbies, buy for those.
Running the draw
- Set the cap and the swap date at the start, and put both in the invitation.
- Draw names from a hat or with an online name generator, and ask everyone to keep the name private.
- Ask for wish lists or dislikes before anyone buys.
- Take the price off and wrap the gift before the swap.
Wrapping Secret Santa gifts
Most gifts here are small: a 9 cm trinket dish, a 12 to 13 cm figure, an 18 x 13 cm pin-art desk toy. A small Christmas gift bag hides the shape and keeps the guessing going. For other small gifts, see stocking fillers, or go back to stockings, sacks and fillers.
Frequently asked questions: Secret Santa Gifts
What is a good Secret Santa gift?
A good one fits the group’s cap and suits the person. If you know their job or hobbies, buy for those. If you barely know them, choose something neutral such as a scarf, a trinket dish, a desk sign or a notepad.
How much should a Secret Santa gift cost?
The group sets the limit, and £5, £10 and £15 are common caps. The gifts in this collection run from about £3 to £15, with a median near £7.50. Check the price against your cap before you order.
What are funny Secret Santa gifts for work?
Desk plaques, a flipbook of office phrases, a joke pill box of jelly beans, a novelty lunch bag and a pet rock all get a laugh. Aim the joke at the job, not the person, and avoid anything about age, looks or money.
What should I put on a Secret Santa wish list?
List three or four ideas at different prices: something useful, something fun and something to eat or drink. Add any dislikes, such as strong scents or an allergy. A short list helps your Secret Santa choose without guessing.
What is the most unwanted Christmas gift?
It differs from survey to survey, so no single item wins. Gifts that depend on size or taste, such as clothes, perfume and strongly scented candles, are the riskiest for a Secret Santa. A neutral, useful item is safer.
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