Secret Santa gift ideas

The rule that makes Secret Santa easy

You are usually buying for someone you know a little: a coworker, a cousin's partner, a friend of a friend. Buy for the situation, not the person. That means things that get used up or used daily, and that nobody would be embarrassed to open in front of the office.

Three categories cover almost everyone. Food and drink: coffee, tea, hot chocolate, honey, chocolate. Desk and carry: a notebook, a travel mug, a toque. Games: something short that a family or group can play the same week. Exploding Kittens is our top pick because it works with non-gamers and teens and takes about 15 minutes a round.

Hitting the price limit

Most exchanges set a limit around $20 to $30, or £15 to £25 in the UK. Spend close to it, not well under and not over. Going over makes the person who stuck to the limit look stingy.

If one item falls short, pair two. A KeepCup or Lifeventure mug with a bag of Kicking Horse coffee. The Burlap & Barrel seasoning with a jar of hot honey. A Blackwing memo set with a Coco Chocolatier bar. Two small useful things read as more generous than one slightly bigger one.

If the limit is higher, around $50, the AeroPress Clear or a games night pick like Sushi Go Party fits. For a very low limit, the Burlap & Barrel jar or the Coco Chocolatier bar work alone.

Presentation matters more than usual, because the gift is opened in front of a group. A plain bag of coffee looks better in a mug. A notebook looks better with a pen tucked in the band. Spend two minutes on a tag with their name spelled right; that is often the part people remember.

What to avoid

Joke gifts. They get a laugh for ten seconds and then go in the bin. If your exchange is a joke one by design, ignore this, but most are not.

Personal care and scent. Bath products, perfume and candles are hard to judge for someone you barely know, and some people react to scents. Food and stationery are safer.

Alcohol, unless you know the person drinks. Plenty of people do not, and an office exchange should work for everyone.

Allergens without a label. Honey is not safe for a baby under one, the Coco Chocolatier bar contains gluten and soya, and Patons macadamias contain nuts and milk. If you know nothing about the recipient's diet, a notebook, mug or game is the safer choice.

Matching the gift to the few things you know

If you know one thing about them, use it. Drinks coffee at their desk: Kicking Horse Three Sisters, a KeepCup, or Origin's cold brew set for the iced coffee crowd. Drinks tea: the Suki Tea Christmas box, the T2 mug with infuser or a Koala Tea tin. Watches Taskmaster: the Taskmaster escape room game. Walks the dog in winter: the Stanfield's toque or the Lifeventure mug.

If you know nothing, go with a game or chocolate. Herd Mentality is good for a big family Christmas, and Patons macadamias are an easy win in Australia.

Hobbies are a good tiebreaker. A cook gets the Burlap & Barrel seasoning or Mike's Hot Honey. Someone who keeps lists or plans by hand gets the Leuchtturm1917 or the Blackwing memo books. A games person gets Sushi Go Party, which scales up to eight players, or Exploding Kittens for a shorter round.

Timing and delivery

Office draws often happen two or three weeks before the party. Order early in December so you are not paying for express shipping. Watch regional limits: DesBarres hot chocolate ships within Canada only, and chocolate can melt in an Australian summer delivery. If you forget entirely, an Apple Gift Card arrives by email, though it only makes sense if they use an iPhone or Mac.

Questions people ask

What is a good Secret Santa gift for a coworker?

Something useful and neutral: a bag of good coffee, a box of tea, a travel mug, a notebook or a short card game. These work whether or not you know the person well, and nobody is embarrassed to open them in front of the team. Avoid scented products, alcohol and joke gifts unless you know the person well.

How much should you spend on Secret Santa?

Stick to the group's limit and spend close to it. Most office exchanges land around $20 to $30, or £15 to £25 in the UK. Going well over makes others look cheap, and going well under can look careless. If one item falls short, pair two small things, such as a mug and a bag of coffee.

What is a good Secret Santa gift for someone you do not know?

Pick something nearly everyone uses. Chocolate, coffee, tea, a quick card game or a good notebook all work. Games like Exploding Kittens or Herd Mentality suit people with families or friends who play together. If you can ask a mutual friend one question, ask whether they drink coffee or tea, and buy from there.

Is a gift card OK for Secret Santa?

It is acceptable but a little flat, since the point of Secret Santa is a small surprise. A gift card works best as a last-minute fix or when the person is hard to buy for. Make sure it fits them: an Apple Gift Card is useless to an Android user. Put it inside a card with a small treat if you can.