When the festive period rolls around, it can only mean one thing for offices up and down the country – Secret Santa. For those who don’t know, Secret Santa is a fun Christmas tradition where everyone randomly picks out the name of a participating co-worker – and that is the person they have to buy a gift for. Usually there is a limit set on the cost – normally around £5 or £10 – and the main rule is that you can’t tell the person you’re their Secret Santa.
While this is a fun way to spread some Christmas cheer, it can also be the hardest present you buy. Not knowing who you are going to get and then picking someone you’ve never spoken to – apart from the polite “morning” when you pass them in the corridor – can present quite a difficult challenge. So, here are some tips to help you find the perfect Secret Santa present for your co-worker.
Do some digging on the person you pulled out
If you are really not familiar with the person who you’ve pulled out, do some digging! Ask the people they speak to at work what their interests are, and if they have any hobbies outside of the office. If they love to jot everything down on post-it notes, you could use this information to get them a fun and colourful set or a post-it note holder. Often the simplest of ideas has the best effect.
Stick to a budget
If your budget is £5, stick to it. The last thing you want is to go all out and spend double or even triple that, only for the recipient not to even like the gift. It’s generally acceptable to go over by 50p or £1, but don’t go crazy. A budget has been set for a reason[1] – not just so everyone can afford to take part, but also so it is a bit of a challenge.
Don’t go too outrageous
While you may want to splash the cash and buy something completely out there and different, it’s often best to keep it within a limit. Don’t buy something which is too unusual[2] as you’ll probably want your co-worker to get some use out of their gift and also, you’ll want it to be office-appropriate.
Remember who you are buying for
While it’s easy to get carried away when it comes to buying presents, you need to keep your colleague in mind. If they are highly organised (or horrifically unorganised) you may want to buy them something useful like a day planner or desk planner so they can keep on top of what they need to do.
The funnier the better
Secret Santa is all about having fun and getting something a little (not over the top) silly. Think about what your colleague likes, and try to get them something you know will make them laugh. There are loads of presents out there which you can get for your colleague to make them chuckle.
Buying the right Secret Santa gift can have people talking for years to come, so it’s worth spending a little bit of time and giving it some thought. While it may be a secret that you bought an awesome present, everyone in the office will want you as their Secret Santa come next year and hopefully if whoever’s got you is reading this, you might get something great too!
