£20 Secret Santa for a colleague I don't know very well... wwyb?

[DollyMixtureLulus]

Is there such a thing as a thoughtful neutral gift?

Scarf also sounds good!

Just get them APC post poo drops

Not APC, Aesop!

The most successful secret Santa we had at work was the year the gift had to be from the pound shop.

If it was £20 I’d either get her a posh candle (TK maxx has nice ones) or a scarf. I’m not very inventive though and those are my go-to gifts for everyone.

I think something from Body Shop or Lush maybe .Also some nice Swiss chocs M and S ? What about some nice Wine or a Liquer . Baileys /Cointreau /sort of thing?

I don't mind the budgets for secret santa, 5 are really nice challenges to make it the best possible, and 10/15/20 lets you get a really nice thoughtful gift and one in return.

I actually kind of prefer the 10/20 ones because I tend to put a too much thought into it, and with a fiver, try to get the most for my money, and in return I normally get the 'joke' style gifts or worse...forgotten.

For a higher budget, a combination of different things is good. I like to work on a theme, so previously I've made my own nando's gift set - a roasting dish(ceramic 70% sainsburys one), lots of nando's sauces and, jokingly, chicken (in the form of a rubber dog toy). You could do a night at the movies - netflix gift card, gourmet popcorn, sweets and fancy bowl.

Spa day, with a little towel, spa stuff and face masks.

Coffee or tea bundle - fancy coffee or tea, biscuits and a single serve coffee/tea cup - bodum do a cafeteria travel cup with two lids (one plunger one normal) or a tea strainer - like a metal tea bag you can put loose leaf in.

Bundling in tissue paper and cellophane also goes a little way in making something seem put together!

Where I work most of the women around that age group would appreciate a voucher of some kind - garden centre/M&S/Next and some really good hand cream.

I’ve just ordered a Penhaligons perfume sample set for £20 if you think she might like that?

I love your idea OP! Do that! It sounds very thoughtful and having a little meal/cake paid for is a lovely pick-me-up that you may not be doing for yourself during these times.

I think the most "thoughtful" neutral gift (if you don't know the person at all) is one that if the recipient doesn't like it they can at least probably regift it eg well known luxury brand toiletries or chocolates

T K Maxx has some good brands in your budget at the moment eg Ortigia

Uniqlo has lovely cashmere gloves. They are £25 at the moment but they always have an offer on them before Christmas.

Normally, I think your idea of a gift voucher for a local cafe would be lovely but not now. She might prefer not to eat out at the moment for all kinds of reasons.

Clarins hand and nail cream
Pretty gloves

Clearly I'm a nightmare for anyone who doesn't know me to buy for. Scarves? Gloves? Hand cream? Candles? They might be seen as staple gifts but they'd all be re-gifted/donated by me

Seriously, am I the only woman of a certain age, who doesn't like scarves and hand cream?

No hand cream!! The worst 😂

Go on House of Fraser they have lots of things that were £20 at half price and some half again if you sign up for emails

I'm 44 & don't drink.

I'd want an Amazon voucher.
NO to scarves & gloves & candles.

Last year we used some software where you drew the names out of a virtual hat. All the people taking part also put in a wish list, so everyone ended up getting something they liked. I think it was the same as @MyView2 suggested.

This is one time when a voucher won't really do it. If you are giving each other gifts, then a gift it's really got to be.

A scented candle from a recognised brand will be perfect. If she doesn't like it, it will be perfect to regift and save buying someone else a present.

Jo Malone perfect but outside price range, this one would IMO be perfect. Easy to exchange even without the receipt, if they don't like it.

https://www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-partners-winter-spice-inclusion-scented-candle-578g/p4981410

Sorry, but I would prefer a voucher. I really wouldn't appreciate most of the suggestions on here.

I wouldn't want a voucher, I think they are crap presents.

I’m boycotting Bodyshop and Lush over their siding with those giving death and rape threats to JK Rowling. I wouldn’t want a voucher from either. I’d be positively upset.

I started following a few independent local businesses over lockdown on IG, so I'd go for vouchers for a small business like that - cafés and house plants seem popular in my area.

I'd love more house plants 💚

@saraclara

Clearly I'm a nightmare for anyone who doesn't know me to buy for. Scarves? Gloves? Hand cream? Candles? They might be seen as staple gifts but they'd all be re-gifted/donated by me

Seriously, am I the only woman of a certain age, who doesn't like scarves and hand cream?

I’d rather choose hand cream myself because I tend buy more emollient dense creams and body butters than other people.

However, @DollyMixtureLulus I’m a cheese fiend and I’d really appreciate two or three nice cheeses in a 99p paper gift bag for £20. Maybe I’d bother with crackers for her but I wouldn’t go overboard trying to get as many parts (chutneys, jans, etc.) as possible for £20. Quality over quantity.

£20 for a Secret Santa?

Christ on a bike, that was my budget per person for family ie siblings at Christmas!

I'd opt out.

Seriously, am I the only woman of a certain age, who doesn't like scarves and hand cream

No, I think most of us don't, fuck knows why people keep suggesting them as gifts.

I have bags of handcream that I haven't got round to using. I've never worn a decorative scarf in my life and I already have a couple of 'keep your neck warm' ones and I don't think this is the type of scarf people are talking about.