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

[DollyMixtureLulus]

Is there such a thing as a thoughtful neutral gift?

Loads of nice wax burner kits on etsy.

With packaging this would probably be £20.

Keep it Chistmassy. We are opening all ours at the same time and having an online drink. Opening vouchers would be boring!

www.etsy.com/uk/listing/828006759/christmas-wax-melts-gift-set-gift?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=christmas+wax+burner&ref=sr_gallery-1-34&frs=1&cns=1

Like others are saying a novel, a gift set (Lush seems to be the go to where I work, always popular), gloves, silver earrings, candles etc are good 'generic' gifts. I love the idea of a cafe voucher but it's a tricky one to do atm.

€20 has always been the limit at my place. I get that it's pricey for some but I don't see why it's such a big deal on this thread? OP has said people didn't have to join if they didn't want to and doesn't seem concerned about it.

Is there anyone local doing Christmas crafts/scented melts etc? Maybe find out about something she likes, like Netflix voucher?

You don't really know her so you can't possibly know what she likes. Please don't buy her something to wear, like a scarf. If you think she likes to shop in a particular store then maybe a voucher for there. Or you could take the chance to get to know her and ask her!

I'd probably go for a combo of a couple of the following:
house plant
flowers
posh chocs
biscuits
cashmere socks
book
nice notebook

@DollyMixtureLulus

Is there such a thing as a thoughtful neutral gift?

A nice scarf?

@clary

Do you have to spend all the £20?

I ask cos some of my suggestions are cheaper:
Copy of a new novel
Nice reed diffuser
Fleece blanket for cold evenings
M&S posh chocolate biscuits
Nice skincare - Elemis cleansing balm is lovely and about £20
Lovely silver earrings (if she wears them)
Three months' sub to Netflix
Mini hamper (hated on MN I know) with £1-£2 items like biscuits, loose leaf tea (whatever she likes - you must know this), chocolate, Tyrells crisps, preserves of some kind - all the nicest ones
Costa voucher (bit crap tho)

I would like all of those and use them all (apart from the diffuser tbh)

Please don't spend it on something crappy as £20 is too much for that

I wouldn't like many of them TBH. They're things to buy if you know the person likes these things but could be a massive fail for others - they're not universals.

I think you need to stick way safer than this if you can't find out anything about what she wants (e.g. by finding a work friend of hers and ask their advice).

I wouldn't want wax melts. If I want to make my house smell nice I open the windows.

Far too many of the suggestions are too risky for someone you don't know.

You're doing secret santa this year? Wow you're unlucky, one of the few bright spots of this situation is no works xmas forced fun this year

I'm mid forties!
I'd like a nice candle, bottle of wine, house plant, scarf and gloves, nice mug/ travel mug, chocolates, possibly nice pyjamas?
To be honest, if I want something that's £20, I'll buy it myself.
Don't overthink it too much. It won't be their main present of the year- just a bit of fun! They can smile and regift if it isn't their thing!

@wonderpants

I'm mid forties! I'd like a nice candle, bottle of wine, house plant, scarf and gloves, nice mug/ travel mug, chocolates, possibly nice pyjamas? To be honest, if I want something that's £20, I'll buy it myself. Don't overthink it too much. It won't be their main present of the year- just a bit of fun! They can smile and regift if it isn't their thing!

So if people are wasting money on things that are likely to be regifted, then £20 is far too much. I like the pound shop idea. That requires some thought and if it misses the mark, it only a pound.

You can still get nice small chocolate items, nuts, DVDs or other bits.

If you dont know them a good go to is a nice personalised pen - It takes up next to no room, the personalisation adds a thoughtful touch and is almost always useful (unless your secret santa cant write for some reason).

I always think chocolate's a pretty safe bet. as long as it's not someone you know is diabetic or a choco-hater. But I guess you'd have to go somewhere proper posh to spend £20 on a normal size box.

I'm mid 40's and would really want scarves/candles mugs. How about a voucher for a massage place she can use after lock down? I would LOVE that.

I would go for a little hamper of things, that way they will hopefully like at least some of it and the parts they don't like they can regift ?

Could combine jam, chocolate, hand cream,nice biscuits and hope she isn't diabetic maybe a small house plant or a cactus or something to mix it up a bit.

Such a waste if you buy something like a Lush set or a candle or other things people have suggested, if she doesn't like them, and you've 'put all your eggs in one basket' as it were.

@CoronaIsWatching

You're doing secret santa this year? Wow you're unlucky, one of the few bright spots of this situation is no works xmas forced fun this year

Forced fun I often think work things are for sure forced fun!

@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?

Seriously I go through these list and think they are often offensively stereotypical to the idea of what women 'must' like. Maybe I fail at being a woman lol.

I wouldnt be offended by a scarf, gloves or candle but for £20 it would be utterly wasted on me. I lose gloves, never wear a scarf and buy my candles (which I rarely use) in poundland.

I dont want random fancy brands of creme or anything cashmere or 'popular' branded because its usually too expensive and not that great.

I would take the time to get to know my secret santa if at all possible because a gift not tailored to the person is pretty worthless, even a 10 minute lunch time convosation could be enough to learn something valuable about them and give you an idea.

All that said anything here would be an improvement on the crap I have got from secret santas before, I once got a free pamphlet the person had grabbed from the foyer of the building .

Voucher for local coffee shop
A nice notebook or diary
A christmas bauble/ decoration
Hand cream
Scarf

So if people are wasting money on things that are likely to be regifted, then £20 is far too much.

I agree. If you really can't find out what the recipient likes IMO the safest option is probably something that can be consumed. I like the mini hamper idea. It can be shared out if the recipient doesn't like something.

Cinnamon Yankee Candle.

Cookery book. Most people like them and even if they don’t cook, they like having them on display in their kitchen.

@EasternDailyStress

Cinnamon Yankee Candle.

God no. It is a very specific smell.

I loathe the smell of anything like that.

OK, it isn't about me, but someone has to really like smells like this to entertain the idea of having one. If someone gave me one of these it would be down the charity shop before you could say charity shop.

I hate the idea of someone wasting £20 on an item the recipeint might not like.

I love a good hand cream 🤷🏼‍♀️

We do £20 Secret Santa. TBH I don't love it but if we didn't, I know that at least a handful of colleagues would buy me a gift that I'd have to reciprocate, so it saves me money and effort overall.

Unless it's someone I know well who I have a really good idea for, I go for good quality wine/chocolates/bath stuff or a mixture of all three. I figure at least it's consumable and if I've really got their taste wrong it's easy to pass on, so hopefully someone will use it rather than straight to landfil.

I'm in the same age range and would love a really nice Leuchtturm notebook and a rollerball pen (not a fancy pen, just fancier than a biro). Or an interesting jigsaw, or an craft set (like a cross-stitch all in one - some fab ones on etsy). Scope out her workspace and see if she is into stationary. Cult Pens or Nikki Supply Store have cool washi tapes and things.

No doubt I'll get yet another Bayliss and Harding toiletry set that I can't use.