Secret Santa - What do I buy the new girl in the office whom I know zero about her?

[RocketIceLollie]

I think I pulled the short straw in the office Secret Santa this year. I got the new girl in the office whom I barely know anything about what she likes....what do I get as a random gift for a 22 year old woman whom I know nothing about for a £10 max gift?

I'd be ecstatic if someone gave me a £10 Waterstones voucher or gin!

Bottle of Prosecco with a Christms themed scratchcard taped to it, assuming you know she drinks alcohol.

Big box of nice biscuits. M and s Belgian ones are lush. Hopefully she'll open and share around the office

Yankee candle?

Stationery
Hand cream
Lip balm
Chocolate
Water bottle

I’d avoid alcohol unless you know she drinks

Best suggestion so far is bottle of prosecco and scratch card or small amount of nice chocolate. Unless she doesn’t drink (but more likely she does).

Please no cake mixes, boxes of nice biscuits or fluffy socks for the poor young girl.

Or ask a colleague for suggestions for her or even better start a conversation with her yourself (awful that she’s new and you know absolutely nothing about her) and as well as being a nice thing to do particularly at this time of year this will give you an idea about her life, likes and dislikes for a secret Santa gift. At 22 I was still going out a lot so would have loved Prosecco and a scratch card but some friends were settled down with a partner.

I have a 22-year-old. Definitely would not want Prosecco - doesn’t drink - scratch card - would be appalled at the idea - or chocolate - causes migraine. Anything given would of course be accepted gracefully.

Bottle of baileys. Something that can be regifted if they don’t like it.

Prosecco and chocs

Not a smelly. People always suggest something fragrant - a candle or handcream or some such. But many people are very first over such things, yet won't necessarily want to let colleagues know that X thing brings them out in a rash/sets of asthma/is just disgusting.

Something useful and either particulary nice or personalised. Do people have personal mugs in your office? Does she use a water bottle? Is she always losing pens?

Something special, but regiftable if it's not her 'thing'. Glittery gin sounds cool! Local gift voucher also nice, but I get that you don't want to give an envelope.

I've been in her position twice. First time I was given a cloth shopping bag with London Paris New York OurTown printed on it, and chocolates inside it. Second time I was given a beautiful bone china mug from JL. Both nice, neutral gifts, and used many times since then.

Very fussy over such things

Hand cream and fluffy socks makes me think “end of life” rather than 20-something.

Yes maybe a really nice mug would be better.

I'm not young anymore but when young and working in an office I would have loved something like

Water bottle
Thermal mug for commuting or using at desk
Lunch box/those nice food storage pots for snacks for work

I would have also liked nice toiletries too or make up.

Amazon voucher

A shopping voucher is your best bet.

My dd doesn’t really eat chocolate, cake mixes etc wouldn’t be appreciated either.

she hates Prosecco and prefers vodka to gin.

£10 to spend in primark would suit her or nice smellies.

My daughter is 23 and her and her friends love hand cream and fluffy socks. Definitely not just an old person gift!

I’m afraid you just can’t win! I wouldn’t want anything scented or chocolate due to migraines. My 18 yo and friends like their water bottles - particularly the outdoor sporty type. They also like gin and Percy Pigs!

……and those premixed drinks in a can like GandT.

Normally I'd try to find something 'nice and special', such as a really pretty bone china mug or a piece of fashion jewellery - maybe something vintage (having observed what she tends to wear to get an idea of what she likes).

But, given that she is 22, she may be short of money, so a generic voucher may be the way to go.

I would have loved something like a mug to use at work - especially one that everyone would know was mine e.g. with my initial on/something silly.

In this chilly weather I'd also love a cheapy blanket if work is not well heated.

Personally I love a MASSIVE fluffy sock at the mo to put on over my normal socks in the evening.

Would steer clear of booze, chocolates and food generally unless it's something you know she likes e.g. I once bought a Secret Santa a multipack of his favourite sweets as part of his present.

A book you've read and enjoyed is a good present - rather than a "gift book" type thing which no-one really wants e.g. Britain's Best Telephone Boxes.

My 22-year-old would like fluffy socks, but wouldn’t be keen on hand cream.

Also would like a mug.

Who cares? You don’t know her so don’t over think it. Socks, chocolates, alcohol. If she doesn’t like it then it’s not the end of the world!

Don’t buy her cake mix unless she bakes. That’s the stuff I shove in a cupboard and forget about

if she drinks buy her some Prosecco. Job done