AIBU to ask for ideas on what to buy line manager in Secret Santa draw?

[HopefulCivilServant]

My team at work is organising a Secret Santa, and we’ve got a £5 limit for the present.

I’ve been given my line manager, who’s new to the team and who I really get on with (just to give a bit of background).

I’ve absolutely no idea what to buy her though! The last time I did Secret Santa was at school, and I’m not very creative

Any ideas on something lovely and thoughtful that I could buy for my LM on a £5 budget, please?

Thanks!

I would definitely choose something that will be consumed rather than an item that will hang around. People have too many small rubbishy things to keep track of. You perhaps can do some sleuthing to see if she snacks on certain things, and then go one nicer than her usual.

A vibrator.

For £5 I think you're limited to chocolates, a bottle of ok wine or something like a handcream, nice tea etc.

I wouldn't go for stationery unless you know what she uses, most people have their 'go to' pads and pens.

Alternatively, something like this https://www.dunelm.com/product/30cm-christmas-tree-1000102454 - it may not win marks for originality but is small enough to go on a desk and then taken home.

Buy 5 £1 scratch cards/luck dips (I have no idea how much they cost now but assume you can get at least a few).

You can't go wrong with a torch. Let there be light.

Latest torch in my collection of torches was less than a fiver. Most expensive one I want is twenty quid. They both, however, do the same job in that they light up the dark.

Hotel Chocolate have some nice blocks of chocolate for 3.00 that you could put with something. A nice water bottle a good idea

People, it's Secret Santa! Manager will never know! Use the opportunity to buy her something completely different!

Tea is just.so.boring though.

Get her a stress ball. A book on how to manage people. An "I'm the boss" mouse mat.

Take a look at T2 right now - their black fiesta sale is AMAZING and they do the best tea.

Fgs don’t buy a torch, that’s weird.

I got a manager I liked but who didn’t manage me once. I knew she liked sewing so picked up a nice book on sewing from WH Smith and threw in a mini prosecco 👌🏻 Went down a treat but I did leave 1 week later. Plus, who actually likes what they get in secret Santa?! For a fiver it’s just fun, make sure it looks like you’ve spent £5 and you’re grand

God no, not office stationery

Does anyone ever use a stress ball?!

Is she environmentally aware?

We need less stuff in the world.

But her consumables. If you think she follows a diet, then really nice biscuits, she can offer them to guests.

But you know she drinks tea, so tea and or buscuits.

The mini versions of board games which can played at the Christmas dinner table. I've bought these before as secret Santa gifts and they've always been a hit.

Mini logo game

Mini articulate game

Does she like cooking? Some spices could go down well. Make it Christmassy with a couple of cinnamon sticks. Some places sell them loose so cheaper, Divamanti? was where I used to get mine.

Love the idea of fairy lights for her laptop.

I have two suggestions,

The first is a cute and relatively classy ceramic robin from M&S with a red plant in it.

It costs £4.99 (from memory).

I bought one for myself.

Here is a picture

The second suggestion is a Cristalinas reed diffuser.

They are nice looking with a light wooden surround.

They are currently £4 on promotion via Ocado (reduced from £7).

There is one that has red reeds and a sort of Christmassy smell. Here is a picture of mine

And here is the link to the Red Berry one

www.ocado.com/webshop/product/Cristalinas-Cube-Reed-Diffuser-Red-Berries/412548011?from=search&param=cristalinas%20diffuser

And a link to the other non Red Berry £4 ones

www.ocado.com/search?entry=cristalinas%20diffuser&sort=PRICE_ASC

I bought mine a mug from ASDA that says ‘I’m the boss’ is pretty twirly writing and filled it with sweets

Just get her a lovely mug. The ones with a William Morris print are gorgeous. Don’t do a bunch of cheap stuff thrown together.

If born before 1967, a silver sixpence with year of birth is thoughtful before Christmas - lots on eBay

This is a nice idea, but I would think most older professional ladies night not like their birth year highlighted???