What to get a female in her 30s ? (Secret Santa)

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Hello

In the work secret santa I’ve got someone I don’t know very well.

She’s in her 30s and has young children. I’m not sure whether she drinks.

The limit is £20.

Can anyone give me any ideas on what she might actually like / use ?

Thanks

A McDonalds voucher

Can you try and find out a bit about her? The SS presents I have got for people in the past that were most well received were: pocket sized book of example wedding speeches for a chap getting married the following summer; and a lego policeman on a motorbike for a young chap who was also a community police officer at the weekend.

As a female in my 30s and 40s I got given so many candles, chocolate or mini prosecco and chocolate gift sets, and shopping bags. It's a fairly safe choice but just screams generic middle aged woman!

The nicest present I got was a cute little Piggy bank. I had it for over ten years although it did end up being adopted by my little daughter who dropped and broke it recently. Also a decorative wine goblet which had zebra stripes which I love!

Worst was edible nipple tassels (embarrassing and yuck). I've also had two lots of quite nice earrings but don't have pierced ears.

Amazon voucher, water bottle/flask, gloves, hand/body cream, posh teas, recipe book, desk plant, box of posh brownies.

Just for your own entertainment when browsing I’ll suggest these wtfnotebooks.com/collections/all-wtf-notebooks

Yes to the socks, or silver earrings. There are some nice coffee sets around.
The drinks bottle works, as most of us won't pay out the money, but as a gift it is fantastic.

Im in my mid 30's and I love a nice candle/diffuser I've just ordered one off Amazon for my friend, which has good reviews called Shearer candles - Amber Noir for £8

Perfume? I also have the Ariana Grande - Sweet like candy, which isn't too expensive either and smell really nice

Amazon voucher, or you can buy those ones you can use in multiple stores. Fluffy warm socks, grow your own plant, chocolates etc. Bracelet/necklace? If you know her birth month, Etsy have some nice birth stone type bracelets on there, which are lovely

Some really nice hand cream and lip balm.

I would ask around and find out what this woman likes.

Otherwise, yes, I'd go down the chocolate and soap set routes. I am that person.

And I LIKE getting chocolate and soap sets.

I am a greedy person with no interest in beauty products. I was silently gutted when a very kind chap we dealt with at work who always gave me a small Christmas present switched from chocolates to a Boots 3 for 2 type boxed set of lotions, gels etc. Charity shop benefited, and it was a kind thought, which is the important thing.

I would personally hate to get candles/diffusers I have asthma and they start me off coughing terrible!

The best thing anyone could ever get me is vouchers, even if it was for Costa I’d be happy as I could get my morning coffee every day and not have to pay for it for a while woohoo!

Maybe a beauty advent calendar? I love getting those. Actually I love a fancy candle too!

I think a high quality insulated metal water bottle is a great idea. Most people would use that, wouldn't they?

If you work in the same building as her, can you take note of her style, whether she does her nails, wears jewellery etc? What she keeps on her desk? That could help guide you.

One year I got a disposable camera. When I eventually got the pictures developed there was one of the gift giver pulling a very funny face. I didn't know who'd given the camera until then........obviously 😂 Silly I know but it made me smile and got me talking to a colleague that I'd barely spoken to before. I was quite surprised because she was such a reserved person.
If you do happen to be reading this Alison from BCC in Brum I still have the photo 🤣

A skin care voucher somewhere like nip + fab.

Cowshed products

As a female in my 30s I would love a nice (yankee) candle, decent tea/coffee, expensive ethical olive oil, a tote/canvas bag. I once got a really nice umbrella on a secret Santa and I so appreciated it, I've bought keep cups and water bottles for people & would like one myself. If she drinks then alcohol could be good, and if she's any way outdoorsy maybe some good winter sports gloves. The worst secret Santa gifts I've had are probably glittery notebooks and stationery and tacky jewellery I'd never wear. 20 might get you membership for her to a local arts centre or gallery. You could also make a £20 donation to a charity which is a much better option than buying her something she doesn't want that will go to waste.

I'm grateful that my office has stopped doing SS and we now all make a donation to our chosen work charity - I think depending on the demographic of your workplace it can easily just mean that a collective £100-200 gets spent on that that no-one wants our needs.

However, echoing what others have said, I think if you can keep it local and independent that's better, so maybe safe-ish options would be things like:

• lovely wool socks (bed or hiking!)
• voucher for local independent cafe or shop
• Oxfam Unwrapped-type donation
• beautiful Fairtrade Christmas Dec (Oxfam do some nice ones)
• consumable such as locally-produced chocolates/whisky/gin etc
• glassware such as nice heavy everyday gin glasses
• 3-mth subscription to baked goods from somewhere local, or similar
• beautiful houseplant

I've suggested Secret Santa for next year only because I get unsuitable gifts from my colleagues and I'd rather just the one. It's also stressful trying to find something suitable for 4 people.

I’d appreciate

• good walking socks

-a new release book -posh hot chocolate -silver earrings -nice Christmas decoration -a board game

I once got a really nice compact mirror in a Secret Santa, used it for years til it broke.

stationary is always a good bet, a nice notebook/diary/pen kind of thing :)

well.. at least i'm always happy with them xD