Work Secret Santa for a fiver

[Sparklepants53]

Please help me out.
Work Secret Santa, £5 limit.
It’s not a rude Secret Santa.
I don’t know my recipient v.well, she’s in her 50s, likes the finer things in life but also seems quite grounded. Bit stumped what to get for £5 that isn’t tacky or dull.
Any ideas?

Bath bombs
Fluffy socks
Christmas paperback
Hot choc bomb and a mug (Asda do some nice cheap mugs)

Small bottle of prosecco
Personalised bauble, mug
Chocolates
Nice tin of herbal teas
Scarf

Euromillions ticket/scratch cards/lotto ticket.

Small craft /art piece
Christmas tree decoration
Candle

Nice notebook
Chocolate
Small picture frame
Pretty Christmas tree bauble

Stationary

Tesco had lovely white ceramic pots with bulbs (hyacinth I think) for about that amount.

Something like this *set of three was less than 5)

.

Ooohh love these ideas! The mini Prosecco and nice bauble are a good shout! Thank you!

Nice mug
Hand cream (not an old lady one though)
Nice coffee / biscuits
A bauble for the tree
A small craft kit (cross stitch or felt maybe)
Hand warmers

Your description of your colleague could be me!
I would enjoy bulbs in a pot, chocolates, biscuits, jam, chutney, hand wash, medjool,dates.
I wouldn't use a bathbomb or scented candles.

Good quality coffee,or tea,if you know what she drinks, nice mug/cup

Little House plant
Mug
Nice soap (Neste Dante ones are lovely)
Tree decoration
Miniature alcohol (vip bottles is great for fancy miniatures)

The best SS I ever saw was in my old office when SS were still something silly with a max £5 spend.
An older, although quite jovial and silly, colleague was given a candy thong. She proudly wore it over her trousers for the entire festive period to the great amusement of all concerned.

I’d imagine a refined lady in her 50s doesn’t want a supermarket mug. I don’t get the obsession with gifting people mugs, surely everybody already has a cupboard full at home

I’d get her something nice to eat/drink

Indeed @elbea, a cheap supermarket mug would end up in the work kitchen as I only like porcelain mugs.
Most cheap gifts are bland and boring, that's the nature of a cheap gift when you don't know what to buy.
Does she have a coffee pod machine ? If so That's a good option.

SS is such a waste of time, nobody ever gets stuff they want and people agonise over it for ages. Why on earth bother ?

I agree with Elbea

I could be that colleague, and I really have enough mugs.
Something consumable would be best

I love those hyacinths ^ (though they are quite a strong smell so some might not)
I'd like socks
Hot chocolate
Any chocolate, tbf
Bottle of plonk
Pack of wild flower seeds (does rely on them having somewhere to plant them)
Not for me, but I get that some people like hand cream and some like candles - they are both easy to re-gift / pass on too if she doesn't like them.

Luxury handmade soap.
Mini Prosecco
4 ultra-luxe chocolates

@mibbelucieachwell

Your description of your colleague could be me! I would enjoy bulbs in a pot, chocolates, biscuits, jam, chutney, hand wash, medjool,dates. I wouldn't use a bathbomb or scented candles.

My goodness you could be me too! I am 59. When I read the OP my first thought was bulb in a pot. But I would love biscuits or dates

Brilliant, thanks so much for all these ideas!
VIPbottles was a stroke of genuis thanks @Thatsplentyjack because it’s reminded me that she likes gin. I think I’ll get her a mini gin, and either some plant bulbs or a Christmas dec.

I am not a big drinker myself so I’m not sure which brand would be best, I’ve had a look at VIP bottles and am seeing these brands in various interesting flavours:

Burleighs
Chase
Whitley Neill
Bloom
Edinburgh Gin

What would gin connoisseurs go for out of these?
Do any of them stand out as “nice” or a safe bet? She is a bit of a foodie so I imagine has sophisticated tastebuds.

Thanks so much!