Missing Secret Santa present

[MintyChops]

I have a group of friends (8 of us) and every year we do secret Santa. Normally one of the others organises it but this year I did and let everyone know for whom they would be getting a present. Thing is, my present never arrived. I feel quite awkward letting my friend know, any thoughts on how to phrase it?

You are just going to bite the bullet and bring it up in conversation.

Bit late isn't it????

Was it posted? There are apparently still loads of cards and presents stuck in the royal mail chaos.
It could be stuck in a sorting office somewhere.

I was in this situation once.
I just put on our friend group chat "Hey, just to let whoever my secret santa was know, my present has never arrived. If you did send one you might want to contact Royal Mail/the company you ordered it from as I guess it might be lost?".
I never did get a response or a present I should add.. and so I never did Secret Santa with that group again. But I feel like at least I mentioned it (twice like that I should add, once on like 26th December and then again in the January)

I think unless you had a huge budget for it, I'd just let it go. Loads of stuff was lost in the post over Christmas with the strikes, so not sure what your friend could do about it.

Seems odd to mention it when it's February tomorrow!

Anyway, this happened to my DH some 15-16 years ago at his previous job, and he never took part in it again. It's a real smack in the face when every one of your 14 colleagues gets a lovely little gift, and you're the only one with nothing.

SOMEONE must know you never got your gift @MintyChops You could mention it now, OR say nothing, and just say you don't want to take part (next Christmas.) I'd go for the latter. DH did. He never mentioned it at the time, but it didn't take a genius to see he didn't get anything. So the following Christmas, he just refused to join in. 2 others dropped out several years after too (both men too.)

DH was begged to join in for several years after, but he still said no. They knew why. Because 14 people out of 15 got a Secret Santa gift, and one did not. That one was DH. They all knew why he wouldn't join in, and said it wouldn't happen again, but it should not have happened in the first place. The Manager should have made sure everyone had something.

He was really hurt when he was the only one without anything. He didn't allow the risk of it happening again. DH doesn't forgive and forget, whether it's something big, or something some may class as trivial, like a Secret Santa. Upshot is, it was hurtful and upsetting for him.

I didn’t say anything sooner because I know there have been loads of problems with the post and I kept thinking “It’ll turn up”. It was also coming from the UK to Ireland so that seemed like an extra possible delay. I won’t say anything but I am a little disappointed. It wasn’t a huge budget but that’s not really the point. Thanks to you all for responding.