Secret Santa - advice and help needed!

[lifesabitchandthenyoudie]

We've done the draw at work, I have the most awkward one (imo).

This person has loudly and repeatedly announced what they want. It's alcohol and comes in at almost twice what the suggested budget is. They were once given a really rubbish, very jokey present and was very obviously mightily pissed off about it. Personally I thought it was quite funny, if a little disappointing! (it wasn't me that time).

We all, quite obviously, often go a bit over the budget; but I'm not inclined to in this case just so they get what they've demanded - but it would mean they got something they actually wanted as opposed to the jokey tat that people often end up with.

WWYD? Just get it and keep them happy? Any ideas for alcohol-related gifts that would still be acceptable?
A tiny part of me wants to do a repeat of the 'mean' gift, talk me out of it!

Alcohol free version of what they want.

This is the reason I don’t join in anymore- such a waste of time and money.

What do they want and what is the budget?

I was just about to ask this

Can you get a miniature of the alcohol they want? Or chocolate flavoured with it? Or something branded with it. Or something like that?

Then you can keep in budget and also buy something they like.

This year at work I've been given a sheet we all filled out with favourite colour, food, shop, restaurant etc and at the bottom what we wouldn't like....this is helpful. Maybe suggest that next year.

If you were willing to spend that much on something you found anyway, then do it.

If not, then don’t, the beauty of Secret Santa is you can buy whatever you want.

One year a woman who hates me drew me. She bought me some plastic jewelry from poundland. I put it straight in the bin then just carried on working. Luckily we don't bother with it in my current job.

Knock off from Lidl?

A single bottle of bud or a pre-mixed version of what they want. I'd stick to the budget otherwise you're making it harder for the person next year.

Oh I hate secret Santa. Over the years I have received three Cadbury chocolate bars (I’m dairy intolerant), an obscene plaque intended for a “lad” (I’m a woman) and a bike puncture repair kit (I don’t have a bicycle). I refuse now.

Surely you have something lying around that you can regift?

Then don't EVER do secret santa again.
Waste.of.money.time.and.headspace.

🫢 This just popped up as advert on this thred .. maybe it's appropriate for op??
(If you scrol along, you get best toys fir 2y olds.)

Actually we're quite a close-knit bunch so it usually works quite well! Over the years I've had some nice and useful gifts, and some absolutely hilarious ones that still get talked about. I usually manage quite well for my colleagues, too. Knowing each other well helps, but also if there's someone new one of us will help them out; 99% of it all gets guessed (who gave what) too; it's all in good spirits (usually); it's supposed to be just a bit of fun.

If I say how much etc it will be outing, obviously, so I'll keep it to myself, thanks anyway.

@ArticWillow I saw that too! It may well be. And it will feed into a standing joke we have going on.... 👌

None of my colleagues would ever drop hints as to what they want. We also stick to the budget.

If I say how much etc it will be outing, obviously, so I'll keep it to myself, thanks anyway.

I don’t think it will be. At least no more outing than the rest of the thread!

It’s also hard to advise on alcohol themed gifts if we don’t know the alcohol they want or the budget. You can, for example, get Jack Daniels flavoured fudge. That’s no good if they’ve asked for a bottle of red wine.

@Mumdiva99 I like those ideas thanks! Also the sheet with information is good; it could be a good reference for newbies.

Apologies to those asking about what it is, so you can suggest ideas. My post was meant to be more about if it was best to just get what they wanted, or something in that vein but in budget, or just ignore and get something trivial. I think I've got some ideas now.

@EveryKneeShallBow that's crap! I wouldn't do it if my colleagues were that rubbish.

@Toddlerteaplease It is rude, isn't it?!

I wouldn’t spend twice the budget, maybe a pound or two over.

i would ignore totally or as mentioned since, get a miniature, chocolate containing it etc.

or get something completely different instead.

I wouldn’t go over budget, and think the recipient is very cheeky suggesting that you do so! As others have said, I would try and buy something vaguely related to the request eg a miniature bottle, flavoured chocolate etc.

Could you get a gift card for the shop which sells said item? Play it that the item was over budget no matter which way you cut it so you couldn’t buy it but you realised nothing else measured up so the equivalent of 57% of a bottle of whatever it is has ended up being the gift.

I'd feel inclined to not get alcohol or a non alcoholic version of the alcohol they like or even those revolting liquor chocolates (it's alcohol isn't it?!)

If I did get some I'd get one of those 5 quid sets they do at Xmas with a little bottle of wine and accompanying glass

I did this once at a company that was closing down. We all got each other a gift. I thought how it should be something the person would keep for many years and picked up a very nice vase in an antique shop for more than the budget. In return I got bath crayons. Never again!