Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Emergency secret Santa

18 replies

Bettymakesadecision · 15/12/2025 23:06

DD6 has suddenly come down with a virus and is very poorly, which means I can’t go in to work tomorrow. We’re doing our Secret Santa tomorrow and I really don’t want the person I’ve got to miss out on their present because I can’t go in. I can probably give it to them on Weds but it’s never nice to have nothing when everyone else around you is opening presents. Can the lovely people of MN help me find an online gift that I can ask my PA to print off tomorrow and pop in the Secret Santa box for me? I initially thought a coffee voucher might work but I don’t think my person actually drinks that much coffee! Limit is £10.
(Obviously posting here for traffic)

OP posts:
Beachcomber74 · 15/12/2025 23:07

£10 John Lewis voucher

shellyleppard · 15/12/2025 23:08

Amaryllis or some really nice biscuits?

PinkFrogss · 15/12/2025 23:10

They might not drink much coffee but still use the voucher to meet up with a friend for coffee (or tea or hot chocolate!)

The difficulty with a small gift voucher for somewhere else is they probably have to spend more money to actually use, so unless they were planning on doing so anyway it’s a bit of a waste. And even if they can get something for under £10 it needs to be easy to get to as otherwise there’ll be a delivery fee.

ultracynic · 15/12/2025 23:13

Can you Amazon something to work and get your PA to wrap it?

AbzMoz · 15/12/2025 23:14

What had you bought if you were going in the
office?

Maybe two tickets to cinema (group on /clubcard prices) works with a bag of sweets / popcorn?

Original poster
Bettymakesadecision · 15/12/2025 23:17

Vouchers are a good shout but wasn’t sure if the amount makes them feel like a very small gift

OP posts:
Original poster
Bettymakesadecision · 15/12/2025 23:17

AbzMoz · 15/12/2025 23:14

What had you bought if you were going in the
office?

Maybe two tickets to cinema (group on /clubcard prices) works with a bag of sweets / popcorn?

A lovely notebook - we write a lot of notes in our job!

OP posts:
PinkFrogss · 15/12/2025 23:19

Could your PA go out and get some nice inexpensive chocolates and add a note so giftee has a physical something in the meantime?

stichguru · 15/12/2025 23:19

What have you got them? Do you think they will really like it? Could you make up a gift ticket saying
Santa is sorry that he can't be with you today but he's got you a ... and then a photo?
Maybe with a picture of Santa with a gift sack? Yes it's odd - but I think having an envelope to open and then a nice present you have put effort into choosing will be more fun than a voucher...

stichguru · 15/12/2025 23:22

I think having the excitement of seeing that someone has spent effort and time finding something nice for you is probably more exciting than physically having a gift right then if that makes sense.

stichguru · 15/12/2025 23:25

Oh and a kid being sick is very boring... either the reindeer's ill, a part of the sleigh has fallen off, there is very low visibility due to a storm at the North Pole... I should probably go to bed, getting a little too in to this - hope your kid is better soon...

StripyHorse · 15/12/2025 23:29

PinkFrogss · 15/12/2025 23:10

They might not drink much coffee but still use the voucher to meet up with a friend for coffee (or tea or hot chocolate!)

The difficulty with a small gift voucher for somewhere else is they probably have to spend more money to actually use, so unless they were planning on doing so anyway it’s a bit of a waste. And even if they can get something for under £10 it needs to be easy to get to as otherwise there’ll be a delivery fee.

M&S might be a good shout if that's a concern. If the recipient doesn't want to put it towards something bigger they can use it for food.

KilliMonjaro · 15/12/2025 23:47

All for one card?

BriefEncountersOfTheThirdKind · 15/12/2025 23:57

Does anyone live close to yours who could collect the gift on the way in? Or is the office close enough you could pop DD in the car quickly to run it over and then take her straight home?
Otherwise I suggest Prime a gift to the office

AnchorWHAT · 16/12/2025 07:59

I think the pp idea of emailing a picture of the notebook gift and a Santa excuse for PA to put in an envelope is by far the best idea. It looks less like a last minute panic. Much more thoughtful than a hurried stand in gift.

NowThatsWhatICallRecent · 16/12/2025 08:06

If you have a good relationship with your PA, could they get another notebook for you, and you reimburse them when you're back in the office?

BeepBoopBop · 16/12/2025 10:03

stichguru · 15/12/2025 23:19

What have you got them? Do you think they will really like it? Could you make up a gift ticket saying
Santa is sorry that he can't be with you today but he's got you a ... and then a photo?
Maybe with a picture of Santa with a gift sack? Yes it's odd - but I think having an envelope to open and then a nice present you have put effort into choosing will be more fun than a voucher...

That’s a great idea.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page