AIBU to think I can't win either way with work Secret Santa?

[Bakingtins]

We have a £10 limit. Every year I think carefully about the person whose name I've drawn and choose something they will like or that will be amusing at our party (silly games seem to go down well). Every year I get cheap smellies that I will never open. I can opt out, but then I'm the baa-humbug boring old git.

I'm not that difficult to buy for and I'm pretty sure I don't smell It just depresses me.

Could you not go down the cheap smellies route yourself? I think that maybe you are over investing emotionally in something that is supposed to be lighthearted and fun.

I opt out for that very reason. I always get the stupid jokey present, or the cheap crap present. I get called Scrooge etc, but can put up with that for a few weeks each year.

I got a bit of a rubbish present last year, compared to the present I bought. But then I have much more fun giving than receiving anyway so it doesn't bother me too much. Last year I made a hangover recovery hamper for a young lady, who had loads of nights out planned. She loved it and it was passed round and admired by everybody.

just regift last years cheap smellies. job done.

I could do that, but then the person who gets them might feel as crap about it as I do. You can get something nice for a tenner, if you put a bit of thought into it.
I think I might suggest next year that we have a £1 limit so all the presents are rubbish/jokey - and propose that you can either pick a £1 present from the pile or swap for one somebody has already opened.

Where I work there are about 20 of us in the secret Santa and we can put a suggestion for things we like

My workplace is a similar size and I've been there 8 years. It's not like it's a massive faceless organisation and nobody knows me.
I think mellowcat hit the nail on the head when she said I invest emotionally in presents because it's one of the ways I show affection to people. I shouldn't read too much into it that my colleagues obviously don't feel the same way.
My loss is the charity shop's gain.