My Secret Santa recipient could not have looked more pissed off at her present today

[Hassled]

I thought it was quite nice - some Occitane hand cream. I don't know her very well but she's always highly groomed, dresses well, seems very pleasant - I thought hand cream would be safe. She has no way of knowing it was me, at least. But seriously - a room of 30+ people opening their gifts, everyone going "Yay! Thanks, Secret Santa!" and generally being cheery, and she just sat and stared at the hand cream like it was a glittery turd or something. I feel bad about it. Anyone else got their Secret Santa present so drastically wrong?

I'd have loved the hand cream and I'm 34 so not old yet!

My worst SS gift was £10 worth of cat treats. I was single with two cats at the time and do sometimes talk about being a crazy cat lady, but still fucking cat treats

I think we're doing secret Santa wrong, we don't open the gifts in front of each other

I think hand cream is too generic, unless the person uses it all the time it comes across as an older persons present when you don't really know them.

Dh has secret Santa next week. I'm hoping the woman he bought a personalised scarf for doesn't hate it as it was obviously my idea

I told him to look at her and see if she wears scarves/earrings/lipstick. He duly reported back that she said and he had to write himself a note that she did as he doesn't remember stuff like that

That she DID, not that she said. As it's SECRET Santa.

L'Occitane handcream doesn't say old lady to me. My DD goes through tubes of the stuff and she is only 24! Sound like your colleague is just a sour puss OP.

That bag SS is a nightmare...trying to figure out what someone might like! The one I am doing tomorrow is a pick a number one...so trying to get a general one that would be pleasing to 10 people is extremely hard

Handcream can be a v generic gift, but in our office loads of women keep some in their desk drawer, so for one of those it's really thoughtful. I would love some posh handcream!

I got some used perfume once, the writing had even rubbed off. I couldn't even fake a smile or say thanks.

Yes! I bought a book, a funny one with cartoon pics, I thought they would have a laugh but they were seriously pissed off It was only a £3 gift allowance . I gave them the option of swapping it back with the secret santa I had but they wouldnt hear of it ......this was 25 yrs ago and I have never forgotten .....doomed to a life of guilt over a bloody secret santa present lol

The best SS would be where you're given a budget to buy yourself a nice present.
I got a really flowery colouring in book last year... weird as I'm not really a girly person at all. Would have much preferred chocolate!!

That is a fine choice. Hand cream is always a safe bet

I don't agree. I buy loccitane all the time.

I have never bought or used a hand cream. I am 48 not 78. Its a great granny thing. I don't know anyone at all who uses hand cream.

I have had hand cream before and loved it.

This is my worst secret santa gift. Given to me by a bloke. Apron with breasts I tried to laugh about it. I could not see why it would be funny for me, a middle aged woman with a curvy figure.

Her reaction is precisely why I don't do secret Santa any more. So much drama and gurning.

Defo the glittery turd if you're unfortunate enough to draw her again next year, OP

I'm not participating in ours this year and am the talk of the office. I'm sick of getting folk genuinely well thought out gifts and getting shite back. This year it was organised really badly, with what I thought was a rude e-mail, and excluded a group of people who work v closely with us - so I'm not doing it!

What's with all the "old lady" comments? Do young people not get dry hands?
I would have loved that present OP, clearly I must be ancient
Anyway she should have had some bloody manners.

Hassled, i think that's a good secret santa.

My experience of SS is that it's always silly/piss-take gifts. Rubber chickens, a chocolate orange, Daniel O'Donell CD, Cliff calendar, etc. Nice gifts have never featured.

DH's work do a £5 limit and most do joke gifts. One woman opened her (rude joke) gift, stood up and left the room, dropping it in the bin as she went.
Rude. (and no-one knows what it is so can't judge if she was really offended or just a misery.) DH got balloons!
If you aren't prepared to receive something not to your taste then don't participate. I'm not, so I don't

It was definitely rude of her to sit there with kittybuttface! Although if I got that handcream, even though I know it's a lovely brand and smells good, I wouldn't be able to use it because of allergies. I'd probably be fairly disappointed but I certainly wouldn't sit there and show it. I like the Secret Santa idea a pp mentioned, where you list a few things you'd like and then anything you definitely don't want/can't use for whatever reasons.

I'd have liked the hand cream btw OP

hand cream: the perfect gift for a woman you barely know

that should be on all the adverts

I use handcream. I am younger than 78. I have a job that requires me to wash my hands frequently.

I was given an edible string thong on my first job. By a pervy male superior in front of a baying crowd. I'd have done little happy dance for hand cream.

What's with all the "old lady" comments? Do young people not get dry hands?

I can honestly say that I have never had dry hands in my life. Maybe using hand cream gives you dry hands?

Next year, get her this.