Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

Secret Santa ideas - really secret so don’t know who I’m buying for!

9 replies

Geometricfreeform · 08/12/2022 08:35

Any suggestions for a work Secret Santa where I don’t know who I’m buying for? (All gifts are numbered and you draw a number on the day and get that gift. Apparently swapping is permitted after all opened; but not the stealing-type secret Santa that’s very popular here).

There’s a pretty even split of men and women, quite a lot are in their mid- 20s -30s, a handful in 40s/50s. Nearly all are engineers.

Oh and because I live down under the typical winter ideas aren’t any good…

Budget is $20-30 so around £10-15

any brainwaves? 🤞🤞

OP posts:
FanSpamTastic · 08/12/2022 08:50

Something you would really like - then swap for it if someone else opens it!

WeirdPookah · 08/12/2022 10:01

XKCD explainer book?

Geometricfreeform · 08/12/2022 10:10

Haha @FanSpamTastic I like your style! You could be on to something there.

I had to look that up @WeirdPookah and it looks brilliant! I’m not sure I’ll be able to get it in time and for budget (books are pricey here and online delivery probably
won’t arrive in time now) but it’s such a good idea. I suppose I could combine both of your ideas and get the book and grab it for myself if I can!!

OP posts:
Allergictoironing · 08/12/2022 10:50

We had that somewhere I worked, where the party was for about 150 people who very loosely worked out of the same office but had very little to do with each other. There was a ridiculous range of gifts! Also people interpreted the budget VERY differently (£10-20), with some things obviously picked up for a couple of quid in Home Bargains or B&M, and others clearly well over the budget. There were also things that looked like they had been re-gifted from last year.

Most popular seemed to be alcohol related e.g. bottle of wine, 3-pack of miniature spirits. Chocolates & posh biscuits seemed safe & well accepted. Mugs/glasses with treats inside like hot chocolate & mini marshmallows or mulled wine mix. Slightly less popular were things like posh room scenters, ornaments, household stuff like coasters. The coffee press went down really well, as did a couple of decent travel mugs. Soft toys were also very well received.

Plenty of clearly male/female stuff too e.g. bath/soaps stuff aimed one sex. Jokey things really could hit the wrong target - silly sex games going to very prim and proper or staid elderly staff. Whoever (at least 3-4) bought children's things (baby/toddler age) clearly had certain staff members in mind. Very masculine leather wallet.

Really random things like a football team scarf, embroidered cushions (nightmare to get home on the train from central London), a basic kitchen starter kit of spoons, spatulas etc., a handbag(!), books on rather esoteric subjects,

My team ALL ended up doing swaps. Both me and my closest team mate got alcohol - neither of us drink. The very single, play the field type male advisor got a baby toy - worked out fine, as my boss had a baby. The boss with the baby got a hot chocolate mug thing; he was a bit of a health nut who wouldn't use sugar. Luckily we did all manage to swap for things we could use in the end! I still have the mug, though the hot choc & biscuits are long gone.

Geometricfreeform · 08/12/2022 11:17

Thanks @Allergictoironing , some ideas for what and what not to get! It’s tricky when it could go to anyone, but I’ve also had experience in the past of picking someone I barely knew so that was tough too. I definitely won’t go jokey as I think it could go badly wrong!

OP posts:
Inasec24 · 10/12/2022 17:41

Lotto scratchcards?

Riverlee · 10/12/2022 17:48

Christmas ornament
Christmas sock
wine glasses
Barbecue tools
Baseball cap

Forgottenmypasswordagain · 02/11/2023 20:35

I second Christmas ornament also on the bbq idea, a chefs apron.

Forgottenmypasswordagain · 02/11/2023 20:36

Oh no, did not realize this is an old thread.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page