What to buy in office secret Santa if you don’t know the person at all?

[MaryLeith]

Any idea welcome! Apparently she loves dogs. Budget £10.

Nice chocs. Boring but not a waste of money and not tat.

A calendar, book, scented candle, mug & hot chocolate, chocolates, Christmas socks? I think it’s best not to over-think it.

I'd go for a dog Xmas tree decoration and a nice bar of chocolate.

I'd buy this and then put some hot chocolate sachets (or chocolates) inside.

www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-festive-dogs-stoneware-mug-335ml/p111782803

Something she can donate to a food bank if she doesn’t like.

This is a good

Well, find out what she likes... It's it as if it's 2hrs to go.

Make friends with her, ask her closer colleagues...

Nice notebook and pen
Book token and nice bookmark

A candle ? One of the nice Christmas smelling ones ?

Booze?

Sorry to be awkward but as a nut allergy sufferer I hate getting boxes of chocolates. They always look delicious but I can't eat them so would be a waste.
A candle or photo frame or something like that where most people could put it to use

I agree with pp about no to chocolate. However I'm going against the grain and also saying no to a candle. I've got so many of them in my cupboard that I've received as presents! I don't trust myself to burn candles. I do love reed diffusers though.
I'm in a similar situation with my secret Santa at work.

Battersea Dogs and Cats / PDSA / Dogs Trust all have some cute "gift" type things - nice notebooks, mugs, etc.

But I'm in the same boat! No idea what to get my secret Santa!

This would be perfect

I'd ask someone closer to her about allergies/drinking habits and then go for something simple like chocolate/wine or christmas socks - I honestly prefer the simple gifts than someone trying to guess what I like. I'd also hate a candle.

I once had to buy a gift for a guy in my wider team I didn't know at all - I knew he drank beer as I'd seen him at the pub so I got him beer and socks.... he came up to me afterwards (as someone said it was me), very grateful that I hadn't tried to hard to guess what he'd like and gone for something easy.

With regards allergies (and it's a good point, I manage a team of 4 and have both a nut and a coconut allergy in the team) if I wasn't sure then I'd put some fun stationary in the mug instead.

Couple of coloured pens, some dog post-it notes if I could find them.

Oh god. I love dogs but would hate dog related tat.
I hate SS for its pure wastefulness so would politely bow out or if pressed buy a £10 consumable eg Bottle of wine that could be regifted forever more.
I've received a £10 note in an envelope for SS. I was bloody delighted.

Great ideas thank you. I have tried to find out more about her and so far I have got that she likes dogs and is very difficult to work with!! I think I am in agreement about simple gifts. I hear what people are saying about allergies, I will try to find that out

Greggs or Costa voucher

A lovely diary or notepad.

i’d hate a mug. I have enough in my cupboard already. Does she have a dog? Maybe a Christmas dog toy? Or something to eat/drink, or a Christmas decoration.

@getahhtmapub That's the joy of a mug, if it's the kind of office where people have their own mugs it never has to be taken home and darken your own cupboard. I've had a few mugs for SS over the year and I just make it my current 'office mug'.

Also I love cats and also love a bit of cat tat, so each to their own

And this is why my workplace use one of those websites for Secret Santa where everyone can enter info about allergies, what sort of things they’d like / don’t like

A gift card for somewhere she might pass on the way into work to get a coffee ? I'd love that but then that's just me .

Lottery scratch card?