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.

Oh and being the awkward bugger that I am I don't use a diary or a notebook either. Surely most people use their phone these days?

For me these gifts scream “can be easily regifted”.
Good if the person knows you like wine/processo but also very generic.

Nice stationary, New Year diary, journal

Following 😂

Calendar? Naff but useful. Nice quality tea towel with a dog / xmas scene on it ? Naff but useful. I agree with mugs and candles popping up every year. Handcream ? Always comes in..handy .

something from the local tourist shop?

I'd give handcream to someone else. Can't stand the stuff.

Exactly!

Generic, but also yes, well chosen for me. I like wine and socks are inoffensive but useful. It felt more ‘me’ than cheap smellies or candles, anyway.

Don’t you ever get dry hands? I mean I don’t love it’s just a necessity at times😅

I think the point is that a fiver/tenner is rarely going to result in something absolutely perfect. I do like those socks though and they’re not the sort of thing I’d ever have bought for myself (they have ears!!!),

My go to present is always a stainless steel water bottle, maybe personalised with their initial (Next do these). Everyone can make use of it, can keep at work if desired and will offend no one.

It basically means your Secret Santa knew you.

This is different to the OP who has no idea and something the recipient can use is better than stuff thrown away, forgotten in a cupboard or re-gifted.

Good idea!!

No, I never get dry hands and wouldn’t care if I did.

I don’t know anyone who does use hand cream; it’s nasty greasy stuff

@Justanothernamename Not very often. I use rubber gloves for housework, and I rarely use handwash as it makes my hands crack. I check the ingredients of liquid soaps as a lot of them aren't soap even though they look 'caring'.
Good:
AQUA/WATER - HELIANTHUS ANNUUS (SUNFLOWER) SEED EXTRACT - COCONUT ACID - POTASSIUM HYDROXIDE - SODIUM CHLORIDE - BUTYROSPERMUM PARKII (SHEA) BUTTER EXTRACT...

Bad:
Water / Aqua / Eau, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Propylene Glycol, Laureth-7 Citrate,...

Both of those are from brands that are well known and are not in the typical Secret Santa price band. (L'Oc and MB, respectively)

If my hands are cracked I use coconut oil or sudocrem.

I’m really not sure why, in a sea of posts, it’s mine that you’ve taken offence to. I was just saying what someone got me and that I thought it was nicer than a Greggs voucher or cheap smellies. The OP doesn’t have to buy it, just as she doesn’t have to buy any other of the many ideas unless she wants to.

Oh well I stand corrected before your wisdom. I have to use it and get Dexeryl on doc’s recommendation it’s about 7 euros here where I live but probably wouldn’t give that one as a gift.

For our office secret santa we've used a website which allows everyone to post a wish list of items up to the budget, which the Santa can view anonymously.

Maybe suggest this?

Do people tell you f they use hand cream? How would you know? Who actually buys it in the shops then? So why do they stock it? So many questions….
My hands get very itchy if dry so Im afraid I’ll have to keep in using the nasty stuff 😅

I know that my sister and my daughter don’t use it.
Nobody I know has it in their bathroom or next to their kitchen sink. I assume people who want to use it buy it? Or maybe it’s just bought for secret Santa?
I was given some about 20 years ago in a secret Santa, tried it and had to wash it off as I couldn’t do anything until it was gone

It’s true it’s a right pain when you’ve just put it on. Have a nice evening 😉

Nicky Campbell s book One of the family is a fabulous read about how his dog helped him cope with being adopted and their amazing relationship

A really good quality pair of scissors.

£10 book token (are they still a thing?)

I'd love that.

Don't like chocolate/booze.