Ultimate Secret Santa Buying Guide

Office Secret Santa Ideas

If your Christmas cheer is still going strong this year, we’re rewarding you with this jam-packed secret Santa gift guide

What is Secret Santa?

A tradition as old as time, secret Santa refers to a mystery gift swap that can be between a group of friends, family or co-workers. You add all the names of the group into a hat/bowl and each person draws a name out. That person then has to buy a secret gift for the name they pulled out. Usually, everyone will bring and open the presents on the same day. Rules can differ, but this tradition seemingly comes from the Scandinavian “Juklapp”. However, as with many traditions, there’s a whole range of different secret Santa games that you and your colleagues can play in the office, which you can take a look at here.

Did you know that we also organise Virtual Christmas Parties?

Where to Find Cheap Secret Santa Gifts?

Sometimes groups set a budget for the secret Santa to take the pressure off of everyone involved. Usually, this will be around £5-£10 to keep it fair and affordable. The great thing about keeping a low price range also means that you have lots of options. One that springs to most people's minds is Amazon, which makes for a great place to buy your office secret santa gifts. Even if you're looking to push the boat out a bit, you can still find some excellent gifts in high-street stores like Boots and Paperchase within this budget.

What are some Funny Secret Santa Ideas for Work?

Good working relationships are usually brimming with inside jokes and office life references. If this sounds relatable, then a funny secret Santa for your work pal is the best direction to go. From Xmas day survival kits to on-the-cuff coasters, there's a whole host of hilarious ideas that will definitely go appreciated this year.


38 Funny Secret Santa Gift Ideas for Your Coworkers

1. Allergic to Work Mints

We all know that one co-worker who would rather be absolutely anywhere but work and procrastinate to the max, and if you’ve happened to draw them out for secret Santa, why not soothe their symptoms with some allergic to work mints.

2. Beard Baubles

Nothing screams Christmas more than baubles, the typical Christmas tree decoration, but why not turn your chosen bearded co-worker into a walking tree by buying them some beard baubles.

Also read: 8 Office Christmas Party Games for Large Groups »

3. Ring for a Cuppa Bell

Having a cup of tea (or twenty) whilst in the office is an essential to most, so if you have been assigned a tea lover who always seem to be craving a cuppa, a ring for a cuppa bell would be perfect for them.

4. Anti-Sarcasm Spray

Someone in your office that always seem to have a sarcastic comment to make? Then sure their symptoms with some anti-sarcasm spray and save the entire office from their wittiness.

5. Personalised Mug/Relatable Quote on a Mug

Mugs are like gold dust in an office, so you can’t go wrong with one as a gift regardless who you have ended up with. Make things personal by adding a photo or quote onto it to make it stand out from the mug crowd.

6. World’s Smallest Handheld Vacuum

If messy desks rub you the wrong way, and you have drawn the colleague who constantly has an untidy desk, get them the worlds smallest handheld vacuum with the hopes to encourage them to tidy up their area.

7. Inflatable Zimmer Frame

If you have ended up drawing out the oldest person in the office, you obviously have to make a dig at that fact. There’s no better way to do so than buying an inflatable Zimmer frame.

8. Swear Jar

Found yourself looking for a gift for a foul mouthed colleague? Then why not have a laugh and help them save money by giving them a swear jar during the festive season.

9. Spider Catcher

No one likes a spider crawling around them, and if you’ve ended up with a team mate who hates creepy crawlies, a spider catcher will come in hand during their traumatic meetings with their 8 legged friends.

10. Fidget Cube

There’s always at least one unsettled colleague in an office that seems to fidget at any given moment, so keep them busy with a fidget cube.

11. Diet Cutlery

The perfect gift for the colleague that constantly talks about dieting but never actually stick to it, diet cutlery is pretty much your standard cutlery but split in half.

12. Personalised Face Mouse Mat

Brighten up your secret Santa’s desk with a personalised face mouse mat with a nice photo that will make them smile or something creepy like your face.

13. Twerk Pong

Manged to end up with someone who loves a bit of twerking? The twerk pong will be a great gift for them, as you have to shake what your momma gave you to get all the balls out the box.

14. Christmas Hangover Kit

Pretty much everyone has a hangover at some point during Christmas, whether that’s at home or in the office, which makes a Christmas hangover kit a pretty useful gift. You can easily make one yourself by buying and wrapping essential items such as paracetamol and water.

15. Stress Ball

Noticed that your secret Santa tend to get a little bit too stressed in the office? Then gift them a stress ball and let them relive their stresses on something squishy (rather than a colleague).

16. Sticky Notes

Sticky notes are a staple within an office, and an essential for some workers. Do your colleague a favour and stock them up with handy sticky notes and add some humour by personalising them with a funny quote.

17. Coasters

A mug has got to go somewhere on a desk, so you can’t go wrong with a coaster as a gift. Be boring and buy a standard one, or spice things up by adding a funny photo or quote.

18. Notepad

Taking notes can be pretty boring, so spruce up your co-workers note taking experience by gifting them a funny, rude or pretty notepad, depends how cheeky you are feeling.

19. Socks

You can’t get much more basic and safer during secret Santa then buying your person a pair of socks, everyone needs them and its great if you don’t know your colleague to well!

20. Tree Decoration for Office Tree

Make your colleague feel special this Christmas by gifting them a personalised tree decoration such as a bauble, perfect for going on the office tree.

21. Small Emergency Alcohol Keyring

Sometimes you just need that bit of alcohol to get through the day or night, and if you’ve ended up with a colleague who loves a drink, the small emergency alcohol keyring will go down a treat.

22. Jar of Chill Pills

Get creative and put together a jar of chill pills for your co-worker who gets a little stressed from time to time, with the pills of course just being mints, sweet treats or even chocolates.

23. Office Manager Survival Kit

Ended up with the manager as your secret Santa? Then making your own office manager survival kit would be a useful and dunny option. Fill the kit with coffee, sweets, paracetamol, chewing gum etc.

24. Stoner Supplies

Know anyone who always comes in "pie-eyed" on a Monday morning? A cool ashtray and a few snazzy lighters wouldn't go amiss. With that being said, try to avoid any prying eyes for this one!

24. Electric Shock Pen

Pull a funny prank on your colleague by buying them an electric shock pen, it may look like a normal functioning pen, but as soon as you click it you’ll get a shock!

25. Bean Boozled

Bean Boozled is a fun game to buy for anyone, especially if they like jelly beans. This game is filled with weird and wild flavours and relies on pure luck which flavour you get.

26. Reindeer Ring Toss Game

Give your colleague a fun game to play in the office or at home during Christmas with the reindeer ring toss game where you wear inflatable horns and throw inflatable rings at one another.

27. Grow Your Own Boyfriend/­Girlfriend

Want to make a dig at your colleague being lonely and single? Then you can’t do much better than getting them a grow your own boyfriend/­girlfriend as a secret Santa gift.

28. Lazy Self Stirring Mug

Take the strain out of making a cup of tea for your team mate by getting them a lazy self-stirring mug so they can get as many cups of teas into the day without hurting their wrists.

29. Pin Art

Take it back in time with pin art, a retro gift perfect for an office as it doesn’t take up much room on an office desk but provides a lot of entertainment.

30. Head Scratcher

Someone always scratching their head from confusion or needing some relaxing down time in the office? Then what better than a head scratcher as a gift.

31. Personalised Pen

Pens are used every day in an office, so if you want a gift that won’t get tossed to the side but can still be funny, opt for a personalised pen.

32. Funny Office Umbrella

Every office has a designated office umbrella, so why not buy your colleague a funny office umbrella personalised with hilarious, rude and sneaky designs.

33. Lame Tie

If you have drawn the name of a colleague who always wears a tie to work, then buying them a lame tie with an awful design is a funny and silly route to go down.

34. Voodoo “Boss” Doll

Someone in the office with boss issues? Then a voodoo “boss” doll would be an amazing gift for them that will keep them entertaining and laughing for days.

35. Rude/Funny Stickers

Spice up someone’s desk with some funny or rude stickers to keep them smiling and laughing through the day, perfect for inside jokes.

36. Grow a Head of Hair Tablet

Grow a head of hair tablet is a funny and cheeky gift if you have ended up with a bald colleague during secret Santa. Take a dig at their lack of hair with these novelty tablets (they don’t actually work).

37. Desktop Pool Table

Gift your colleague a desktop pool table and treat them to a cheeky game or two on a mini table right on your office desk.

38. Christmas Desk Decoration Kit

Nothing kills the festive spirit more than a dull office, so spruce up your Christmas lover colleagues desk by gifting them with a Christmas desk decoration kit.

Funny Office Secret Santa Gifts


What are some Quality Secret Santa Gifts for Coworkers?

If you've got your works BFF for Secret Santa, you have the chance to push the boat out and really treat them to something they'll love. Of course, you could always stick to the agreed budget, but spending a few extra quid on your workmate goes a long way! Maybe they have a favourite brand of self-care products or maybe they're obsessed with weird & wonderful candles? Whatever it is, going that extra mile for your work bestie is always a lovely idea!

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