Secret Santa gifts for coworkers you barely know

Office Secret Santa has two rules that nobody writes down. The gift should not embarrass the person opening it in front of the team, and it should not go straight into a drawer. With a small budget and a colleague you only know from meetings, the low-risk route is something useful, something consumable, or something for the desk.

Find out three things

You don’t need to interview anyone. Look at what is already in front of you.

• Their desk. Plants, photos, a tidy row of pens or a pile of snacks all tell you something.
• Their cup. Tea, coffee, a water bottle or an energy drink narrows the food and drink options quickly.
• Their team. Ask the person who sits next to them for one thing they like. Most people are happy to help. Ask them to keep it quiet.

Write down what you learn and choose one category below.

For the desk

• A small, low-maintenance plant. If it may go home with them, pick one that is safe for pets, such as a spider plant or a parlor palm, and check the label first
• A notebook and a pen
• A desk calendar for the new year
• A cable organizer or a small tray for keys and coins
• A reusable cup with a lid

To eat or drink

Consumables are the easiest choice because they disappear. Avoid them only if you know the person has allergies or dietary rules you can’t work around.

• Specialty coffee or tea, matched to what you saw in their cup. Choose tea bags over loose-leaf unless you know they own an infuser
• A box of chocolates
• A jar of honey or jam from a local producer
• A small tin of cookies
• Hot chocolate mix. Add marshmallows only if you know they eat gelatin

To use at home

• Thick socks
• A candle in a mild scent, if you know they like candles
• A card game or a small puzzle
• A paperback in a genre they have mentioned
• A set of dish towels

Gifts that go wrong

• Joke gifts. The laugh lasts ten seconds and the object lasts for years. What is funny to you may not be funny to the person holding it in front of their manager.
• Anything about appearance or health. No diet books, gym items, skincare for a “problem”, or clothing in a size you had to guess.
• Alcohol, unless you know for certain they drink and your workplace is comfortable with it.
• Strong scents. Perfume and heavily scented products are personal choices.
• Anything over the limit. Spending more than the agreed amount makes everyone else uncomfortable.

If you draw the boss, or someone new

Treat them exactly like anyone else and stay in the consumable category. A new colleague may appreciate something local: coffee from the roaster around the corner, or a gift card for the lunch place the team goes to.

Running the exchange

If you are the organizer, three decisions save trouble later. Set a spending limit and say it clearly. Let people opt out without giving a reason. Ask everyone for three short hints on a slip of paper when names are drawn, such as “tea, crime novels, no nuts”. That last step answers most of the questions on this page.

Wrap it properly

A wrapped present with a tag looks more generous than the same item in a shopping bag. Write the recipient’s name on the tag and leave yours off. Keeping the secret is the point of the game.