Secret Santa has one simple rule: everyone gives a gift to a person drawn at random, within a spending limit agreed in advance. The trouble starts at the shop, especially when the name you drew belongs to a colleague you have spoken to twice at the coffee machine.
This wheel keeps the two situations apart. The “Coworkers” variant gathers safe, neutral gifts that are useful to almost anyone and never awkward. The “Friends and family” variant suggests more personal ideas, often homemade, that count for the thought rather than the price tag.
Each idea comes with a tip for making it personal while staying within a small budget.
How to use it
- Pick the variant that matches the person you drew: coworker or someone close.
- Spin the wheel and read the tip: it explains how to tailor the idea to that person.
- If the idea is clearly wrong for them (an allergy, a known dislike), spin again.
- Add a handwritten tag explaining your choice: it is often the part people remember.
All the options
- Cookie mix in a jar
- Layer the dry ingredients of a cookie recipe in a jar: flour, sugar, chocolate chips. Tie the recipe to the lid, listing what still needs to be added.
- Favour coupon
- Make a voucher for something you are good at: an evening of babysitting, help with a house move, a cooking lesson. Add an expiry date so it actually gets used.
- Custom playlist
- Gather about fifteen songs tied to memories you share. Print the list on a card with a line explaining each track.
- Framed photo
- Print a photo of a moment you shared and put it in a frame from a charity shop or car boot sale. Write the date and place on the back.
- Inscribed used book
- Find a second-hand book about something they always talk about. Write a personal inscription on the first page.
- Homemade spice kit
- Fill three small jars with the spices for one dish (a curry, a chilli, a tagine) and include the recipe on a card.
- Memory cards
- Write about thirty cards with shared memories or questions. Perfect to draw from at your next dinner together.
- Handmade gift
- A knitted hat, a painted tote bag, decorated coasters: pick a craft you already know, and start at least a week before the swap.
- Sketching kit
- A sketchbook, a graphite pencil and an eraser in a pouch. Add a list of ten things to draw to get them started.
- Local speciality
- Biscuits, jam or sweets typical of where you live say something about you. Explain where they come from on a small card.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good Secret Santa gift for a coworker?
Something useful at a desk or a neutral treat: a succulent, a notebook, a tea sampler, a wooden puzzle. Avoid perfume, sized clothing and anything with a double meaning that could embarrass someone in front of the team.
How do you set a Secret Santa budget?
The organiser announces one spending limit before the draw, low enough that nobody feels uncomfortable. A modest limit actually nudges people towards more personal gifts. Say upfront whether homemade gifts count: most groups are happy to allow them.
What should I buy if I do not know the person I drew?
Quietly ask a colleague who knows them about their tastes (tea or coffee, plants, reading), or look at what is on their desk. Failing that, pick a gift from the “Coworkers” variant: they are chosen to work without knowing the person.
How do you run a remote Secret Santa?
Do the draw online, collect a delivery address from each person and agree on a shared posting date. Open the gifts together on a video call, with everyone guessing their Secret Santa before reading the tag.