Office Secret Santa Gift Ideas

Secret Santa. To some it seems like the greatest holiday office tradition since Casual Friday. To others, Secret Santa causes more fear than a team of “Efficiency Experts” descending on a certain department or rumors about losing out on the annual holiday bonus. Meaningless gifts that need to be purchased by certain deadlines that will be interpreted time and time again once the “secret” is broken does nothing to boost morale or enhance organizational climate. 

Here are a few rules for “Secret Santa” obligations:  

1st: Understand the game.Was it a random assignment of partners or did some suit’s secretary on the top floor assign partners? What does the match mean? Could someone be watching to see what gift you buy for a certain person? Perhaps you can angle your way into a certain partner. Bottom line is you need to know if your company has office politics or simply office morale in mind when choosing to partake in a “Secret Santa” program.  

2nd: If your “Secret Santa” is an underling, then try to show off with humility. What I mean by that is to let him or her know that you spent more than they could afford, but without buying a gift that was obviously expensive. Buy tickets to a popular play or sporting event rather than an obviously pricey bottle of wine. It’s easy to buy a department store gift card, but then it is clear what you spent. You want them to enjoy something they would not normally get for themselves without making them feel that you went overboard. 

3rd: If you picked your boss out of the “Secret Santa” hat, then karma is sitting on your side. This is your chance to set yourself apart from the other drones. That day start talking to his direct assistants and anyone who knows anything about him or her. Maybe even call his or her family and tell them you want to make the gift really special. If you get a gift that he or she has never mentioned, but is special to him or her then you have written your ticket. You know him or her better than anyone else in the office and when that position comes open, it’s yours.  

4th: Perhaps the most important “Secret Santa” choice is the equal coworker because everyone is watching. This is the most common gift-giving circumstance, but everyone is watching. Your boss is watching. Your secretary is watching. Don’t be a cheapskate. And don’t be a show-off by buying something too flashy. Who do you think you are? Be humble. Your work for the company speaks for itself. You don’t need to show off or prove a point.  

5th: Everyone likes to go out to dinner. And better than that, everyone likes to go out to dinner for free. Whether it’s your boss or assistant, nothing beats a free meal. The best “Secret Santa” gift is always a gift certificate to a nice restaurant. Even if $50 or $100 will only cover half the meal, it’s the best way to go. Think about the last time you took the tribe out for a family dinner. Wouldn’t it have been nice for someone else to have paid for the flan?

Visit Ambers website for unique gifts ideas for every occasion!