Top 30 Gifts for Secret Santa gifts
1Wirecutter's pick for book lovers: half-pot bookends that hold a small succulent, for the reader who has everything (book-gift-ideas, section 3: bookends).
$30The Morgan Library & Museum Shop
3Rolling Stone picks this illustrated tote for readers; roomy enough for a stack of library books, and under $25. For book-gift-ideas, section 3: book accessorie
$22.40Rifle Paper Co.
5Get Closer Conversation Game: Table Talk - Table Talk
CNN Underscored picks this deck of conversation prompts for getting to know friends better; a card game for couples that turns a night in into a proper catch up
$20Intelligent Change
7Uncommon Goods | Desk Yoga Card Deck | Desk Yoga
Food Network lists it among its teacher gifts; 52 quick stretches and breathing practices a teacher can do between lessons.
$20Uncommon Goods
9ER20XS | High Fidelity Earplugs - Standard
Reusable earplugs made for musicians that cut loudness evenly so music still sounds natural, a thoughtful gift for anyone who plays or goes to gigs (for stockin
$24.99Etymotic
11PureWow recommends this tin of bakery cookies as a treat teachers will happily share in the staff room.
$28Milk Bar
13Isabel Mother of Pearl Necklace
CNN Underscored picks this simple pearl necklace as a gift that treats a teacher as a person, not just a teacher; it suits most tastes.
$25Flaire & Co.
15
Sharpie S Gel Gel Pens Fine Point 0.5mm Black Ink Gel Pen 12 Count - Office Depot
Smooth gel pens a retired teacher told CNN Underscored she trusts for grading; a practical thank-you that gets used every day.
$15.99Office Depot
17Biodance Bio Collagen-Real Deep Mask | Soko Glam
CNN Underscored includes this in its teen girl gifts; an overnight collagen mask for a low-cost skincare treat.
$19.0Soko Glam
19A neat, well-made desk pen at a small price, picked by CNN Underscored as a practical thank you for a teacher.
$10Craighill
21A 45-minute screen-free audio figure of songs from Ms. Rachel that sits on a Toniebox, which a parent tester at Yahoo/AOL named her best new toy of 2025.
$19.99Tonies
23Lindt Lindor Assorted Milk Chocolate Truffles Large Bag - World Market
Named in NBC Select's teacher gifts for a sweet tooth; a big shareable bag of truffles that is a safe, modest thank you.
$13.29World Market
25Men's Hiker Quarter Midweight Hiking Socks
CNN Underscored picks these cushioned merino hiking socks for dads; they come with a lifetime warranty, so they suit a dad who walks a lot.
$23.00Darn Tough
27CNN Underscored recommends this Lodge skillet; a durable, affordable pan for a dad who loves cooking steaks or breakfasts.
$19.90Lodge
2Gold-handled porcelain mug printed with classic book spines; a small, well made gift for a reader. For book-gift-ideas, section 3: book accessories.
$24Rifle Paper Co.
4Best Smelling Moisturizing Natural Hand Cream – SALT & STONE
InsideHook picks it as a stocking filler that feels like a small luxury; a fast-absorbing hand cream with seaweed extract and vitamin B3. For christmas-gifts-fo
$20Salt & Stone
6Joy Laforme Spring Terrace 1000 Piece Puzzle
Featured in CNN Underscored's gifts under $25; a bright, illustrated 1,000 piece puzzle for anyone who likes a slow evening in (for christmas-gifts-for-friends,
$19.99Galison
8Dog Poop Bag Holder | Wild One
A neat silicone bag holder that clips to the lead, a small, well designed stocking filler for anyone who walks a dog; featured by The Strategist. For gifts-for-
$9Wild One
10Fender Security Strap Locks and Buttons Set - Chrome
Featured by Guitar World in its gifts under $50; keeps a guitar safely on its strap on stage.
$14.84Sweetwater
12Uncommon Goods | Mason Jar Indoor Herb Garden | Hydroponic Grow Kit
A small hydroponic grow kit from PureWow's teacher list that brightens a desk or classroom windowsill.
$20Uncommon Goods
14
Glow Mist Rosewater Revitalizing Hand Sanitizer - Touchland | Ulta Beauty
A pretty, rose-scented hand mist that CNN Underscored recommends for teachers who wash and sanitise their hands all day; a small treat under $20.
$16.00Ulta Beauty
16Bento Box Lunch Containers for Adults & Kids (3 Pack, 39 oz)
CNN Underscored lists these bento containers in its fitness gifts for anyone who meal preps; a practical stocking filler for the gym-goer.
$19.99Fit Strong & Healthy
18Marble Shaving Bowl | Handcrafted, Heat-Retaining | Supply
CNN Underscored lists it among its tested grooming gifts; a heat-retaining marble bowl that makes a wet shave feel more of a ritual.
$24Supply
20Birth Month Mini Embroidered Journal - January
CNN Underscored's girlfriend guide suggests this mini hardcover journal, embroidered with her birth-month flower, for a girlfriend with a journaling or sketchin
$26.0Rifle Paper Co.
22Kalastyle Swedish Dream Gnome Soap Swedish Pine | Boston General Store
A small stocking-filler bar of classic Swedish pine soap, which Cup of Jo recommends for dads who like a woodsy scent.
$12.00Boston General Store
24A funny counting book from Mo Willems that makes a cheap, much-loved stocking gift for small readers; picked by Good Housekeeping for toddlers.
$9.31Bookshop.org
26Balancing & Stacking Tree 10440 | DUPLO® | Buy online at the Official LEGO® Shop US
A Good Housekeeping Toy Award winner: toddlers stack and balance the pieces while building fine motor skills, and it fits easily in a stocking.
$13.99LEGO
28gold under eye patches for dark circles by grace & stella - grace & stella
A small, affordable pampering treat that NBC Select recommended for mum, good for stockings and Secret Santa.
$26.00Grace & Stella
Stick to the budget, in both directions
The budget is the one thing everyone agreed on, so treat it as the target rather than a ceiling to creep past. Spending well over it makes the other gifts look thin and can make the recipient feel awkward. Spending well under it is noticed too.
A good rule is to aim for something that looks and feels like it cost the full amount, which usually means one well made item rather than several small ones bundled together.
When you barely know them
For someone from another team or a friend of a friend, useful beats personal every time. A good mug, a quality notebook, a nice hand cream, a small food or drink gift, or a desk item that makes the working day slightly better are all easy to like.
Avoid clothing, strong scents, anything with sizing, and anything that makes a point about the person. A gift that assumes too much tends to be remembered for the wrong reason.
When you know one thing about them
If you know a single detail, use it. Someone who brings a coffee in every morning will use a good reusable cup. Someone who is always cold at their desk will use something cozy. Someone training for a run will use a small piece of kit.
One specific detail turns a generic present into one that looks thoughtful, and it takes far less effort than guessing at their taste in general.
Keep the joke gifts in proportion
A funny gift can work in the right group, but the best ones are still useful: a novelty mug someone will actually drink from beats a gadget that does nothing. If you are not sure the joke will land with this particular person, it probably will not.
When in doubt, choose something pleasant and let the card carry the humour.
Secret Santa gift ideas for work
For a work Secret Santa, the safest gifts are the ones that make the working day a little nicer: a good mug, a quality notebook, a desk plant, hand cream, a small box of chocolates or tea, or a reusable coffee cup. Nobody has to wonder what it says about them.
If the group is a mix of close friends and people you rarely speak to, keep to the same style of gift for everyone you draw, so the pile of presents feels even when they are opened.
Secret Santa gifts to avoid
Skip anything that comments on how someone looks, how they smell or how they live. Avoid alcohol unless you know it is welcome, strong scented candles and perfume, and joke gifts that only work if you know the person well.
Anything that needs a size, a subscription or a lot of setup is also best left out. The easiest gift to give is one the person can use the same evening.
Secret Santa gift ideas by budget
Under 10 pounds, go for one good small thing: a nice candle, a tin of tea, a pack of quality pens or a bar of really good chocolate. Our guide to Secret Santa gifts under 10 pounds has picks that do not look cheap. Around 15 to 20 pounds you can add a proper mug set, a hardback notebook, a scented hand cream or a cozy desk blanket.
At 25 to 30 pounds the aim is one item that feels like a real present: a reusable cup that keeps drinks hot, a small speaker, a plant with a nice pot or a food hamper for one. Whatever the budget, wrap it well. Presentation makes a modest gift feel considered.
Ask your match a question first
Most Secret Santa mistakes come from guessing. If your draw is run through HintDrop, you can ask your match an anonymous question from your private page, such as whether they prefer sweet or savoury or what they would never use. They answer without knowing who asked.
If you do not have that option, ask a colleague or friend who knows them well, or check their free list if they have shared one. Even one small answer beats a guess.
Make the draw easier for everyone
Agree the budget and the date before names are drawn, and let people add a line about what they like or what they would rather not get. A single sentence from each person solves most of the guessing.
If one person organises, a free generator that draws names privately and emails each match saves the hat and the awkward re-draw when someone pulls their own name.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good Secret Santa gift?
A good Secret Santa gift is small, useful and easy to like: a nice mug, a quality notebook, good hand cream, a food or drink treat, or something that fits the one thing you know about them. Aim for the agreed budget, not well under or over it.
What should you not buy for Secret Santa?
Avoid clothing that needs a size, perfume and strong scents, alcohol you are not sure is welcome, and jokes about the person. Gifts that assume too much are the ones remembered for the wrong reason.
How much should you spend on a Secret Santa gift?
Spend what the group agreed. The budget is a target, so aim to use all of it on one well made item rather than a bundle of small things. Spending well over or well under is noticed.
What do you buy a Secret Santa you barely know?
Choose something useful and neutral, such as a good mug, a notebook, a small treat or a desk item. If you can find out one detail, such as a drink they always have, use it to make the gift feel chosen.
How do you run a Secret Santa draw?
Agree the budget and date first, then draw names so nobody sees anyone else's match. A free online generator can draw the names and email each person privately, which avoids the hat and re-draws.
What are good Secret Santa gifts for women and men?
Skip gender guesses and buy for the individual. Gifts that suit anyone, such as a good candle, a notebook, a nice mug, hand cream, a snack box or a cozy desk item, are safer than anything marketed to one group.
What is a good last minute Secret Santa gift?
A box of good chocolates, a quality candle or a plant with a nice pot can be bought in one trip and rarely misses. Add a handwritten card so it looks planned.
Is it rude to give a Secret Santa gift under the budget?
It is not rude, but it can feel uneven when gifts are opened together. If the budget is tight for you, choose one well made item and wrap it well rather than several tiny things.
How do I find out what my Secret Santa wants?
Check whether they have shared a list, ask someone who knows them, or ask an anonymous question through your draw if the tool allows it. One answer about food, drinks or hobbies is enough to choose well.
Buying for a group this year? Draw names with our free Secret Santa generator: private emailed matches, a budget, and wishlists so nobody has to guess.
Doing a family Secret Santa? Share wishlists and keep it secret. Not sure what they'd like? Ask your Secret Santa a question anonymously.
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