The perfect Christmas present........NOT

[LV73]

I opted out of Secret Santa at my new workplace (GP surgery) as the budget was £20 which I thought was huge. Instead I wrapped up gifts for housebound patients with no families, that the nurses could take them on their rounds.

In previous years I've put loads of thought into gifts for SS just to receive crap or even once from my actual boss I was told "here's some chocolates, I didn't have time to wrap them, there was a bottle of wine but I was stressed and drank it!"

I did have a couple of years of thoughtful and very naughty gifts from ex-colleagues I'm still friends with today. However, most years were just tit for tat spending on rubbish!

 

[Cashers]

I'm in a secret Santa this year in work. £15 and you list three things for that value that you would like. Hopefully we will all get something we like/want! M and S voucher for me please!!

 

[Battiola73]

I think the funniest, in a way, was when a colleague was retiring and a collection was going round for him. We had a senior tight fisted manager who put in a ten shilling not and took out a pound note! Only myself and the other office junior who was taking the collection round noticed this but we were too scared to say anything.

 

[stratobuddy]

I think the funniest, in a way, was when a colleague was retiring and a collection was going round for him. We had a senior tight fisted manager who put in a ten shilling not and took out a pound note! Only myself and the other office junior who was taking the collection round noticed this but we were too scared to say anything.

He would probably have used the excuse that he was colour blind.

 

[merryone]

I'm in a secret Santa this year in work. £15 and you list three things for that value that you would like. Hopefully we will all get something we like/want! M and S voucher for me please!!

This has given me an idea - Be your own secret Santa! Instead of taking a chance upon receiving something you really want just treat yourself to something lovely to the tune of a tenner, £15 or what have you! You can have fun finding the perfect gift for yourself without the stress, the time constraint or the having to wrap it. I’m sure at this time of year we forget to treat ourselves to something nice. Let’s face it - we deserve it!

 

[candycane]

Someone did once buy me a pair of these tea bag tongs and I loved them, in fact I still have them somewhere. One of the best SS gifts I ever received, they were usually cr*p.

 

[TheFamousGrouse]

Someone did once buy me a pair of these tea bag tongs and I loved them, in fact I still have them somewhere. One of the best SS gifts I ever received, they were usually cr*p.

View attachment 30908

Don't give QVC any more ideas !

 

[Mam]

We have a £10 maximum spend for our Secret Santa with the caveat that it must be spent in charity shops.

We all look forward to it and some of the presents are hilarious. You’d be amazed at what you can get for £10 in a charity shop. We all have a good laugh and the charities benefit. At the very worst you can donate everything to a charity shop

 

[merryone]

We have a £10 maximum spend for our Secret Santa with the caveat that it must be spent in charity shops.

We all look forward to it and some of the presents are hilarious. You’d be amazed at what you can get for £10 in a charity shop. We all have a good laugh and the charities benefit. At the very worst you can donate everything to a charity shop

That is a brilliant idea and had that been the rule for us a few years ago then my "shoebox of $hite" wouldn't have been the nasty surprise that it was and as you say if you don't like it, then you can re-donate it and charity will benefit twice!

Someone did once buy me a pair of these tea bag tongs and I loved them, in fact I still have them somewhere. One of the best SS gifts I ever received, they were usually cr*p.

View attachment 30908

Those are a gift I'd have been more than happy to receive - Quirky and useful in the same measure. Don't get me wrong I have received a few really decent gifts from people who've clearly put the effort in. One was a baking book that came with a couple of cookie cutters and a wooden spoon, I'd recently transferred to the cake counter at work and I loved it, the person obviously picked up on that. One year I received a set of 6 brightly coloured soda glasses, pretty and practical, a silly hat with bunny ears (I knew immediately who'd bought it for me as she's one of my close friends out of work) and finally I was given a large scented candle by Emma Bridgewater and it was absolutely gorgeous, so much so that I decided that once it'd had run out that I'd buy myself another one to find that it cost £36! I knew who'd sent it to me as I was tipped off by someone else when I was "waxing lyrical" (pun intended) about it at work. The woman is very well to do, into her designer labels, husband has a very high powered job, they own property here and in London and she's only working for something to do. I shouldn't imagine that she bought the candle especially for SS it was probably something she had in the cupboard but I didn't complain! No chance of getting her again as she's since left!

 

[donna255]

When I was in my first job, office girl at a factory where my mum worked. A woman was famous for giving the present she got in the Secret Santa the year before back into the pool again. Seems she had been doing it for years. I no longer work, and my last place of work never did secret Santa.

I am a simple soul for Xmas, all my friends and family know. Wine or money or gift vouchers. I go and buy what I want in the sales after Xmas.

Yesterday, I received 2 bottles of Processco and one Sauv Blanc and gift vouchers for House of Fraser.

 

[Peppermint Patti]

My last job before retiring our office and the tax office did a ss. We had to put our names on paper and some ideas what you would like. Min of £5 + and Max £10.
We were lucky as everyone got what they wanted.

 

[Samki]

Many years ago, when we had staff xmas parties, one of the dress codes was everyone had to buy an outfit - including bags and shoes, for a £5 from the charity shop. We all looked like versions of Cissy and Ada

 

[Wanderer]

Don't give QVC any more ideas !

I can image whats her name shouting at us and waxing lyrical about how good they are.

 

[merryone]

When it comes to the perfect present at the age that I am it has got to be something I've chosen for myself or being given something I've wanted for a long time but haven't been able to afford, therefore someone else footing the bill is brilliant. I've had a lot more joy receiving something like a wine glass engraved with my name and wonderful friend, or a keyring with a sentimental message than another scarf or a pair of gloves that I haven't chosen. The other things I don't mind receiving are things I use on a regular basis, ok they may be unimaginative gifts but another JML mineral magic face powder, some licqourice vape juice, gift vouchers, and a bottle of booze is always welcome of course. So much better than a purse or bag I don't need or necessarily like. I'd rather be given a supply of soda stream syrups, a selection of Dolce Gusto pods than a set of mugs that come with a sachet of hot chocolate a mini grater and mini marshmallows. If I receive any more generic toiletries or a hideous vase they're going out the window! You can tell I love Christmas cant you? lol!

 

[Grizelda]

When it comes to the perfect present at the age that I am it has got to be something I've chosen for myself or being given something I've wanted for a long time but haven't been able to afford, therefore someone else footing the bill is brilliant. I've had a lot more joy receiving something like a wine glass engraved with my name and wonderful friend, or a keyring with a sentimental message than another scarf or a pair of gloves that I haven't chosen. The other things I don't mind receiving are things I use on a regular basis, ok they may be unimaginative gifts but another JML mineral magic face powder, some licqourice vape juice, gift vouchers, and a bottle of booze is always welcome of course. So much better than a purse or bag I don't need or necessarily like. I'd rather be given a supply of soda stream syrups, a selection of Dolce Gusto pods than a set of mugs that come with a sachet of hot chocolate a mini grater and mini marshmallows. If I receive any more generic toiletries or a hideous vase they're going out the window! You can tell I love Christmas cant you? lol!

A scarf - such a safe present to give to someone when you're stumped. I can imagine thousands of women have drawers full of them. Or socks - useful but boring. Deodorant and shaving soap for men is another useless present. More bottles to fill up the bathroom - who wants that?

 

[merryone]

A scarf - such a safe present to give to someone when you're stumped. I can imagine thousands of women have drawers full of them. Or socks - useful but boring. Deodorant and shaving soap for men is another useless present. More bottles to fill up the bathroom - who wants that?

There are scarves and there are scarves...I've got nothing against giving or receiving a nice summer scarf as not only are they more versatile, tie in hair, tie onto handbag as well as wearing the traditional way, they take up a whole lot less room in those drawers, it's the thick woolly winter ones that we've all got enough of that do my head in. As for deodorant on it's own as a gift it could be taken the wrong way but as part of a set and it's a luxury brand that's really not too bad, Lynx and the like is a rite of passage for the pubescent lad but giving it to a fully grown adult (unless you're a child yourself and using your pocket money/proceeds from your paper round fair do's!) Depends what's in the bottles- unbranded gift sets from Tesco forget it, a bottle of Philosophy or Molton Brown bring it on!

 

[historymystery]

Guess what they said at work the other day: "Julius, do you want to be involved in Secret Santa this year?" to which I replied: "No thank you," and was then promptly asked: "Why not?!" to which I replied: "for personal reasons!" and looked away. My manager seemed crestfallen as everybody else in my office had volunteered to do it. Personally I would rather give the money to charity. One thing for sure is that I am not going traipsing round the shops looking for a gift for someone I probably don't even like anyway. I haven't got the time!

IMO Secret Santa's had its' day, get rid of it. Trouble with Secret Santa is that some people will use it as an opportunity to offload something they already have, but want to get rid of on some other poor sap, rather than spending any money. Who needs more tat than they already have at home? And who wants the hassle of buying yet another present at Christmas, anyway? As far as I'm concerned, you buy gifts for people you want to buy for, or give the money to charity or whatever, and that's that. Most women have more than enough scarves (three completely unworn ones, still with tags on, that I've been given over the years have just been put in the charity bag, as I've a whole drawerful of scarves and these three are pretty but in colours I won't wear) and most men could do without yet another pair of socks.

 

[Wanderer]

IMO Secret Santa's had its' day, get rid of it. Trouble with Secret Santa is that some people will use it as an opportunity to offload something they already have, but want to get rid of on some other poor sap, rather than spending any money. Who needs more tat than they already have at home? And who wants the hassle of buying yet another present at Christmas, anyway? As far as I'm concerned, you buy gifts for people you want to buy for, or give the money to charity or whatever, and that's that. Most women have more than enough scarves (three completely unworn ones, still with tags on, that I've been given over the years have just been put in the charity bag, as I've a whole drawerful of scarves and these three are pretty but in colours I won't wear) and most men could do without yet another pair of socks.

Even socks aren't a safe bet, so many options now. Personally I don't wear thinner ones unless its hot weather and then the short trainer type ones come out or to keep feet warmer in bed.

As for deodorant on it's own as a gift it could be taken the wrong way but as part of a set and it's a luxury brand that's really not too bad, Lynx and the like is a rite of passage for the pubescent lad but giving it to a fully grown adult (unless you're a child yourself and using your pocket money/proceeds from your paper round fair do's!) Depends what's in the bottles- unbranded gift sets from Tesco forget it, a bottle of Philosophy or Molton Brown bring it on!

I have some men's gift sets of the common/cheaper range gifted over the last few years, must get them to the charity shop at some point.

 

[Brissles]

At our local village Xmas fair, the local church sell mystery gift bags at £1 each. Each one contains unwanted unopened gifts, and people buy up to 10 at a time ! It's a popular stall - they make a lot money for the church and people love a surprise. I'm told people get them instead of crackers for the dinner table. I've got 5 to open on Xmas morning as I live alone - if I get rubbish that's OK it's all the luck of the draw. One year I had a box of new Molton Brown handcream for a £1. Everyone saves their gift bags/shop carriers throughout the year for the church to use. So if possible don't bin that awful present, someone may love it !

 

[maymorganlondon]

The best ideas on here!!!
The cute tea bag tongs.
Participants write what they'd like within the budget along with their name.
Only spend the budget in charity shops.

My best was a Cadbury selection pack. I had most of my department looking envious and/or offering to swap. My worst was a passive-aggressive alarm clock (true I was often late).

Nowadays we don't do it. Too many people don't have the spare cash. Post-covid many are only in the office a few times a month, so would have a clue what to get. Plus we all regularly bring in biscuits and cakes, which are appreciated by all. Why wait until Christmas to do something nice (but inexpensive) for your colleagues?

Brissles, love your church's mystery bags idea!