What NOT to get for your Secret Santa

Christmas time is a time for giving and showing your appreciation. It’s about making others happy and putting an effort into the gift that you buy them. This effort should also be applied to Secret Santa presents too. To help you out with your Secret Santa search, here is a list of things that you should not buy for your recipient. 

Don’t buy anything rude or crude

Firstly don’t buy anything sexually suggestive. Avoid bodily shaped sweets or chocolates, grow your own girlfriend or boyfriend dolls and underwear - basically anything that can be seen as rude or offensive. Although it may be a private joke between you and your recipient and they might not deem is as offensive, other members of staff may be offended. What you get your friends out of work is up to you, but in work it is important to remain professional. 

Do not re-gift

You may not have liked your Christmas present last year but that does not mean that it is acceptable to give it to someone else this year. Think about what you would like to receive and base your gift around that. You should take extra care to not give the same gift as you did last year too as it will look like you have made no effort to think of an original gift idea. 

Do not give toiletries

Avoid toiletries at all costs because they are so generic. It is easy to go into a shop and buy a deodorant or shower gel set because they are cheap, easy to wrap up and easy to find. However they do lack initiative. You know that you will receive at least one toiletry set every Christmas so think about how you feel when you open them. They can also be taken offensively; people may assume that you are trying to drop hints that they have bad hygiene which could upset them. 

Do not give chocolates or wine

Buying someone a tin or a box of Christmas chocolates, which they probably already have at home, does not count as a good gift-especially if they are left over from last year. If you know that they like chocolate then maybe buy them some personalised chocolate. It then shows that you have thought about the person and the gift. Wine is also a risky choice especially if you have never seen that person drink wine. 

Don’t give a gift unwrapped

It is always important to  wrap your gift nicely as the recipient will appreciate the effort that you have put in to making their gift look presentable. Avoid bright wrapping paper and opt for something simple and sophisticated. 

Even if you are on a low budget of £5 to £10 you can still find some small decent items that will make great gifts - you just have to take the time to look. Think about who you are buying for, what they like and don’t like, and what you would and wouldn’t like to receive.

 

This post was contributed by Lesley Sampson on behalf of euroffice.co.uk, the UK’s largest online office and stationery supplier.

Image credit:  FutUndBeidl on flickr