At the first sign of the holidays, your office undergoes a fantastic transformation. What once was a stark workplace stuffed with grey cubicles now has non-denomination decorations draped from every surface.
Sally at the front desk wears her snowman sweaters, and the lunchroom’s Keurig is stocked with peppermint mochas pods.
Every sign points towards the upcoming festivities and some time off work in the future, including the inevitable memo for the office’s Secret Santa. If you’re lucky, you drew your cubicle-partner-in-crime’s name out of the hat, but Secret Santa rarely works to your advantage. Don’t worry if you pulled the name of someone you barely know.
There’s a quick, easy, and affordable gift for every kind of co-worker, and you can find it here in this list.
Gift card and travel mug to stay caffeinated
Those that can get through the work day without caffeine are made of stronger stuff than most people. Chances are your co-worker needs a little boost in the morning and has at least one coffee to start their day. If you’ve seen your Secret Santa sip their morning java, consider getting them a gift card for their favorite coffee shop.
As gifts go, gift cards aren’t very creative. Flesh out your idea by pairing it with a creative traveller’s mug and a bag of roast beans for when the card runs out. All it takes is one trip to the café while you grab your own drink to go, and you’ll have a thoughtful yet practical gift in the time it takes your barista to froth your latte.
A wine gift basket to toast over
If your co-worker has admitted to unwinding with a glass of wine or two, then use their after-work imbibement as inspiration for your gift. Start by asking what their favorite kind of wine is without being obvious about it. Try being sneaky by admitting you don’t know much about wine, so you would like their advice about the best bottle to start with. They’ll be happy to share with you their favorite varietals.
Once you have a name in mind, grab a bottle or two. Then pad out your gift basket by getting them wine accessories any amateur sommelier would love. Things like a wine aerator, glasses for the style of wine (yes, there are glasses made for each type), and a wine-themed book would be great additions to your basket.
Customized decals for their device
Some people don’t drink, which means wine is out of the question. Some people don’t like coffee, which means anything from Starbucks is out, too. Individual’s personality quirks are hard to accommodate in the office Secret Santa exchange. The trick is to nod to their unique personality with a customized decal for their devices.
Regardless of their personal preferences, nearly everyone has a smartphone. It may not be the iPhone X like yours, but your Secret Santa probably has one of the latest handsets to hit the market.
You can create a customized Android or iPhone decal that’s tailor-made for their exact generation. This complete coverage adds an anti-scratch and anti-grime layer around their device without disrupting the sleek lines of their phone. Choose from dragon Android skins or carbon fiber iPhone skins to create a unique wrap for their gadget.
With a style for everyone, you’ll probably even invent cool ways to make your iPhone X unique while you’re at it.
Conclusion
There’s no shame in treating yourself as you cross of your Secret Santa from your list this year. It takes a lot of working being such a kind and thoughtful co-worker, so you deserve a little something extra once you wrap up their gifts. After all, you can’t expect whoever pulls your name out of the hat to have the same approach to the exchange as you do, so your self-appointed gift may be the only one worth unwrapping this year.
But don’t let this discourage you.
‘Tis the season to give! Use this guide to help make you the best gift-giver you can be, and you’ll earn the title of best Secret Santa player once your secret identity is revealed!