Looking for the perfect present for your Secret Santa giftee this Christmas?
We’ve got the lowdown on the best Secret Santa ideas this year, with options for every budget and recipient. From beauty gifts and cosy winter accessories to unusual gifts you won’t find on the high street, we’ve got plenty of options from a wide range of brands.
We also share our top tips for saving money on gifting this holiday season, as well as a whole host of fantastic cashback deals.
Keep reading if you want to find the ideal Secret Santa Christmas gift.
What makes a good Secret Santa gift?
Picking the perfect Secret Santa gift is all about knowing your audience. They can be lighthearted and funny, thoughtful, or purely practical. Personalised gifts are another great idea, depending on who you're buying for.
Whether you’re doing Secret Santa at home with your family, with your group of friends or at work, you can give a thoughtful gift without going over budget.
Office Secret Santa exchanges can sometimes be tricky, particularly if you draw someone’s name who you don’t know all that well.
This guide has a roundup of over 30 brilliant gifts that’ll be perfect for a Secret Santa exchange this Christmas. If you’re looking for more general tips for choosing a good gift or saving money on your purchase, we’ll cover those topics later on.
A few top picks for Secret Santa 2024 gifts
If you know your recipient’s hobbies and interests well, this will make choosing the right Secret Santa gift a lot easier.
Here are a few of our top picks for a range of different giftees this year.
FOR A PET LOVER: Personalised Pet Keyring (from £15 £13.50)
FOR A BOOKWORM: Personalised Leather Corner Bookmark (£12.50)
FOR A DIY-ER: Magnetic DIY Wristband (£11.99 £9.99)
FOR AN ARTIST: POSCA Pen Pastel Set of Eight (£24.95)
FOR A BUDDING COOK: Great With Steak! BBQ Rubs Gift Set (£27)
FOR A FITNESS GURU: Weight Plate Coasters (£13.99)
FOR A COLLEAGUE YOU HARDLY KNOW: Henry Desk Vacuum (£14.99)
Look out for our TopCashback hummingbird which we've added next to brands eligible for cashback. This means you can earn a percentage of your purchase through a referral link. It's completely free to join and earn.
Our favourite Secret Santa ideas for 2024
Let’s face it, there are thousands of things on the internet that you could buy for your Secret Santa recipient.
But with so many options, it’s easy to get overwhelmed and sidetracked. If you want to stick to your budget, check out our list of ideas below, which we’ve categorised by the size of the spend.
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We'll be updating these deals frequently during the Christmas period. All current prices and cashback amounts are correct as of December 3rd, 2024.
Gift ideas under £5
Looking for seriously cheap Secret Santa gifts? Check out these gift ideas, all under £5 each.
With such a low budget, you’ll probably need to stick to finding a novelty gift, or perhaps sweet treats (such as a coffee or chocolate gift). These fun, cheap gifts also make great stocking fillers.
Pastel Everlasting Plant Labels
Price: £4
These durable pastel-colored planters will brighten up their garden while helping them keep tabs on their plants. A great gift for gardeners, with custom combinations available.
Where to buy: Not On The High Street
Crazy Cat Lady Pen
Price: £2.75
This charming ballpoint pen is the purr-fect gift for cat lovers, especially those with a quirky sense of humour.
Where to buy: Dean Morris Cards
Strawberry Cleansing Face & Body Bar
Price: £5 £3
This Body Shop face and body bar is a must for anyone who likes a sustainable self care made with natural ingredients. This soap has an irresistible fragrance of strawberry, vanilla and pineapple, perfect for sweetening the Christmas season.
Where to buy: The Body Shop
Little Pocket Penguin Hug
Price: £4.99 £3.99
This charming glass Pocket Penguin Hug is a petite 2.6cm by 2.3cm symbol of comfort and joy. Perfectly sized for a pocket or palm, this trinket comes with a gift box and card.
Where to buy: Amazon
Gift ideas under £10
With a budget of around £10, you’ll find plenty of options for personalised gifts. These are great for Secret Santa because they add a personal touch that’ll immediately elevate the item you’re buying into something much more meaningful.
We've also included a range of other funny Secret Santa gifts, plus some tasteful home accessories.
Personalised Keyring
Price: £9.99+
Treat them to a personalised photo keyring like this one from Etsy. Perfect for cherishing memories, this is thoughtful gift that combines sentimentality with everyday functionality.
Where to buy: Etsy
Ring For Tea Bell
Price: £5.99
Perfect for brew enthusiasts, this green metal bell playfully beckons for a cuppa. This tongue-in-cheek Secret Santa gift will add a royal touch to all future office tea breaks.
Where to buy: FindMeAGift
MR SPLATMAN Stress-Relief Toy
Price: £5.25
This fun stress relief toy is ideal for particularly busy colleagues or anyone in your life prone to worry or anxiety. It’s great for all ages and you can choose from six available colours.
Where to buy: Amazon
Fetch My Keys (Key Finder)
Price: £8
This is a brilliant perfect Secret Santa gift for the forgetful or those always on the go. The Fetch My Keys key finder responds to your whistle, making your keys beep and flash.
Where to buy: Prezzybox
Personalised Wooden Coaster Set
Price: £9.95
Buying a Secret Santa gift for your favourite couple? Celebrate love with this beautifully crafted couples coaster set. Personalisation and gift-wrapping options are available.
Where to buy: Etsy
Grow Your Own Christmas Tree
Price: £8
For the eco-conscious person in your life, why not treat them to a Grow Your Own Christmas Tree kit from BEEcycle? You'll be giving the gift of watching a plant grow from seed to centrepiece, and that's quite beautiful.
Where to buy: Not On The High Street
Rubik's Cube
Price: £8.99
A Rubik's Cube is a timeless puzzle, making it a fabulous Secret Santa gift for anyone who likes a challenge. Suitable for people of all ages, this present idea is bound to provide endless Christmas entertainment.
Where to buy: John Lewis
Gift ideas under £15
Once your budget reaches the £10+ mark, you’ll probably find you have more options to choose from. Whether it's a luxurious self-care set or you're looking for practical homeware gifts, check out the products below.
Floral Pocket Mirror
Price: £14 £10.50
This handy little pocket mirror with a sweet floral design will make a thoughtful yet practical gift. Measuring 7.6cm across, it's the perfect size for carrying around in a handbag, purse, or make-up pouch.
Where to buy: Etsy
Marbrasse Wooden Desk Organiser
Price: £12.99
With 18 compartments and a sleek, varnished finish, this desk organiser is a stylish yet functional gift. This will be the perfect present for a colleague who always has a cluttered workspace.
Where to buy: Amazon
London At Christmas Tea Towel
Price: £13
Add a festive touch to your giftee's kitchen with the London At Christmas Tea Towel from Emma Bridgewater. Featuring an classic snowy London scene, this charming tea towel is both practical and decorative. Ideal for those who love holiday-themed home accessories.
Where to buy: Emma Bridgewater
Arm Chair Caddy
Price: £10
Enhance their lounging sessions with the Arm Chair Caddy from MenKind. Designed to hold cups, phones, and remotes, it seamlessly fits various armchairs and sofas. A perfect Secret Santa gift for the ultimate couch potato.
Where to buy: MenKind
Checkerboard Recycled Shopping Bag
Price: £13.95 £10.95
This pink and orange checkerboard shopping bag from Kind Bag is both fashionable and functional. Made from six recycled plastic bottles, Kind Bag's accessories make thoughtful gifts for environmentally-aware shoppers.
Where to buy: Kind Bag
Wave Fountain Pen
Price: £14 £11.20
Crafted from matte copper with a playful wavy clip, this refillable pen offers a smooth and weighty feel. Perfect for those who appreciate the art of handwritten notes and seek a touch of elegance in their stationery.
Where to buy: Papier
Gift ideas under £20
If your budget is up to £20, you’ll find a wide range of gifting options for every type of person. Here are a few of our favourites.
Grow Your Own Birth Flower
Price: £19.95
No matter if their birthday is near Christmas or not, the Grow Your Own Birth Flower kit makes a meaningful gift. Ideal for green-thumbed individuals or those looking to get their hands dirty.
Where to buy: Not On The High Street
'The Ultimate Book of Cocktails'
Recipe Book
Price: £18
The Ultimate Book of Cocktails has over 100 cocktail recipes, ideal for a recipient who likes a nice tipple. It covers everything from classic drinks to inventive creations, with drinks for every season and occasion.
Where to buy: John Lewis
Desktop Punch Bag
Price: £15
Does your Secret Santa recipient need to unleash a bit of stress? This fully inflatable mini punching bag, complete with an air pump, offers bounce-back action for those tense moments.
Where to buy: MenKind
Jolly Gingerbread Fred Teddy
Price: £19.99
For fans of teddy bears, this adorable gingerbread man from Jellycat will make a delightful companion. With textured fleece fur, embroidered buttons and a red tartan bow, he'll make a heartwarming, festive gift.
Where to buy: Temptation Gifts
Our quick tips for a successful Secret Santa
Use an online tool to draw names
Using an online tool like Draw Names is a quick and easy way to kickstart the Secret Santa process. These tools will prevent you from picking your own name by accident and they also help keep things anonymous as you can get your giftee’s name sent straight to your email.
Submit a wish list
Help your fellow gifters out by submitting a wish list to give them some inspiration. If everyone in the group can do this, you’ll all find it easier to buy presents and can each rest assured you should get gifted something you actually like. You can use Draw Names for wish lists too.
Keep it a secret!
Don’t spoil the fun by blabbing about who you’ve got. If you’re really stuck for ideas, ask someone who’s not taking part to help you out. So, if you’re doing a gift exchange with your group of friends, you could ask a family member for help. If you’re exchanging with family, why not ask a colleague for inspiration?
Save money on your Secret Santa gifting
Whether you snap up a bargain in a retailer’s Black Friday sale, or browse the internet for discount codes, there are always ways you can make savings on your festive gifts.
You can find fun gifts for friends, family or colleagues without going over budget with these simple affordable gifting tips.
Stick to your budget
The higher your budget, the more pressure you might feel to choose something good. On the other hand, if your budget is lower, you’ll be more limited on what you can actually get for your money.
If your group hasn’t decided on a budget, it’s worth having a conversation about it so you don’t overspend.
While you might be tempted to go over budget, this is obviously not the most money-savvy thing to do. Can you find the same item (or a similar one) on a different website?
Personalised gifts often cost more, whereas smaller items like stress balls, bath bombs, travel mugs and tea towels will tend to be more affordable.
Earn cashback when you buy Secret Santa gifts online
Did you know you can earn cashback on your online shopping from hundreds of different retailers when you sign up to TopCashback?
Every time you make a purchase with one of the brands on our site, that brand pays us a commission for sending you over to them. We then give you 100% of that commission as cashback, which will be credited to your TopCashback account for you to redeem.
Your cashback can quickly add up, especially if you’re doing a lot of online shopping at this time of year. Cash out your earnings directly to your bank account, or opt for a gift card using the Reward Wallet to spend online and earn further cashback.
Not already signed up? We're currently offering new members a £15 cashback sign-up bonus to help get them started. Just click the green Join TopCashback button below to get started.
Get £15 cashback for joining TopCashback
We secured this exclusive offer, but our content stays unbiased.
Spend £15+ at eBay, Amazon, ASOS or any of 6,000+ brands to get £15 back
It's really simple: our site takes just 30 seconds when you buy online.
You do the shopping, we'll track your purchase, and then you'll get cashback in your account to withdraw to your bank or as a gift card.
Here's how to get your £15 offer;
- Click: Click the green button
- Join: Create an account
- Shop: Browse brands on our site
- Buy: Click Get Cashback then make a purchase
- Enjoy: We'll add £15 to your account once we track your purchase
How does TopCashback benefit? We make money when you buy from supported brands, which allows us to offer cashback with no hidden fees.
We have a mix of premium brands and high-street names on TopCashback, many of which have been mentioned in this guide, including Not On The High Street, Emma Bridgewater and The Body Shop.
We also have a handy browser extension, which will remind you to activate your cashback offers while you’re browsing on any of our retailers’ sites. Check out our guide to making the most out of TopCashback if you're keen to start saving money today.
Secret Santa: a Claus for celebration…
No matter what your budget is or who you’re buying for, hopefully this guide has got your mind firing with Secret Santa gift ideas.
From quirky joke gifts to beauty gift sets that have a touch of luxury, Secret Santa is the perfect opportunity to think outside of the box.
And if you want to make things more affordable, don’t forget to look for discount codes and shop through TopCashback whenever you’re ordering products online.
If you're looking for more gifting inspiration, we've also covered the best men's advent calendars, stationery advent calendars, and even cheese calendars.
Have you managed to get a bargain on a Secret Santa gift this year? Let us know in the comments what you bought.
I got a bargain book about Blondie for my Mama (who sings Blondie in a band!)#atomic!
I managed to get 80 pound off my holiday 😊
I bought a rattan table and chairs a Christmas present for myself saved over £1000