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It’s that time of year! Time for the Sunshine Committee to spread some cheer by involving staff in Secret Santa! I actually really enjoy Secret Santa. It’s a fun way to connect with a co-worker and bring some extra joy to the work day.
However, if you’re like me, it may be difficult to decide what to get the person you selected. Usually, we have to fill out a short survey with our likes and what we don’t need any more of, which is appreciative and helpful to an extent. Also, price limits are established for the daily gift and for the larger item when your Secret Santa is revealed. Typically, the daily gift is $5 or under, hence this post!
Read on for 10 spectacular Secret Santa gifts you can give this year!
1. Instant Win Lotto Tickets- I love giving these as a gift because you can choose to give several $1 tickets, a couple $2 ones, or one larger $5 ticket. Plus they are holiday-themed!
2. Gift Card- When you do a $5 gift card, make sure it is to somewhere you can actually get something for $5 or less. I don’t like when I get a small amounted gift card to a place where you know you’ll have to put money with it to get something you want. Choose a place like Dunkin Donuts, McDonalds, or The Dollar Tree for this gift!
3. Food/Drink- A Food/Drink gift is sure to be a hit when you use that survey your person completed! Usually that lists favorite candy, snack, and drink. Put together a little gift bag with a little bit of all of those things. Then they’ll have a little stash for their classroom for later!
4. Slipper Socks- I know this one might be more geared towards a lady, but I LOVE my soft, comfy slipper socks! And it’s always nice to get new ones. Slipper socks wear out and need to be replaced, plus you can find them on sale at this time of year, making them a great choice!
5. Something Homemade- Perhaps you have a Cricut (I just got one!) or you crochet or do some other type of crafting. Create something for your selected teacher. I’ve found teachers appreciate the thought and work that goes into creating a homemade gift! Also, you get to do something you enjoy while making it. Win-win!
6. A Favorite School Supply- Think about the teacher you are purchasing for. Is there anything you know they always have on hand in their classroom. Or, if you’re not sure, is there a supply you really love? We all know our supply budget runs out quickly, so getting a school supply for a gift can be a great idea! Maybe there is a brand of pen that writes really well and doesn’t streak, or there’s some super-sticky tape that hangs on to the most difficult wall, or a cute pack of stickers for sticking on student papers.
7. Mini-Spa Day- Find a cute gift bag and put in it a face mask, nail polish, and chapstick/lip gloss. You can get all of these items at The Dollar Tree!
8. A Movie Night- Tape a code to for a Red Box movie rental on a small box of microwave popcorn. You do need to purchase a bundle of 5 rentals from Red Box, but you can split up the codes. That way you can give codes to other people or use them yourself.
9. Christmas Decorations- These could be decorations for the teacher to put up in their classroom or to decorate their home. Some good choices are window clings, an ornament (could be homemade, see #5 above!), or a door sign.
10. A Coupon- You can make a coupon for 1 duty-free lunch, 1 duty-free recess, or to run a class set of copies for a lesson. I guess this one will depend on if your planning time overlaps with the teacher you selected for the lunch or recess coupon. The gift of time is a great one and it costs you nothing!
Let me know in the comments below if you use any of these Secret Santa gift ideas and if the recipient liked them! Feel free to add any of your ideas that have been hits in the past, too. I’m always on the lookout for more. If you liked these ideas, check out my post on Budget-Friendly Gifts for Students!
