More and more, friend groups, colleagues, and families are trading massive gift exchanges at Christmas for simpler (and cheaper) gifting webs like Secret Santa or White Elephant. The best Secret Santa gift ideas are on-budget, thoughtful and relevant for the receiver, and ideally, fun.
Secret Santa is simple. If you haven’t played this party game before, allow us to fill you in. Everyone in the group draws a name from a hat (or you could do it electronically with a tool like Elfster). Whoever you pick is the person you need to buy a gift for. Meanwhile, someone else in the group is busy stressing about what to buy you. ‘Tis the season!
Picking your recipient is the easy part, but the challenging part comes next: figuring out what to get for them. If you’re looking for Secret Santa gift ideas within your group’s budget, we’ve got you covered with gifts ranging from $15 to $100. Whether you’re holiday shopping for your elusive coworker or your has-it-all cousin, we’ve got the perfect present on our list.
Secret Santa Gift Ideas Under $25
1. Brumate Hopsulator
Country singers aren’t the only ones that appreciate an ice cold beer. This product slips right over your recipient’s favorite canned beverage to keep it cold allllll day long. Luke Bryan’s latest album sold separately.
2. We’re Not Really Strangers Card Game
A game is the perfect Secret Santa gift idea for someone you don’t know super well. The deck is packed full of questions to ask to get to know each other better. There are even add-on packs for friends and couples if your recipient wants more later on.
3. iPhone Super Fast Charger
People always need two things in life: more socks and phone chargers. Which makes this the perfect gift: it will charge their phone fast and extend over their piles of clothes next to their bed!
4. Yootech Wireless Charger
What’s better than a 6-foot charger? A wireless one! You’ll find yourself ordering two of these – one for you and one for them – at checkout.
5. Bluetooth Sleep Mask
Does your Secret Santa selection have a bunch of kids running around? Gift them a Bluetooth-enabled eye mask that will allow them to drift off to sleep to the sound of gentle waves. You know, until little Benny spills his toys all over the floor with a crash.
6. CinniBird Spice Pen
Fulfill your loved one’s inner dream of being a barista with this latte pen. Don’t forget to include their very own milk frother (because if they don’t already have one, this gift won’t help much).
7. Bombas Merino Wool Sweater Socks
Remember when we said people always need socks? Since we wrote that, we already lost another pair. Give a pair of Bombas this holiday season, with the added bonus knowledge that they donate a pair of socks for each one purchased.
8. Galaxy Star Projector
This star projector turns any room into a galactic wonderland. They don’t have to be a child nor a Swiftie to love this one, though it does pair perfectly with the Midnights album. Not that we know from experience or anything.
9. Foodie Dice
This one is perfect for your cousin who thinks they’re a Michelin star chef. Help them live out their Chopped fantasy with this set of foodie dice. Maybe you’ll even reap the benefits of their rosemary-bacon-tofu concoction.
On second thought, stay far, far away from the kitchen next time they bust this out.
10. Mr. Coffee Mug Warmer
Choosing between reheated hot coffee and making it to your meeting in time is no longer a concern with this helpful gadget. This mug warmer will keep their coffee hot for days. We shouldn’t have to say this, but please don’t drink several-day old coffee.
Secret Santa Gift Ideas Under $50
11. Bombas Gripper Slippers
Slippers aren’t lost at the same rate as socks, but they do often get stolen by the dog. Gift a pair of these deliciously soft slippers that can hold their own against any freshly Swiffered hardwood floor.
12. Sephora Mini Perfume Sampler Set
This Sephora set comes with five mini versions of popular perfumes. The best part? The set includes the opportunity for the recipient to pick out their favorite and get a free travel-size version. Bon voyage, smelly pits.
13. Shiatsu Neck & Shoulder Massager
This neck and shoulder massager is basically like gifting multiple deep tissue massages for a fraction of the cost. Plus, this thing is heated.
14. Cube Pro Smart Tracker
Give the gift of peace of mind for your absent-minded friend with this tracking device that connects to anything. Yup, that includes their own child. Oh, and their burrito bowl.
15. Ninja Food Chopper
If there’s one thing we could all stand to simplify in the kitchen, it’s chopping vegetables. This food chopper will turn a full bell pepper into stir-fry perfection in seconds.
16. Personalized Pet Mug
You’ll be hard-pressed to find a pet owner who doesn’t want a custom portrait of their fur baby on a mug. This gift will earn lots of coos from the crowd.
17. Prepdeck Chef Caddy Spice Rack
Something that allows them to have their olive oil and garlic powder ready at all times? Think of all the seasoning emergencies that could have been solved if we had one of these sooner.
18. Homesick Candle
These candles strike the perfect balance of being both functional and personal. Everyone loves a candle and enjoys a little touch of home. No, New York City isn’t garbage day scented.
19. Book of the Month Subscription
Got a bookworm as your Secret Santa? Gift them a subscription to the Book of the Month club, where they’ll get to select a hard-cover book at the beginning of each month. It’s the gift that keeps on giving. (Read: ushering them to achieve their lofty reading goal.)
20. Personalized Wine Glass
Some might call this “cheugy,” but we call it adorable. Give your aesthetic friend this beautiful, personalized wine glass.
Secret Santa Gift Ideas Under $100
21. WOOMER Electric Heated Throw Blanket
Everyone needs a heated blanket in their house. Unless they live in Florida. Gift any non-Floridian this electric throw to keep them warm during the coldest winter days.
22. TRUFF Holiday Gift Pack
F*ck, marry, kill: black truffle-infused hot sauce, white truffle-infused hot sauce, black truffle oil. Trick question: we want to marry them all.
23. Pajamagram World’s Softest Flannel Boyfriend Pajamas
Nobody ever buys themselves pajamas – they need you to do it for them. Gift these soft pajamas and your recipient will be forever thanking you.
24. Brooklinen Super-Plush Robe
Next on the list of “things people don’t buy for themselves” is bathrobes. This one is akin to one you’d find at a 5-star spa. Not that it’s a competition, but you definitely just won best gift-giver award.
25. Amazon Kindle
If they haven’t yet converted to digital reading, give them an Amazon Kindle and bring them over to the dark side. But by dark, we actually mean “now they can read in the dark without disturbing their roommates.”
26. UGG Slippers
These ones should stay far away from the dog.
27. ClassPass Gift Card
Are they a workout fanatic? Give them access to all the hottest local studios through a gift card to ClassPass. New Year’s resolutions have nothing on them.
28. Pura Diffuser Winter Best Sellers Set
Move over, Bath & Body Works wall plug-ins: there’s a new diffuser in town. And you can control it from your phone. Deck the halls with Bluetooth-enabled oils.
29. Mr. Coffee Espresso Maker
Espresso doesn’t only have to be reserved for those willing to spend hundreds of dollars on a fancy machine. This espresso maker will do the trick, equipped with a milk frother to make all of their oat milk latte dreams come true.
