Stuck on Secret Santa? I have 45 foolproof gift ideas under $50 that work for anyone—the coworker you barely know, the office foodie, the guy who fixes everything, or the friend who’s already planning their next trip.
From practical to quirky and some really unique ones, these Secret Santa gift ideas are budget-friendly, universally loved, and guaranteed to bring some Christmas magic. Oh, and there are no candles or mugs on this list!
Gift Card
Perfect solution for any situation, especially when you’re not that close with this particular person and don’t know their preferences specifically.
It is also less personal and allows them to use it as they please, now or later, for office supplies or personal needs as a gift card will apply to all the categories in the store.
The most popular gift cards people want to get for Christmas:
- Target
- Practical gift: gas stations or grocery gift cards
- Walmart
- Starbucks as a universal option or their favorite local coffee shop.
- Food. From chains like Chipotle to DoorDash gift cards
- Amazon
- Barnes and Noble cards or any other bookstore cards are super valuable
- Local dollar store (perfect for parents with preschoolers)
No amount is too small; even $10 will be appreciated. Plus, some stores have discounts on gift cards a few times a year, so you can stock up then.
Make sure to pack it in a cute gift card holder to make the gift more fun and festive. Many stores, including Target and Amazon, have regular gift cards and special designs for the holiday season.
Lego Flowers
In the past few years, Lego stopped being associated with just toys for kids. They now have a full product line that targets adults, with their botanical collection being simply fantastic – so elegant and tasteful, and will never die off!
You can choose bonsai, roses, but what I like most are mini orchids (they are also under $25).
Recipe Cards
The New York Times Cooking Page-A-Day Calendar is basically a stack of flashcards with recipes anyone can make. Super useful to remove guesswork from the kitchen. The ultimate gift for food lovers, the cookbook goes from quick weeknight dinners to irresistible desserts.
Book Stand
A practical gift for book lovers: a book stand with some storage space. There are dozens of options, from solid wooden stands for large cookbooks to tabletop stands that will be great for reading fiction in the evening.
Travel Book
Everyone has that one coworker who has just gone on vacation and has already started planning their next expedition somewhere in Antarctica.
For them, a travel book with stunning photography is both a nice coffee table book and a source for inspiration. Masters of travel, Lonely Planet, even has a book about every single country! How exciting is it?!
Seeds
Gardening helps to relax and find joy in daily life, but not everyone has a backyard or time to set up one. It is less hassle to grow some herbs or little plants on your desk!
You can gift a pack of different seeds through the Secret Santa gift exchange. Just make sure to pick a brand that promises to replace any seeds that won’t germinate.
Apple Air Tag
Grab an Apple AirTag for your Secret Santa this year. It’s a super handy way for coworkers or friends to keep tabs on keys, wallets, or bags using the Find My app. It’s tiny, lasts forever on one battery, and at under $30!
Mug Warmer
I guarantee a mug warmer will be a huge win for any gift exchange, as it is essential for winter. It keeps your tea, hot chocolate, or coffee hot while you’re working, cooking, or prepping the house for the holidays.
It also costs less than 15 dollars, so it won’t hurt your pocket.
Reusable Film Camera
Remember Polaroid? Nowadays they are back in fashion! People use reusable film cameras as a wedding activity, let kids take photos of the day in their lives, and share moments with friends.
Definitely a nostalgic gift an older or more hipster holiday crowd will appreciate.
Good Lunch Container
This bento-style lunch container is a game-changer for coworkers or friends who pack lunches.
It keeps salads fresh and has separate compartments for toppings, dressing, and more. Super leak-proof, microwave-safe, and easy to tote, it’s an affordable gift idea. It will be especially thoughtful if you know your friend is trying to eat healthier.
Touchscreen Gloves
How annoying are our modern phones in winter when your hands are freezing, but you can’t get the screen to work!? Touchscreen-friendly gloves should solve that and keep your fingers warm.
Amazing gift for anyone who has to commute a lot and is very timely for the winter holidays. Usually under 15 bucks, so you can keep it on a budget.
Window Bird Feeder
Perfect for both house and office, a transparent bird feeder will make for some joyful moments even during the most stressful day. Birdwatching doesn’t get easier than this!
Loop 2 Earplugs
These Loop Experience Ear Plugs make a clever Secret Santa gift for people who love live music concerts, travel a lot, or just need quiet space to focus— they cut noise significantly without affecting the music. Plus, they have one of the sleekest designs!
Hand Warmers
A no-brainer for gift exchanges during the holiday season, as it does get pretty cold! Hand warmers can be more classy and techy or very cute, and you can pick budget ones (there are plenty under 50 USD).
Hot Chocolate Kit
This hot chocolate kit is a must for a sweet tooth during the Christmas holidays.
Homemade chocolate always fills the kitchen with sweet aromas, and it is my drink of choice for snuggling on the sofa, rewatching Christmas movies. It will be a hit at any gift exchange!
Personalized Gift
If you know your coworker or friend very well, make an effort and find a few photos of their favorite pet, TV show character, game, or sports, and make a custom cap, T-shirt, family ornament, or even mini canvas prints.
Many forum surveys showed that people get really excited to see their pets on a piece of clothing, and they usually keep such a gift for years!
Snack Bowl With Phone/Kindle Holder
Another fantastic gift for book lovers and anyone who loves to binge through TV shows or live streams on their phone. The setup is simple; you can have both snacks and your phone or tablet right in front of you!
Go for ones that have separate sections for drinks and food.
Swisscard
Everyone knows Swiss Army knives, but did you know they have a cool little brother – Swisscard? A fantastic Secret Santa gift for male colleagues or family members.
In a nutshell, it’s a credit-card-thin multitool with essentials like a knife, scissors, screwdriver, and tweezers for everyday fixes.
Radio-Controlled Car
Age doesn’t matter for this one, to be honest, the older men get, somehow, they get even more excited about this one!
It will make even more sense if your friend or coworker is an F1 or NASCAR fan.
Purse Organizer
We always have to carry so much stuff with us, think a lunchbox, all the notes, cables, phone, etc. There are cute and classy purse organizers with dividers that you can simply insert into your handbag or tote bag.
These organizers come in different sizes, colors, and materials, and will definitely be a great practical gift for female coworkers.
Lava Lamp
This Secret Santa gift never gets old! Watching a lava lamp do its thing is mesmerizing and somewhat relaxing, and it does make a great addition to the desk setup.
They come in all shapes, sizes, and colors, so you will definitely be able to pick one.
Charcuterie Board
Some people are naturally built for hosting! If that’s the case with your friend or coworker, a charcuterie setup will be an amazing gift for them!
On the other hand, there are mini boards that are perfect for just the two, so if your recipient is a known lovebird, this idea will work perfectly too!
Paint By Numbers
Two options here: just a great landscape or iconic spot like the Eiffel Tower, or actually a customized canvas. Some companies can transfer your photo of choice to canvas and turn it into a paint-by-number situation.
For crafter and creative souls, it will be a very thoughtful gift!
Viral Salad Pod
This jar for salad meal prep with a side opening is the coolest thing I’ve seen on social media that I immediately added to my cart.
You load all ingredients as usual, but when you are ready to mix, you simply put it on its side, open the pod, and enjoy it (the fork comes with it, too)! Less cleanup and no mess.
Organizers
Keeping the house organised is not an easy task, so anyone can benefit from hanging organizers for the wardrobe, be it just for clothes or something specific like belt or tie organizers, jewelry organizers, Lazy Susans, cable organizers (my personal pain!), and folders to organize all sorts of papers, coupons, letters, and such.
If you know your Secret Santa friend is a perfectionist and a Marie Kondo fan, this will be perfect for them.
Desktop Golf
There are days in the office when you’re just looking for a distraction and something to spend time procrastinating on writing that email.
Well, a desktop golf game is made for exactly those days! But, in fact, these clubs are also tiny ballpens!
Jar of F*cks to Give
Sometimes gifts are made to make people laugh, not everything should be practical! This jar comes with lots of cut-out little F to give out 🙂
Ornaments for Coworkers
These coworker Christmas ornaments are a sweet Secret Santa nod to office bonds, with heartfelt designs. People can take them home or hang them on the Christmas tree in the office. You can add a gift card to it, too.
Burst Bees Essentials Kit
If you have no idea what to gift, Burst Bees sets are always a no-brainer. All-natural travel-sized deep cleanser, hand salve, body lotion, foot cream, and lip balm make a great self-care starter pack.
Cat Toy
Not a boring cat toy, but a real battery-powered activity! It is a purr-fect Secret Santa pick for friends with feline babies, that comes with moving feathers, hide and seek playtime, and butterflies.
Phone Docking
A great phone holder and charging station and storage for keys, wallet, AirPods, watches, and trinkets that will be fantastic for male colleagues.
While it is quite a gift, it still costs less than 50 dollars!
Whiskey Stones Gift Set
In sets like this, you usually get granite stones that chill bourbon or scotch without watering it down, plus glasses and tongs in a wooden box. Classy and reusable gift for about $25.
Hot Sauce Making Kit
The DIY Hot Sauce Making Kit is a unique and spicy Secret Santa gift for coworkers or friends who love bold flavors and cooking. Plus, it is a fun way to actually make something from scratch, so the fun and joy from the gift is actually extended.
And get ready to taste all those sauces, because you may open a Pandora’s box and inspire a side hustle!
Beard Care Kit
Maintaining a healthy beard that looks incredibly well is actually not that easy! Men in your group will definitely appreciate such a thoughtful gift.
It has oil, balm, brush, comb, and scissors to groom and shape the beard.
Magnetic Wristband
Someone is known to fix everything around the house (or office)? Well, this is probably a genius gift idea for them: basically, a wristband with a magnet inside, so no screws or nails will be lost.
This tool definitely will save time AND sanity. And costs under 25 USD.
Ceramic Garlic Plate Grater
I will be honest, it is on my wishlist, too. Specifically, ceramic garlic grater plates look so luxe, rustic, and just make me want to cook something!
And if you didn’t know, these plates can actually be used beyond garlic – to grate chocolate or even ginger root!
Book Light
Simple and super practical gift to encourage your friend to spend time before bed without scrolling. Book lights come as a small lamp you set up at the top of the page, or like LED transparent pages you place right on top of the book.
The light is bright enough for comfortable reading but won’t bother the person sleeping next to you.
Massage Gun
Rare office worker doesn’t complain about back pain, stiff shoulders, or tension headaches. Going to see a massage therapist isn’t always an option, so a massage gun really makes a difference!
Weather Predictor
If you’re looking for a truly unique gift that probably no one has come up with, check out this weather predictor. Yep, you read that right.
This Storm Glass thingy has crystals that shift to hint at rain or sun like old-school magic. It also looks super cool without giving away what it really is!
Funny Desk Decor
Another Secret Santa gift idea to bring in some laughter. Cheap and fun desk setup with rates for “answers”.
Amazing for team leads, your boss, or that one coworker that everyone always asks about every single thing.
Popcorn Gift Set
Popcorn bowls and sets are always a win at Christmas gift exchanges because who doesn’t like movies and popcorn? I wouldn’t trust that person, lol.
What I like about a gift set is that it comes with different types of popcorn and flavorings, so it is not just plain popcorn!
Taco Tuesday Set Up
This kit makes you fiesta-ready in no time. I love tacos and Mexican food, and I would love to receive this set myself!
The set is perfect for 4 people and comes with taco holders and a big tray with sections for all kinds of toppings and salsa. Simply genius! On sale, you could grab it for under 50 dollars!
Alcohol Infusion Kit
Very niche, unique, and elegant gift for people who have everything. With this kit, one can DIY alcohol drinks with natural ingredients to create something really special.
This is the only gift idea on my list that is slightly above the 50-dollar mark, but it does sound like it is worth it!
Instant Meat Thermometer
Something really useful in any kitchen is an instant meat thermometer, so you can make sure chicken or a leg of lamb is actually fully cooked.
Label Maker
A portable label maker will be a huge hit at work, especially if there are people obsessed with home organization! Everything will be sorted, stored, and labeled. No more loose socks or jars with unidentifiable something in your house.
With so many fun, thoughtful, and totally budget-friendly options, finding the perfect Secret Santa gift doesn’t have to be stressful. Whether you’re shopping for a co-worker you barely know or a friend you adore, these ideas make it easy to show a little holiday cheer. Pick your favorite, wrap it up with a festive bow, and get ready to make someone’s day a whole lot brighter!
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