Secret Santa gifts people actually like

By the Great Gifts team · Updated 5 October 2026

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Colleagues in Santa hats opening a wrapped present at an office party

Secret Santa has two rules that nobody writes down: stay inside the budget, and buy something the person will actually use or enjoy — not something that goes straight in a drawer. Here’s what tends to work, by budget.

Under £10

A star certificate, “Sarah’s Star”, framed beside wrapped presents and a card

We make this

A star with their name on it — £9.99

Name a real star. A heartfelt gift they’ll cherish forever. Our sister company, The Star Naming Co., dedicates a real catalogued star to the person you’ve drawn, with a printable certificate, a sky chart and a live viewer to find it. It comes in under a £10 limit, it’s delivered in minutes, and it’s far more memorable than another novelty mug. It’s symbolic rather than official, which is part of the fun.

Print the certificate, roll it up with a ribbon, and it’s ready to go in the sack.

Name a star

Something nice to eat or drink

A bar of really good chocolate, a jar of fancy hot chocolate, a small bottle of flavoured gin or a bag of local coffee. Consumables are the safest bet when you don’t know someone well.

Hot chocolate gifts on Amazon

A useful desk upgrade

A nice notebook, a good pen, a phone stand or a cable tidy — the kind of thing everyone uses and nobody buys for themselves.

Notebooks on Amazon

Under £20

A printed star Gift Pack — the £19.99 version of the star above, posted free in the UK, with everything printed and presented.
A good-quality mug and a bag of speciality coffee or tea.
A cosy pair of socks and a hot water bottle for the colleague who’s always cold.
A board or card game for someone with a family or a busy social life.

Card games on Amazon · Personalised mugs on Etsy

For someone you barely know

Stick to things that are used up or universally liked: food, drink (check they drink first), stationery, candles with a subtle scent, a plant that’s hard to kill. Avoid anything personal like clothing sizes, toiletries that suggest a hint, or jokes that rely on knowing them.

What to avoid

Going over the budget — it makes everyone else look stingy.
Rude or “edgy” gag gifts at work. They rarely land as well as you hope.
Re-gifted things that are obviously re-gifted.