35 Best Secret Santa Gift Ideas for Coworkers on a Budget

Chahna Baksani
Chahna Baksani
Chahna Baksani is the Social Media Manager as well as a Content Writer at The Address. If you ever happen to visit The Address' Ahmedabad offices, do not miss to stop by and say Hi to her.

Christmas is just a month away. It is time to decide on thoughtful gifts for your coworkers for the Secret Santa gift exchange. 

If you are trying to figure out what to gift your coworkers, this post is for you. We have compiled a list of useful gift ideas that you might want to consider. Surprise your coworkers with amazing presents and make them feel special.

Top 35 Secret Santa Gifts For Colleagues That Everyone Will Love

We have got dozens of unique and pocket-friendly Secret Santa gift ideas for you to choose from.

Tech Gadgets 

This section consists of some of the best tech gifts for your coworkers that will light up this holiday season with energy and joy. 

#1. Charging station

Gift a charging station to your colleague to help them charge up all their devices, such as mobile phones, iPads, tablets, or laptops fully charged. The charging station will also eliminate the hassles of entangled cables. 

#2. Pen drives

A pen drive would be one of the most useful gifts to almost everyone. You can customize it by engraving the coworker’s name or by buying one with their favorite cartoon character.  

Source

#3. Game passes

If your Secret Santa gift recipient is a passionate gamer, gifting game passes will be a gift that will be well-appreciated. However, you need to find out about their game preferences and choose a game accordingly. 

#4. Headphones

Headphones are the ideal gifts for almost every professional, especially those working from the office. No one likes to attend conference calls and meetings in the speaker mode even in dedicated meeting rooms. Isn’t it? 

It will also be a perfect gift for those coworkers who would love to listen to music or someone who loves playing video games. With the wide variety of headphones available today, you can choose the one that suits your office atmosphere the best and gift the same to your colleague. 

Source

#5. App subscriptions

Who doesn’t like getting a free subscription in this world dominated by streaming services, online courses, SaaS, and more? Gifting these subscription plans will be appreciated by anyone who receives it. This is one safe gift that no Secret Santa recipient would be disappointed with ever!

Desk Decor Items 

Desk decor offers a great means to personalize your workspace and ensures that you keep doing your work smoothly. By clearing the clutter and better organization, you can focus entirely on the task at hand. Here are a few desk decoration ideas that would make amazing gifts for Secret Santa.

#1. Scented candles

Trendy scented candles are perfect for desk decor. These candles also help in calming minds and encourage relaxation by creating a soothing atmosphere. Pick a scent that you think your colleague would love from a range of fragrances, such as floral, earthy, citrusy, woody, and more. 

Source

#2. Indoor plants

Indoor plants are eco-friendly and compact gifts that will add a splash of color to the desk decor. Plants liven up the offices, lift our spirits, and improve our physical and mental health. Some of the best indoor plants to give as Secret Santa gifts to colleagues are succulents, jade, lavender, snake plant, bonsai tree, chamomile, and more.

Source

#3. Motivational quote frames 

Gifting motivational quote frames is one great way to encourage your coworkers to keep working hard. This gift will keep them feeling inspired and deliver positivity throughout the day. Besides frames, you can gift an inspirational desk calendar presenting a new quote for every day of the year for a fresh start to the day. 

Source

#4. Coasters 

Gift your coworkers a set of coasters and help them keep their desks neat and clean. It will protect the desk surface from stains and scratches at all times. 

Source

#5. Desk organizers 

Although desk organizers seem to be an ordinary gift, it is an amazing one as it arranges all the important things in one place while keeping the desk clean. It stores office stationery, documents, cables, and more in a proper manner and ensures these items are easily accessible.

Source

DIY Gifts

A handmade gift always carries a special meaning. It shows you took out time from your busy schedule to make something extraordinary for your coworkers. Here are some DIY gift ideas that make fantastic gifts for your coworkers.

  1. A hamper filled with different varieties of freshly-baked, crispy cookies
  2. A box full of assorted homemade chocolates 
  3. A marbled dish made out of clay to store pen drives, paper clips, and more.
  4. Personalized bookmarks with a motivational quote
  5. A hand-painted t-shirt that matches the style of the person you’re gifting it to

Hobby Gifts

With our busy professional lives, we hardly get time to pursue our hobbies. Hence, introducing your coworker to some hobby will be the best gift they will cherish for years to come. Remember the best hobby-related gifts must be something that your coworker might have an interest in. 

Here are some coworker gift ideas that might inspire a lifelong hobby.

  • Acrylic paint set
  • Baking essentials
  • Pottery kit
  • Calligraphy kit
  • Knitting kit
  • Soap-making kit
  • Tarot reading
  • Embroidery kit
  • Other art supplies
  • Acoustic guitar

Productivity Gifts

Productivity gifts are the best gifts for coworkers as they help them achieve their goals and relieve their stress thereby allowing them to spend more time doing the things they love. Here are a few productivity gift ideas for you.

#1. Planners

It is easy to lose track of time at work. Hence, gifting a planner to your coworkers will help them stay organized and focused on their tasks, appointments, and meetings and ultimately increase their productivity.

Source

#2. Dry-erase boards

Dry-erase sheets make the best tool for noting important things at work. These sheets can also be used to make a to-do list making it easy to track daily tasks. With a full-adhesive backing, this sheet can be placed anywhere at the workstation. It is the best tool to stay on top of the assignments at work and enhance productivity. A perfect gift for Secret Santa.

#.3 Seat cushions for work chairs

Sitting for long hours on an office chair can at times get painful and uncomfortable. Gifting an ergonomic seat cushion to your colleague will be a thoughtful gift as it will relieve the painful seating experience. 

Source

#4. Coffee kits

There is always a caffeine addict in the office who can gulp down 3-4 cups of coffee in a day. If you have received a coffee lover as a Secret Santa gift recipient, gifting them a coffee set would be something that they would cherish. Let them indulge in some irresistible coffee and fuel up their productivity at work.  

Source

#5. Essential oil diffuser

Essential oil diffusers would be a great gift for aromatherapy lovers. Amidst the hullabaloo of work deadlines and upcoming holidays, aromatherapy would be an excellent medium to release stress. 

Because of their ability to help with relaxation, essential oils are the perfect gift for this holiday season. A whiff of the fragrances is enough to promote the feeling of calmness and unwinding after a hectic day at work.

Source

Miscellaneous

Here are some more gift ideas for coworkers you can choose from.

#1. Tea gift box

Tea makes for a perfect gift for coworkers as it’s meant to refresh their minds and relieve stress. The antioxidants present in the tea help in reducing stress and staying rejuvenated. Choose a tea gift set containing various types of tea, such as chamomile, ginger, peppermint, lavender, and more for gifting to your Secret Santa recipient.

Source

#2. Personalized coffee mug/tumbler 

A coffee mug, tumbler, or tea cup is a safe gift choice for someone you don’t know much about. You can add a touch of personalization to make the mug more special.

Source

#3. Books

If your Secret Santa recipient is a bookworm, you cannot go wrong in choosing a book as a gift. Books will be a perfect holiday companion. Pick up a few bestsellers and contribute a few books to their libraries. You can also add a packet of hot chocolate powder and a few bookmarks to the gift and take the recipient’s reading experience to the next level. 

Source

#4. Gift cards

If you are skeptical about what you should get for your coworker, you can opt for gift cards. It will save you from the horrors of choosing gifts for your colleagues without having any idea about their preferences. Gift cards are simple and convenient as the recipients can choose whatever they wish to purchase with the gift card money. Find out which site your coworkers frequently make their purchases on and accordingly, gift them one.

Source

#5. Self-care kit

Thanks to our busy professional lives, we often do not get time to indulge in self-care routines. Gifting your colleagues a self-care kit will encourage them to take out some time from their busy routines and focus on themselves. You can choose from various self-care kits, such as bath essentials, stress relief kits, skincare kits, healthy snacks, and more. 

Source

Wrapping Up

These were some of the Secret Santa gift ideas for your coworkers. We hope you found these ideas valuable. Pick out one gift idea from this huge list of best Secret Santa gifts and start wrapping your gifts as soon as possible. Be the best Secret Santa to your coworkers.