The 36 Best Secret Santa Gifts for Coworkers at Every Price Point

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Laura Berlinsky-Schine2.3k

Is your office having its annual Secret Santa gift exchange? It’s difficult enough to come up with Secret Santa ideas for friends, never mind colleagues. Lucky for you, we’ve put together a list of some of the best Secret Santa gifts for work on every budget. You’re sure to find something for even the most finicky colleagues.

The Best Secret Santa Gifts Under $30

1. Happy Feet slippers


Great for: The colleague who could use some relaxation time

Price: $27.95 (price varies based on style)

Where to find it: Happy Feet

These fun, comfortable slippers are perfect for winding down after a long day or on the weekend. Give them to your coworker who could really use a break. Maybe they’ll provide some incentive for a little “me” time!

2. Kate Spade Out to Lunch tote


Great for: Your coworker who brings lunch to work

Price: $30.00

Where to find it: Kate Spade

Your colleague prefers to eat lunch in the office? No problem! This super stylish lunch tote will make everyone want to start picnicking at their desks.

3. Nordic Ware Smiley Face Pancake Pan


Great for: Your colleague who has kids or just likes to have fun

Price: $23.46

Where to find it: Amazon

These pans come in a variety of shapes: autumn leaves, holidays, monsters, and more. They’re perfect for chefs—including those who make pancakes from a box—and moms and dads who want to make their kids take notice.

4. Refresh Glass Wine Bottle Self Watering Planter


Great for: The boss who goes on vacation a lot

Price: $24.99

Where to find it: Amazon

Secretly, this gift can benefit you, too! The next time your boss or colleague goes on vacation, you won’t have to water her plants, because this handy self-watering planter waters itself for up to two weeks.

5. Tea Forte Icon Au Gold Loose Tea Infuser


Great for: The colleague who prefers tea to coffee

Price: $22.34

Where to find it: Amazon

Up your coworker’s tea game with this stylish tea infuser. It also comes with a monogrammed tea tray to place the infuser when she’s done steeping her tea.

6. A Cute Frame


Great for: The coworker you don’t know well

Price: $24.00 (varies by style)

Where to find it: Anthropologie

Even if you don’t know the colleague you drew for Secret Santa very well, you can’t go wrong with this beautiful frame. Everyone has pictures after all! And if you notice that she has her pictures taped to the wall, this can help her rev up her desk game.

7. Amani ya Juu Soy Candle


Great for: Your zen colleague

Price: $22.00

Where to find it: Amani ya Juu

Does your colleague love to meditate? Or maybe she just likes to wind down after a long day with a good book. Everyone loves a great-smelling candle, it this one comes in delicious flavors like orange peel and cinnamon and white tea and ginger.

8. Gilded Rim Red Wine Glass


Great for: Your colleague who has something to celebrate

Price: $22.00

Where to Find it: Anthropologie

DId something awesome just happen to your coworker? Whether she just got a promotion or is newly engaged, make sure she’s celebrating in style with this beautiful glassware. The champagne flute is perfect for a glass of bubbly!

9. Sutton Desk Collection paper sorter


Great for: The person with lots of desk clutter

Price: $24.00

Where to find it: Anthropologie

If your coworker has too many loose papers flying around, this handmade paper sorter will make organization a lot easier—and prettier!

The Best Secret Santa Gifts Under $20

10. Hario V60 Pour-Over Kit


Great for: Your caffeine-addict colleague

Price: $18.15

Where to find it: Amazon

Coffee lovers will appreciate this easy-to-use, glass drip set. Chances are, the cup will beat your office machine.

11. Notorious R.B.G. tee-shirt


Great for: Your feminist colleague...who loves Ruth Bader Ginsburg, of course

Price: $17.95

Where to find it: Etsy

Your feminist, Ruth Bader Ginsburg-loving colleague will also love this Notorious R.B.G. tee-shirt.

12. Moleskin notebook


Great for: Writers and avid note-takers

Price $19.95 (varies according to style)

Where to find it: Moleskin.com, Staples

These classic notebooks are a must for people who take lots of notes for work or casual observations. They come in a wide variety of themes, including Harry Potter and Dr. Seuss, colors, and sizes.

13. Everything’s Trash, but It’s Okay by Phoebe Robinson


Great for: Your pop-culture, politically-informed Millennial friend or work wife

Price: $17.10

Where to find it: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or your favorite indie bookstore (publishes October 16, 2018)

The cohost of 2 Dope Queens, star of the HBO special by the same name, and author of You Can’t Touch My Hair: And Other Things I Still Have to Explain brings her trademark wit and candid observation to this new essay collection. This is an ideal gift for your snarky friend at work who loves to discuss everything from #MeToo to reality television.

14. Dog socks


Great for: Your colleague who’s obsessed with her dog

Price: $19.49 (price varies based on options selected)

Where to find it: Etsy

These customizable socks are perfect for your coworker who wants to be close to her pup even when she can’t be physically close to her pup. Just track down a picture of her dog on Facebook (and let’s face it: she probably has many), submit it with your order, and she’ll have a beautiful pair of socks emblazoned with her dog’s face.

15. Marshmallow Snowmen


Great for: Your colleague with a sweet tooth

Price: $14.95

Where to find it: Williams-Sonoma

So, I recognize that $14.95 may sound a little steep for a bag of marshmallows, but once my former roommate got them as part of a gift from a client, and they are amazing in a cup of hot cocoa. Plus, they’re adorable. How can you go wrong?

16. The Princess Bride Playing Cards Gift Set


Great for: The movie buff in your office

Price: $14.99

Where to find it: Albino Dragon

Who doesn’t love The Princess Bride? (If you don’t, don’t talk to me.) Not only do these cards feature memorable quotes and characters from the movie, but the set also includes a 1 3/4" collectible Dread Pirate Roberts Mask and Poisoned Goblet brass coin.

17. Shakespeare Insult Generator by Barry Kraft


Great for: Your literary colleague

Price: $10.84

Where to find it: Amazon

For the colleague who loves literature and history—and is a little sarcastic, too—this book contains 150,000 mix-and-match insults in the Bard’s own words.

18. "I'm Always Late" Wall Clock


Great for: Your always-late work wife

Price: $14.99

Where to find it: Amazon

Let your work bestie embrace her tardiness with this clock, which reads “Whatever, I’m always late.” Maybe it’ll even incentivize her to head to her appointments a little earlier next time!

The Best Secret Santa Gifts Under $10

19. Stop Talking cards


Great for: Your sarcastic coworker

Price: $9.95

Where to find it: Paper Source

These are the perfect gift for your office friend with a sense of humor...who just can’t stand it when people won’t stop talking. She’ll love to pass one out the next time someone tells a really long-winded story at the water cooler.

20. Sriracha To-Go Bottle Keychain


Great for: The colleague who puts hot sauce on everything

Price: $8.00

Where to find it: Urban Outfitters

The next time you’re out to lunch, your colleague will no longer have to ask, “Can I have some hot sauce?” With this keychain, she’ll always have it with her!

21. Enchanted Forest: An Inky Quest & Coloring Book by Johanna Basford


Great for: Your stressed cubicle mate

Price: $9.99

Where to find it: Amazon

For the coworker who's feeling stressed and overworked, a coloring book is the perfect way to relax and wind down. Enchanted Forest is a great choice to incorporate some zen into your colleague’s life—or choose from hundreds of other adult coloring books available.

22. Alexander Hamil-toes Socks


Great for: The coworker who’s obsessed with Hamilton

Price: $9.00

Where to find it: Modcloth

So, you probably can’t get your coworker tickets to the show, but you can remind her how great it is with these socks.

23. Fidget Cube


Great for: Your coworker who’s always needs to do something with her hands

Price: $13.99

Where to find it: Amazon

It's a step up from a regular spinner with it's Rubix cube-esque shape.

24. In My Humble Opinion


Great for: Your slightly neurotic, cynical coworker who likes to vent

Price: $10.00

Where to find it: Amazon

Perfect for the coworker who has a lot to say—and a self-deprecating sense of humor—the Knock Knock Mini Inner-Truth Journal features a quote about dysfunction and prompts the writer to record her own thoughts on every page.

25. Sleepy body lotion


Great for: The colleague who has trouble sleeping

Price: $9.95

Where to find it: Lush Handmade Cosmetics

Not only does this lotion smell delicious, but it will help the user find calm and peace. Your colleague will also feel freshly moisturized all day with this lotion, which contains ingredients like glycerin, cocoa butter, and almond oil, along with lavender and tonka perfume.

26. Adams Password Journal


Great for: Your coworker who’s always on the phone with IT

Price: $5.99

Where to find it: Office Depot

Is your coworker always forgetting her passwords? Then this is the perfect gift for her. The 48-page book includes entries for four passwords per page for a total of 192 password entries, logins, and URLs.

27. Essie Luxeffects Top Coat nail lacquer


Great for: Your glam colleague who loves DIY projects

Price: $9.00

Where to find it: Amazon

This nail polish will keep your colleague looking fabulous without having to hit the nail salon every day. And who doesn’t like a little sparkle in her life?

The Best Secret Santa Gifts Under $5

28. Aim High Notepad


Great for: Your super busy coworker

Price: $2.95

Where to find it: Amazon

This one’s for the colleague who always has a thousand items on her to-do list. This fun notepad will help her stay organized, as well as add a little color and motivation to mundane work tasks.

29. Thanks For Being Awesome Handy Highlighter Set


Great for: Your employee who deserves recognition

Price: $4.99

Where to find it: Successories

Did you grab your employee’s name for Secret Santa? Make sure she knows how much you appreciate her hard work with this Thanks For Being Awesome Handy Highlighter Set!

30. Mini Donut Eraser Set


Great for: The colleague who uses pencils, not pens

Price: $10.00

Where to find it: Amazon

These adorable donut erasers are the perfect accessory for any desk—particularly if your coworker uses pencils regularly and maybe has a sweet tooth, too.

31. USB Heating Winter Gloves


Great for: The boss who’s always asking you to get the heat turned up

Price: $4.45

Where to find it: Amazon

For the boss or coworker who’s always cold, these fingerless gloves will keep her nice and toasty all winter long. The gloves contain heat pads and that warm up when plugged into a USB port—ideal for typing.

32. VossBotanicals Soap Sampler


Great for: Your colleague who travels to lots of conferences

Price: $6.00

Where to find it: Etsy

Is your colleague always on the go? Then these handmade, all-natural soaps are for her. Plus, they’re cruelty-free and never tested on animals.

33. Nakimo Panda Stapler


Great for: The coworker who has lots of paper that needs collating

Price: $3.00

Where to find it: Amazon

This adorable mini stapler is the ideal desk accessory for pretty much anyone!

34. Ladybug Contact Lens Case


Great for: Your contact-lens-wearing colleague

Price: $10.00

Where to find it: Amazon

Contact lens cases don’t need to be boring. This ladybug contact lens case will liven up your coworker’s morning.

35. Champagne Bears®


Great for: The colleague with a sweet tooth

Price: $3 - $45 depending on quantity

Where to find it: Sugarfina

These yummy, non-alcoholic gummy bears are sure to satisfy your coworker’s sugar craving. Plus, they come in fancy flavors like Brut and rose.

36. Literally anything from Flying Tiger


Great for: Your coworker with the super well-decorated cubicle

Price: Varies by item; plenty of giftable items under $5 available

Where to find it: Flying Tiger (in-store purchases only)

Flying Tiger is my favorite place to find everything I never knew I wanted but now have to have. You have to sort through a lot of strange odds and ends, but if your coworker is the kind of person who appreciates aesthetically-pleasing chachkies, she will love anything you get her from this Copenhagen-based store—such as a kitchen timer for $4, fuzzy socks for $3, strawberry-printed placemats for $2, and a cactus-inspired bowl for $3.

Need more ideas?

It’s never too early to start gearing up for the holiday season. Check out 23 Company Holiday Party Ideas That'll Sleigh, and for more gift ideas: 30 Holiday Gifts That'll Sleigh The Feminists In Your Life

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