Secret Santa gifts under £10 that people actually keep
Office-safe, crowd-pleasing ideas that work even if you barely know the person, and none of them are destined for the bin.
More ideas: Secret Santa gift ideasGifts for colleaguesChristmas gift ideas
Secret Santa is hard because you’re often buying for someone you only know from meetings. The joke gift feels safe, but most of them end up in a drawer by January. The better approach is something small and consumable, or a useful little upgrade that almost anyone would appreciate.
Every idea here usually comes in around the £10 mark, though prices move about, especially in December. Check the price before you buy, including postage.
Photos are illustrative. We may earn a small commission if you buy, at no extra cost to you. How we pick · How this works.
A mini hot sauce set
£ Budget
Small bottles, lots of variety, and it gets eaten rather than stored. A good pick for anyone who brings interesting lunches.
Worth knowing: Choose a set with a range of heat levels unless you know they love spicy food.
See options on AmazonA hardback A5 notebook
£ Budget
Everyone at work uses a notebook, and a nice one feels like a treat compared with the stationery cupboard.
Our pick
9.3/10
STATIONERY ISLAND A5 Dotted Hardback Notebook
£7.99 RRP
Thick 120gsm paper that pens don’t bleed through, in a smart hardback. For bullet journals, to-do lists or doodling in meetings.
- A5 hardback
- 180 dotted pages
- Thick 120gsm paper
- Elastic closure
What owners say: Lovely thick pages with no bleed-through, and it looks smart on a desk.
Available at Amazon – check today’s price or compare other optionsA quick card game
£ Budget
Small, cheap and perfect for the Christmas break with family. Quick games that play in 15 minutes get used the most.
Our pick
9.4/10
Monopoly Deal Card Game
£5.99 RRP
All the scheming, stealing and gloating of Monopoly, in about 15 minutes. Office lunch breaks will never be the same.
- Swap, steal and scheme
- 15-minute games
- Easy to learn
- Pocket size
What owners say: A great take on Monopoly: quick, easy to pick up and hours of fun.
Available at Amazon – check today’s price or compare other optionsA hand cream set
£ Budget
Winter wrecks everyone’s hands. A set of travel-size tubes goes in desk drawers, coat pockets and handbags.
Our pick
9.1/10
Cath Kidston Orange Blossom Hand Cream Trio
£8 RRP
Three pretty handbag-size tubes, comfortably under £10. A safe, likeable choice for almost anyone.
- 3 × 30ml
- Orange blossom scent
- Shea and cocoa butter
- Vegan
What owners say: A lovely scent, soft non-greasy feel and great value.
Available at Amazon – check today’s price or compare other optionsFun patterned socks
£ Budget
Socks with a bit of personality are the rare “fun” gift that also gets worn. Food, animal or Christmas designs all go down well.
Our pick
9.1/10
Cavertin Novelty Socks in a Gift Box
£ Under £15
Lots of designs, from book lovers to dog people, in a gift box. Pick the one that fits the person.
- Gift boxed
- Soft cotton blend
- Lots of designs
- One size fits most
What owners say: Cute, comfortable and soft, and they always get a laugh.
Available at Amazon – check today’s price or compare other optionsA small scented candle tin
£ Budget
Travel tins are cheap but feel like a proper present. Winter scents like cinnamon, fig or pine suit the season.
Our pick
9.1/10
Scented Soy Candle Tins (4-pack)
£ Under £15
Four little soy candles in lavender, freesia, vanilla and rose, in a gift box with a card. Instantly cosier desks.
- 4 soy candle tins
- Lavender, freesia, vanilla, rose
- Gift box and card
What owners say: Good quality, lovely scents and a great little gift.
Available at Amazon – check today’s price or compare other optionsHot chocolate stirrers
£ Budget
Stir into hot milk for a proper hot chocolate. They look lovely wrapped and get used up by New Year.
Our pick
9.1/10
Milk Chocolate Hot Chocolate Spoons with Marshmallows (3-pack)
£ Under £15
Belgian milk chocolate spoons topped with mini marshmallows: stir into hot milk and there’s instant hot chocolate.
- 3 × 25g stirrers
- Belgian milk chocolate
- Mini marshmallows
- Snowman gift box
What owners say: Delicious, not too sweet and a lovely little gift.
Available at Amazon – check today’s price or compare other optionsAn adjustable phone stand
£ Budget
Handy for video calls, recipes and watching things at the desk over lunch. A metal one feels much sturdier than the price suggests.
Our pick
9.2/10
Nulaxy Aluminium Folding Phone Stand
£12.99 RRP
Solid aluminium, folds flat and holds a phone at the perfect angle for video calls and recipes.
- Aluminium
- Folds flat
- Adjustable angle
- Fits phones and small tablets
What owners say: Sturdy, versatile and works in portrait or landscape.
Available at Amazon – check today’s price or compare other optionsA grow-your-own herb kit
£ Budget
Something to look after on a kitchen windowsill through January. Nice for people who like cooking or a bit of green on their desk.
Our pick
8.5/10
Pronto Seed Herb Bumper Pack (24 varieties)
£ Under £15
Twenty-four herb varieties to grow on a windowsill. A gift that keeps giving well into spring.
- 24 herb varieties
- 4 themed collections
- Indoor or outdoor
- Easy instructions
What owners say: A great selection of herbs and a nice gift.
Heads up: It’s seeds only, so they’ll need a few pots and some compost.
Available at Amazon – check today’s price or compare other optionsA keyring torch
£ Budget
Dark mornings and evenings make this genuinely useful for finding keyholes and car doors. Tiny but surprisingly bright.
Our pick
9.3/10
Blukar Rechargeable Mini Keyring Torch
£7.99 RRP
Tiny, bright and charges by USB, so there’s always a torch on the keys for finding the front door lock.
- 3 brightness modes
- USB rechargeable
- Charge indicator
- Keyring clip
What owners say: The perfect everyday pocket torch, bright enough to see the way home.
Available at Amazon – check today’s price or compare other optionsPopcorn seasoning set
£ Budget
A fun way to upgrade film nights. Pair with a bag of kernels and it’s a complete gift.
See options on AmazonA reusable coffee cup
£ Budget
Many coffee shops give a small discount for bringing your own cup, so it pays for itself. A leak-proof lid is the key feature.
Our pick
8.9/10
YINJOYI Insulated Travel Mug
£ Under £15
Double-walled steel keeps coffee hot on the commute, and the lid doesn’t leak in a bag.
- Double-walled steel
- Leakproof lid
- Hot or cold drinks
- Fits car cup holders
What owners say: Good quality, doesn’t leak and is easy to clean.
Available at Amazon – check today’s price or compare other optionsSecret Santa tips
- Stick to the price limit. Going way over can make others feel awkward.
- If you don’t know them well, choose something consumable or universally useful.
- Avoid anything that comments on appearance, age or weight, even as a joke.
- Order early: December delivery gets slow and prices can creep up.
Not quite right? Tell us who it’s for and we’ll pick from all our lists.
Try the gift finderBudget guide: £ roughly under £15 · ££ roughly £15–£40 · £££ over £40. Prices vary between retailers and over time.
