Discover the ultimate list of budget-friendly yet perfect gift ideas for your Secret Santa gift exchange with confidence!
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When Christmas rolls around, we become excited as we pick a Secret Santa at work, with friends, or within the family. There’s the thrill of giving someone gifts anonymously, but we also can’t deny that this tradition has its own challenges. For instance, you want to find a practical and thoughtful gift idea for Secret Santa, so you don’t blow your holiday budget.
I’ve rounded up the best Secret Santa gift ideas for almost all personalities. Whether your Secret Santa is a health and fitness buff, a tech-savvy coffee-lover, or has a green thumb, you’ll be inspired by these brilliant gift ideas for your Secret Santa recipient.
And the best part is, these perfect gift ideas cost less than $40! So, if you want to make someone happy during the holiday season and save money, this is the ultimate list of the best Secret Santa gifts for you!
Cheap Secret Santa Gifts
- Coffee mugs
I know coffee mugs are classic and unmistakable. But it makes a difference if you know what your Secret Santa likes, and then you can get the best coffee mug for him/her. Take, for example, this heat-changing coffee mug. When you pour hot water, the coffee mug looks like a beer mug. This is cool and quirky, and such a gift is perfect for people who love coffee in the morning and beer in the evening!
Photo by CUUNUMU (Amazon)
- Butterfly Pea Loose Leaf Tea
If your Secret Santa recipient is not a massive fan of coffee, then she would appreciate tea more. Loose-leaf tea is a great gift for your Secret Santa exchange. Consider getting a pack or two of this Butterfly Pea Tea loose-leaf tea, the perfect tea to drink before bedtime. It is packed with antioxidants, which help prevent several health conditions, help induce sleep (great for people with insomnia), and reduce brain fog and anxiety.
Photo by The Blue Tea Store (Amazon)
- Scented candle
Scented candles make the perfect Secret Santa gift. They are universally enjoyed, they appeal to a wide range of personalities, and you can pick scents that evoke a specific emotion or match the season. Men and women alike can benefit from receiving scented candles as Secret Santa gifts, so you can never go wrong with getting this present for your recipient.
Photo by FKJOL Store (Amazon)
- Essential oils
Essential oils are also a great Secret Santa gift. With the hectic holiday season, your Secret Santa would certainly appreciate aromatherapy to help boost their moods, relax, or rejuvenate amidst the happy chaos. You can purchase a set of essential oils composed of different scents for cheap like this, and it already comes in a beautiful box, too!
Photo by Wtrcsv (Amazon)
- Desk organizer
Whether your Secret Santa giftee is a family member or a colleague who has always struggled to keep their desks clean and clutter-free, giving them a desk organizer as a gift is always a good idea. Desk organizers can help keep paperwork, accessories, and other random items in their proper places, making their workstations look much neater and more organized.
Photo by The Blue Monaco (Amazon)
- Lip balm
If you’re looking for thoughtful gift ideas for your Secret Santa gift exchange, consider getting your recipient a lip balm. Chapped lips are expected during the cold season, so a lip balm is just what we need to keep our lips healthy, soft, and moisturized. But to level up your gift-giving game, pick a lip balm gift set, such as this one from Burt’s Bees, that comes in holiday flavors and is suitable for both men and women.
Photo by The Burt’s Bees Store
- Oversized Cardigan
Ugly christmas sweaters are out, and gorgeous oversized cardigans are in! A beautiful cardigan is a unique gift that your Secret Santa will surely appreciate. It is made with comfortable and breathable material, perfect for the fall and winter. I suggest getting one in neutral colors so it’s easy to style and layer with other clothes.
Photo by LILLUSORY STORE (Amazon)
- Bluetooth speaker
A Bluetooth speaker is one of the best Secret Santa gifts you could give. It’s the perfect gift for both men and women, young and young at heart. Also, if you are still determining what you could be on your recipient’s Secret Santa list, this device could be a thoughtful present because most people love music. So let your Secret Santa enjoy the holiday tunes courtesy of this heartily given gift!
Photo by Ortizan (Amazon)
- Laptop sleeves
If you’re looking for brilliant, helpful, and practical Secret Santa gift ideas for coworkers, consider getting them laptop sleeves. Laptop sleeves help protect their precious laptops, so they’d really make thoughtful gifts for your colleagues. You can find a range of laptop sleeves in different colors and designs, so you will find the perfect gift for your Secret Santa. For example, these laptop sleeves fit Macbook Air and Pro, made with polyester material with foam padding to protect laptops against bumps.
Photo by MOSISO (Amazon)
- Coffee tumbler
Is your Secret Santa giftee addicted to coffee? Coffee lovers will rejoice in getting a coffee tumbler as a Secret Santa gift. Pick one with vacuum insulation to keep cold drinks cold and hot drinks hot for hours. Consider getting one with a lid and straw for easy drinking access, such as when working or driving.
Photo by Simple Modern (Amazon)
- Reusable water bottle
Staying hydrated is a must for all of us, which is precisely why a reusable water bottle is one of the best Secret Santa gift ideas. It is an excellent gift because it encourages your giftee to increase water intake without spending money on plastic water bottles. Reusable water bottles are eco-friendly and affordable, plus you can have them customized according to your giftee’s favorite color, theme, or design.
Photo by Iron Flask (Amazon)
- Cozy blanket
It feels so good to snuggle up during the cold holiday season, so a cozy and fluffy blanket is the best gift you could give to your Secret Santa. A cozy blanket like this is reversible, and both sides offer maximum softness and comfort. It is so thick, warm, and durable that your Secret Santa can use it for years. This fleece blanket arrives in a gift-ready package, so all you have to do is give this to your Secret Santa.
Photo by Bedsore (Amazon)
- Cookbook
Want some of the best Secret Santa gifts for people who love to cook? A cookbook is the answer! Cookbooks are excellent Secret Santa gifts because they inspire cooking enthusiasts to explore their passion. Depending on the diet, cuisine, and cooking techniques, you can find a wide range of cookbooks, allowing your giftee to expand their culinary knowledge and skills and find cooking even more enjoyable.
Photo by Joshua Weissman (Amazon)
- Engraved Jewelry Box
You can never go wrong with a personalized gift, so an engraved jewelry box like this is an excellent gift for your Secret Santa exchange. A jewelry box is an incredible gift idea for someone who likes to collect and wear jewelry and accessories, allowing her to organize her jewelry and prevent it from getting all mixed or tangled up. Engraving the jewelry box with the giftee’s name makes it even more special.
- Wireless phone charger
We rely on our smartphones every day, so a wireless phone charger proves to be one of the best Secret Santa gifts you could ever give. A wireless charger is much more convenient and practical than a conventional wired charger as you only need to put your phone on the charger, and you won’t have to deal with messy and tangled wires. Although a wireless phone charger looks sleek and modern, it is user-friendly and appeals to varying tech-savvy levels.
Photo by INIU (Amazon)
- Coffee mug warmer
For a giftee who loves coffee, a coffee mug warmer is a unique gift this holiday season. A coffee mug warmer is incredibly practical, as it helps keep beverages warm and more enjoyable to drink. It also appeals to a wide range of people, whether you’re gifting a family member or a co-worker. Budget-friendly and cost-effective, a coffee mug warmer is one of the best Secret Santa gifts you could give, and your recipient will surely be delighted to have it!
Photo by COSORI (Amazon)
- Plant Sweatshirt
For a Secret Santa obsessed over succulents, a plant-themed sweatshirt will surely bring a smile to her face. It is the best Secret Santa gift for someone who loves succulents, plants, and gardening. It is made with soft cotton polyester materials, so it’s incredibly cozy and comfortable. They come in beautiful neutral colors, so these sweatshirts pair easily with anything!
Photo by Bee Shirt Designs (Etsy)
- Cosmetic Makeup Bag
If you’re doing a Secret Santa gift exchange with your girl friend group, then a personalized cosmetic makeup bag is one of the best Secret Santa gifts to give. This is a brilliant gift idea for women, and it helps them store and organize their makeup items and self-care essentials in one easy-to-carry bag. For someone who travels a lot, this is also a great gift. Consider getting the cosmetic makeup bag monogrammed or engraved with the recipient’s name to level up your gift-giving game.
- Wearable Blanket Hoodie
A wearable fleece blanket takes coziness and comfort to the next level because you can wear it. It’s like a robe and blanket rolled into one, and it even comes with a belt that you can tighten and loosen based on what you like. With the cold holiday season requiring all sorts of cozy things to wear, this wearable blanket hoodie will undoubtedly make one of the best Secret Santa gifts.
Photo by Bedsure (Amazon)
- The gift of skills and knowledge
While most people focus on giving material things as presents, some of the most understated Secret Santa gift ideas are actually the gifts of skills and knowledge. If your Secret Santa wants to level up in her life or career by learning new skills or improving the skills she already has, then these courses are going to be the perfect gift you could ever give. Some of the best courses you could give as gifts are:
- Transcribe Anywhere: an online transcription course that helps you learn transcription and build a transcription business from the ground up. This brilliant all-inclusive course is jam-packed with practical lessons and tons of support.
- Fully Booked VA: This reputable virtual assistance course helps you build and scale up your VA business. This is an educational resource and a welcoming community where you can meet and network with like-minded individuals.
- Bookkeepers Launch: This is the best course for a Secret Santa who wants to learn bookkeeping. Bookkeepers is a fantastic online course for bookkeeping, offering proven and tested bookkeeping techniques and methodologies to keep up with the demands of the 21st century.
- Stupid Simple SEO: For anyone wanting to learn search engine optimization or SEO, this course can be one of the best Secret Santa gifts. Stupid Simple SEO breaks down SEO concepts into easy-to-follow and understand concepts, allowing you to make money from your blog easily. This exceptional course allows bloggers and bloggers-to-be to understand SEO without the fear and intimidation of complicated concepts.
Final Thoughts
There is a list of practical and thoughtful gift ideas for your Secret Santa gift exchange. Doing Secret Santa during the holiday season makes it more fun and exciting, but it also doesn’t mean you have to spend top dollar to make another person happy.
Like they say, it’s the thought that counts. Also, put some effort into getting to know your Secret Santa a little better, and you’ll definitely find the perfect gift that will make her happy and your budget satisfied. It’s a win-win for both parties!
Which of these Secret Santa gift ideas appeal most to you? What would you add to this list? Let’s connect in the comments.
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