Thirty bucks may not feel like a lot of dough, until you have to spend it on someone whose name you discovered yesterday after being appointed their office Secret Santa.
If you believe in Kris Kringle Karma, you’ll want to get something decent for your new friend in the hope that you too receive a wow-worthy office gift that trumps humdrum chocolates and bulk-bought wine.
Here are 10 Secret Santa office gift ideas for colleagues guaranteed to become the talk of the lunch room, without breaking the Kris Kringle budget.
1. Dinosaur Desk Planters (For the Big Kid) $20
You don’t even need to be into dinosaurs to appreciate these quirky, upcycled desktop companions. Great for potting succulents that require next to no maintenance, they can be left to their own devices over the Christmas break without risking extinction. If you’re looking for something even more unique, Perth brand When Cara Met Rex also offer custom orders.
2. Sassy Coffee Mugs (For the Caffeine Addict) $11.95
Depending on your company culture, you might get away with the cheeky slogans splashed across SPLOSH coffee mugs. If you’re struggling to find the right message, you can DIY design (or let them create their own) with a design your own mug box set for $12.95.
3. Inspo Pencils (For the Independent Woman) $17.95
Specially created with inspirational quotes for the career-driven woman, this set of 6 Miss Monogram Inspo pencils is foiled with gold and finished with an eraser, perfect for creative types who prefer working in pencil. For something a little more special, Miss Monogram also stock a great range of iPhone cases, keyrings and premium office accessories for all occasions.
4. Novelty Stationery (For the Easily Distracted) From $8.99
Why stop at one present when you can give them a collection of novelty stationery from Yellow Octopus? Bundle together a Think Big Oversized Eraser, Moustache Paperclips and a Mini Shopping Trolley Stationery Holder to give them something to look forward to (and fiddle with) when they return to work in 2018.
5. Phone Storage Water Bottles (For the Gym Junkie) $19.79
A phone storage water bottle helps active colleagues stay connected while keeping hydrated. These clever fitness accessories hold an iPhone 5, 6 or 7, along with credit cards, cash and car keys. The twist-off bottom has a port for headphones to continue listening while the phone is stowed, and the plastic is 100% BPA free and leak-proof, making them a great option for the gym, weekend hikes, biking or beach trips.
6. Reusable Stainless Steel Straws (For the Eco Warrior) $5.50
It takes around 700 years for one plastic straw to completely decompose, which is why the The Last Straw Co have created a stylish, affordable, stainless steel alternate that’s non-toxic and totally eco-friendly – great for office greenies and takeaway lovers who order in five days a week. Turn it into a complete set with a straw brush for easy cleaning and a calico pouch for safe keeping, all for under $30.
7. Scratch Maps (For the Daydreamer) $25.99
Whether they’re a workplace distraction or source of motivation is yet to be proven, but these Travel Scratch Maps make the perfect office Secret Santa gift for avid travellers. They simply scratch off the land masses covered in foil to reveal all the countries they’ve already seen, while gloating to colleagues about where they’ll head next!
8. Fast Food Reusable Sandwich Bags (For the Sanga Fan) $9.99
Straight out of a comic book, these re-usable, easy to clean, BPA and PVC free Fast Food Sandwich Bags are a Kris Kringle winner. Printed 2D to look 3D, the Italian deli bag, stripy pizza pack and hunger-busting burger box are fitted with thermal foil liner designed to keep hot food hot, cold food cold, and users looking super cool in the lunch room.
9. Nailed It Note Pad (For the Passive Aggressor)
There’s a serial note-maker in every office. Save them the hassle of writing out their frustrations in full with Nifty Notes pre-written workplace templates. It’s modern-day etiquette for the masses to keep work colleagues in line, minus the confrontation.
10. Gold Bottle Stoppers (For the Wino) $21.27
Work and wine go hand-in-hand for some on a Friday arvo. Surprise a Lambrusco lover with a playful gold-tone bottle stopper from Shopbop. Does there need to be a reason behind gifting a unicorn, cactus or mermaid tail accessory? About as much reason is needed to have a wine at work!
BONUS GIFT (For the Germaphobe) FREE
Give the gift of sanitisation this Christmas with a free workstation sanitisation valued at $40. If your office is within a 15km radius of the Sydney CBD and has more than 25 workstations, we’ll send our Technical Cleaning Team out to provide a complete demonstration of our CleanCare Service while sterilising your Secret Santa recipient’s entire workstation for FREE.
We’ll even throw in a box of chocolates to sweeten the deal, along with some pocket hand sanitiser to keep workplace germs at bay, which have been found to have varying levels of bugs such as e.coli, coliform bacteria (associated with faecal matter), staphylococcus aureus, enterobacteria, MSSA, Hepatitis and Influenza (responsible for skin infections, gastro problems and other illnesses affecting workplace absenteeism).
Got a germaphobe in your office? Request a free workstation sanitisation Gift Voucher to present to your Secret Santa recipient for them to book a convenient time for their service, valid until Dec 14 2017.