Thoughtful Secret Santa gifts under £20
The best Secret Santa gift under £20 is something a colleague can eat, watch or use without it saying anything about you: an ethically sourced treat box, a film rental, or a shared dessert voucher.
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Secret Santa is a test of whether you can be thoughtful about someone you have spoken to twice, mostly about the printer.
This is not an exhaustive list, rather a short list of three solid gift suggestions that I stand behind, price checked this week.
Three Secret Santa gifts under £20
1. Secret Santa Letterbox, £19
A small box of ethically sourced treats from Social Stories Club: milk chocolate, dark chocolate, apple crisps made from wonky apples that would otherwise be binned, maple pecans, and a booklet about the social enterprises behind each one. It goes through the letterbox, UK delivery is free, and you can add a personal note. Estimated delivery, not a courier guarantee, is about four days.
Why it passes: Story is the strong suit, because the booklet gives the recipient something to read and talk about. It is safe for a near-stranger, which is the whole job. It is packed with treats that are too delicious to last long (so Longevity is low) but that is fine at £19. It contains nuts, so check before you buy. Ad · affiliate link See it at Social Stories Club
2. Slug and Lettuce Sweet Treat Experience for Two, £10
A Buyagift voucher for a selection of mini desserts for two at Slug and Lettuce, which Buyagift says has 50 locations. It is the second-string pick: a gift for two is awkward when you barely know the person. It works if you know they have a partner or a regular lunch pal. Buyagift shows only three reviews, so I would not oversell it. Check the nearest branch and the expiry date before you buy.
Why it passes: Memory and Story, because it is an outing rather than an object. It scores low on Longevity until it is used. At £10 you have £9 left for a card and a decent bit of wrapping. Ad · affiliate link See it at Buyagift
3. Rent a Movie with CHILI, £5.99
A film rental voucher from Buyagift that works for anyone who watches films, whatever they like. It is the least personal option here and at the lower end of the budget, so treat it as the rescue option for the colleague you cannot read at all. Pair it with something small you pick up yourself, and keep the total under the limit.
Why it passes: Frequency is the honest reason. People watch films all the time, so it will be used. It scores low on Memory and Personal fit, which is why it is third. Ad · affiliate link See it at Buyagift
How to choose when you barely know them
Pick something useful, light-hearted and hard to get wrong. Crowd pleasing food and beverages, a film night, a small desk item. Anything that comments on their body, their home, their relationships or their drinking is a bad bet, however funny it seemed in the shop.
If you know one thing about them, match it. A colleague who talks about the cricket will like a cricket-themed present more than the cleverest generic one. One real detail beats £10 of extra spend. If you know nothing, ask whoever sits next to them what they do at lunch. It is not cheating.
Skip alcohol unless you know they drink. Skip scented items, because nose preferences are personal. Skip anything with their name on it, unless you want a conversation with HR about how you got their middle name.
Wrap it properly. A well-wrapped £10 gift looks thought through. A badly wrapped £20 gift looks like you remembered at 8.45 that morning.
For the full method, read how we pick. It sets out the five-point test used above: Longevity, Memory, Personal fit, Frequency and Story.
Secret Santa questions
How much should I spend on a Secret Santa gift?
Spend whatever your group agreed, and check whether the limit includes postage, because it often does not say. If delivery is extra, a £19 gift can quietly become a £23 one. The Letterbox above has free UK delivery, so £19 means £19.
What is a safe Secret Santa gift for a colleague I do not know much about?
Food that suits most people, a film rental or a small desk item. Avoid alcohol, scented products and anything personal. The aim is something they are glad to receive and easy to use, without it telling them anything about what you think of them.
Can I still get a Secret Santa gift delivered in time?
Usually, if you order early. Our delivery times are estimates from the retailer, not courier guarantees. Vouchers are estimated as instant. The Letterbox is estimated at about four days. Check the retailer page for cut-off dates, then add a few days in case of delays.
Should I put a note with a Secret Santa gift?
Yes, but keep it short and anonymous if your group does reveals later. One line saying why you chose it is enough, such as "For the person who always has the best biscuits". The Letterbox lets you add a personalised note at checkout.
Does Mind The Gift cost anything to use?
No. It is free, and you do not need an account to get recommendations. We earn a commission if you buy through some links, which is how we pay for it. Links are labelled as affiliate links before you click, and you can read the detail in our affiliate disclosure.
Want something more specific?
Mind The Gift has a Secret Santa mode. It sets the recipient as a colleague and the occasion as Secret Santa, then asks your budget and how soon you need it. It is free and needs no sign-up. Try the Secret Santa mode.
Also useful: how we pick and all our gift guides.