Everything You Should Know about Secret Santa this Festive Season

Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas. The biggest gift-giving season is nearly here. If you are looking to keep things interesting and fun this year, why not consider the Secret Santa gift exchange?

In Secret Santa, a group of people whether friends, colleagues, or family draw names randomly then each person is assigned to get a series of small gifts for one of the participants. In essence, you take on the role of “Secret Santa” because the recipient does not get to know your identity.

While it may sound tasking to have a lot of people on your list to give this year, look at the silver lining. You get to spread love, bond with loved ones, and put a vibrant smile on someone’s face. What a beautiful way to kick off the Christmas spirit!

Are you yet to try out this Secret Santa gift giving? Or perhaps you are looking for inspirational gift ideas for a loved one or that complete stranger you hardly interact with at work, worry not. We got you. Today we have rounded up tons of gift ideas to help with your gift hunt. But first, below is a brief overview on what Secret Santa truly entails.

The History and Beauty of Secret Santa Gift Giving

The Secret Santa tradition goes back a long way but the most popular origin story is tied to a philanthropist named Larry Dean Stewart. He came up with the idea of giving anonymous gifts during Christmas. He anonymously donated $100 bills to people in Kansas and $25000 to people in New York after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. His identity remained secret till years later.

Over time, this gift giving concept spread like wildfire into different continents including Africa. It slowly sipped into countries like Kenya, Nigeria, Zambia, South Africa, and Madagascar till it was all over.  After all, who can resist a gift giving game that turns an average Joe into a sneaky elf?

Today, this tradition has become increasingly popular, and it is widely celebrated in family get-togethers, corporations and chamas. Even businesses like amazon and Jumia have incorporated festive gift offers under a secret Santa category.

How does Secret Santa Gift Giving Work?

When playing Secret Santa, every participant writes down their name into a piece of paper, folds it up, and puts it in a bowl, hat, or anything similar. The bowl is passed around and every person draws out a name. Finally, you gift whoever’s name you pick, easy-peasy!

Is Secret Santa the same among coworkers, family, or friends? Different rules apply for different groups, it depends heavily on your setting.

• Keep it secret. As much as it can be tempting to cave in whenever someone asks who you are meant to gift, remember the thrill of Secret Santa is the anonymous factor. Do not give in and kill the fun.
• Set a budget limit. Secret Santa is not meant to be an expensive game. So if and when you make a budget on how much you should spend on gifts, stick to it. At the end of the day, it is the thought that counts.
• Set a date to exchange gifts. Ensure everyone labels their gift and have a bulletproof plan about how people can safely place their gifts without prying eyes watching them. Then later on, you can all gather together and pick your gifts. Or you can simply ship the gift to the recipient on the D-day.

Fascinating Gift Ideas for Affordable Secret Santa this Christmas

With Christmas edging closer, nothing melts a heart better than a nice thoughtfully chosen gift. However, finding the ideal gift is no walk in the park especially if it is meant for your intimidating boss or that colleague you hardly know. Luckily, we have summed up a short list of the best budget-friendly secret Santa gift ideas.

• Birthstone Jewelry

Rather than getting your friend or family the same old holiday card you give them every year, how about you change things up this year? Get your loved one birthstone jewelry and let your gift speak volumes of how much they mean to you.

• Home Décor

A home is a person’s happy place so you can hardly ever go wrong with home décor. However, stray away from larger pieces like a dining set or couch. Instead, go for smaller more personal pieces like classy kitchenware, customized coasters, or a warm cozy blanket that screams thoughtful.

• Personalized Gifts

Personalized gifts are priceless. Match your gift to your recipient’s sense of style and personality. Shopping for the office joker? How about you get him something that matches his sense of humor like an ironic cartoon t-shirt? Shopping for your geeky friend? Star wars figurines or a nicely customized USB flash disk will make a perfect gift.

• Silver Jewelry

Not sure what your assigned recipient is into? Silver jewelry is an exquisite, affordable yet meaningful gift. Its shimmering grey colour shines beautifully to effortlessly complement any look. From , bracelets, watches, earrings to necklaces, you have vast options to choose from.

• Gift Basket

If you cannot seem to come up with the perfect Christmas gift, relax. Who said you have to get one grand gift? You can opt to get several small gifts like chocolates, wine, scented candles, candy, and a beautifully written gift card into a gift basket. Imagine not just getting one but multiple gifts for Christmas. Sounds amazing, right?

• Homemade Gifts

Are you tight on a budget but still insist on getting your loved one a sentimental gift, then homemade gifts are the way to go. Find out what the person you have chosen loves then make them a specialized unique gift. For instance, if your coworker or friend is a cake enthusiast, why not bake them an awesome cake. You can also attach the recipe along with the gift if ever they want to cook it themselves.

Final Thoughts

Aside from holding family get-togethers, singing carols, decorating the Christmas tree, and going for vacations, Christmas is also the ultimate gift giving season. The idea of secret Santa particularly, has an underlying infectious energy of giving and receiving that defines the Christmas spirit. Now that you know how to go about it, let nothing hold you back. Get shopping today and be the best secret Santa. Happy gifting!