Secret Santa gift ideas in Australia

Buy for the situation

You are usually buying for someone you know a little. Buy things that get used up or used daily, and that nobody would mind opening at the office party. Coffee and tea: a KeepCup or Ever Eco cup for the daily flat white, a Koala Tea tin, the T2 mug. Chocolate: Patons macadamias, or Sweet William if you know nothing about their diet. Games: Sushi Go Party or 25 Words or Less for someone with a family.

Hitting the limit

Spend close to the limit. Going over makes the person who stuck to it look stingy. If one item falls short, pair two: the paperclips with a chocolate block, or Lanolips with a tea tin. Two small useful things read as more generous than one bigger one. If the limit is higher than usual, the AeroPress Clear suits a coffee drinker.

If you know one thing

Use it. Buys a takeaway coffee every morning: a KeepCup or Ever Eco cup. Drinks tea: Koala Tea or the T2 mug. Likes puzzles: 30 Cubed. Fixes things: the iFixit kit. Always borrowing a charger: the Cygnett. Has a family: Sushi Go Party. If you know nothing, a chocolate block and a game are the safest pair.

What to avoid

Joke gifts, scented products and alcohol unless you know the person. Watch allergens: Patons macadamias contain nuts and milk, which is why Sweet William's dairy-free, nut-free block is the safer chocolate when you know nothing about their diet. Lanolips is not vegan. Check their phone before buying an Apple gift card.

Summer delivery

An Australian office party lands in summer, and chocolate can melt in a hot delivery van. Order chocolate close to the day, or buy it in person, and keep it out of the car. The cups, the charger, the games and the tea travel fine, so post those first and leave chocolate for last. If you forget entirely, an Apple gift card arrives by email.

Questions people ask

What is a good Secret Santa gift for a coworker?

Something useful and neutral: a bag of good coffee, a box of tea, a travel mug, a notebook or a short card game. These work whether or not you know the person well, and nobody is embarrassed to open them in front of the team. Avoid scented products, alcohol and joke gifts unless you know the person well.

How much should you spend on Secret Santa?

Stick to the group's limit and spend close to it. Most office exchanges land around $20 to $30, or £15 to £25 in the UK. Going well over makes others look cheap, and going well under can look careless. If one item falls short, pair two small things, such as a mug and a bag of coffee.

What is a good Secret Santa gift for someone you do not know?

Pick something nearly everyone uses. Chocolate, coffee, tea, a quick card game or a good notebook all work. Games like Exploding Kittens or Herd Mentality suit people with families or friends who play together. If you can ask a mutual friend one question, ask whether they drink coffee or tea, and buy from there.

Is a gift card OK for Secret Santa?

It is acceptable but a little flat, since the point of Secret Santa is a small surprise. A gift card works best as a last-minute fix or when the person is hard to buy for. Make sure it fits them: an Apple Gift Card is useless to an Android user. Put it inside a card with a small treat if you can.