Secret Santa gift ideas in Canada

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 in front of the office. Food and drink: Kicking Horse coffee, DesBarres hot chocolate, a Peace by Chocolate bar. Desk and carry: a Leuchtturm notebook, a Roots mug. Winter: a Stanfield's toque for someone who walks or works outside. Games: Exploding Kittens, which takes about 15 minutes a round.

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: a Roots mug with a bag of coffee, or a Peace by Chocolate bar with a Rubik's Cube. Two small useful things read as more generous than one slightly bigger one. If the limit is higher than usual, the AeroPress Clear suits a coffee drinker.

If you know one thing

Use it. Drinks coffee at their desk: Kicking Horse or a Roots mug. Drinks matcha: the bamboo whisk. Walks the dog in winter: the Stanfield's toque. Plans on paper: the Leuchtturm. Fixes things: the iFixit kit. Has a family or plays games: Exploding Kittens. If you know nothing, chocolate and a game are the safest pair.

What to avoid

Joke gifts, scented products and alcohol unless you know the person. Watch allergens: Peace by Chocolate contains hazelnuts, and DesBarres hot chocolate has chiles in it, which not everyone wants. Check before buying anything tied to a phone; the AirTag and Apple gift card are useless to an Android user.

Timing

Office draws often happen two or three weeks before the party, and Canada Post slows down in December. Order early. DesBarres ships within Canada only. If you forget entirely, an Apple gift card arrives by email. Put the code in a card with a chocolate bar so there is still something to open.

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.