Ah … to be young and enthusiastic again about participating in Secret Santa.
I Must Confess: the hubster and I have both been burned and try to avoid the whole thing whenever possible (I shared last week about how my family is organising a Quirky Kris Kringle this year, which should be a bit of fun).
Although giving can be joyful and almost as much fun as receiving, it’s a real letdown when you receive a Secret Santa gift that clearly has had NO thought put into it at all. It’s very discouraging, particularly when you have put your heart and soul into choosing an awesome gift for somebody else.
I think trying to choose something specifically with your recipient in mind, is the key to success in the Secret Santa stakes.
Worst Secret Santa Gifts Ever!
Make like a detective and do a bit of investigating into your recipient’s hobbies and interests. Don’t make the mistake of giving a set of wine glass charms, to somebody who never hardly ever drinks alcohol (yes, this happened to me!).
The hubster complains that he always seems to receive very “generic” gifts, like bath products, chocolate or wine. Take it from me, NO man wants to receive soap for Christmas! Booooooring. Chocolate and wine are acceptable, but not very imaginative or personal …
Although Amy from Handbag Mafia recently told a tale of a workmate who received a box of chocolate one year … that had already been opened … AND sampled!
But perhaps the worst Secret Santa gift that I have ever received, was at work when I was a library assistant. My Secret Santa gave me a book … signed by the author … made out to the head librarian … AND with random pages torn out (I’m guessing for some craft project)!
I’m still shaking my head over that one, all these years later …
Secret Santa – love it or hate it? What’s the worst Secret Santa gift you’ve ever heard of – or had the misfortune to receive?!
I skipped Secret Santa for the first time ever this year. It’s so stressful trying to pick out something I couldn’t face it. I usually spend way too much in an attempt to avoid a disappointed face when I watch them opening their present. One year I received a wooden Xmas tree which was broken while I’d bought my secret Santa a $3o Myer voucher.
It’s so disappointing when people don’t embrace it and give a crap present. I’d rather they didn’t participate at all if that’s what they’re going to do!
I generally like Secret Santa – we do it for family and it’s a bit fun.
We don’t have one at work but the soap, chocolate and wine… yep I’ve been given all three of those this year already. Seeing as they were all non secret santa, just sheer kindness, it was very nice !
Sounds like your Christmas is off to a good start then! xxx
I love taking part in secret Santa! I used to spend days thinking of the perfect gift for my recipient at work. The last year I was working in an office I spent hours selecting a wooden cheese board, gourmet cheese board chutneys and relishes and wrapped it all up in a high quality tea towel (the recipient was the office foodie/gourmet cook). Despite being told we weren’t allowed to give chocolates or wine, I received that same year a box of Roses chocolates with my name scrawled on the top with Nikko pen. No thought at all (and way under the $30 budget!). The worst! It actually hurt to think the person spent zero time and effort.
I used to Jasmine … got burnt a couple of times, like what happened with you. Do people think they can get away with it because it’s anonymous, just like trolls on the web?!
We did Bad Santa one year. Best fun, can’t remember what I was given but my dad scored a tin of biscuits which he hid behind his back so no one could swap. My mum received 100 dental floss picks and we never played Bad Santa again.
Haha the hubster’s office did this last year and he got a pair of rubber gloves and a dishwashing brush. Needless to say he was not impressed!
I am honestly gobsmacked at some of the examples you’ve written about!! Gosh some people are crappy!
I wonder if they are just busy or slack or mean spirited?!
My worst Secret Santa gift is a toss up between an umbrella from a tennis xmas party and a kids’ DVD that I received from someone at work. No thought at all in either of them!
Yup, they’re both pretty lame … sounds like they might have been re-gifted even!
Oh people make me laugh sometimes, Umm pages ripped out??
I know right! I’m guessing she left it til the last minute and just grabbed something off her desk, to re-gift, not realising she’d used some pages for a craft project and that it was signed to her!!!!
I’ve never actually been involved in a secret santa. The worst gift I’ve ever received over the years was from a friend, who obviously went through her pantry for our gifts and regifted me a box of T2, out of date and on opening full of insects. It was sickening. Her gift the following year was just as good, a stationary gift pack that had already been used.
What??????? Why even give anything?!
Wow that’s really lame. Like Lydia says – why do they even bother?! I don’t exchange Christmas gifts with friends any more, but it doesn’t mean I love them any less!
I love secret Santa but have been burnt so many times by dodgy people that I do sometimes hesitate to participate. I think that if you are not going to participate properly then you shouldn’t do it. I was delivered a half eaten Mars Bar once with a ‘sorry, I got hungry’ message… Not impressed!
I wonder are they a. lazy b. slack or c. just plain mean-spirited?
The worse one I have seen was a very rude and cheap ornament. We had to unwrap them in front of everyone. The best part was the lady that received it, unwrapped it, and walked over to a big bin and dropped it in. The gift as totally inappropriate in a work situation. Near on vile. I was glad it was not me as I would have never thought to dump it to show my disgust. Brave lady.
What a great reaction Fran! My sis was telling me she had a similar embarrassing situation when she was a young newlywed and received a pair of crotchless knickers, she was mortified … I bet she wishes she’d thought to do this!