Christmastime is for get-togethers, parties and exchanging gifts. This can be fun with friends and family members but when it comes to colleagues, things can get a bit tricky. A lot of offices choose to hold Secret Santa gift exchanges, so each person just has to get one gift instead of buying something for everyone in their team. This makes things fun and inexpensive. If you’re part of your Office Secret Santa this year and wondering how to go about things the right way, read this list of Office Secret Santa Dos and Don’ts by HiCounselor.
Office Secret Santa rules usually include a budget. This is done so no one feels pressured to buy expensive gifts. General consensus is that the budget should be from $5 to $20. Most people are comfortable spending within this range. Some offices also set a minimum budget because there are always a couple of people who don’t want to put in any money or effort at all into their gift.
Office Secret Santa can be a great way for people to get to know their colleagues as they try to figure out what gifts to get them. However, some people may want to opt out for religious, monetary, or other reasons. It’s best to not force anyone to participate because that is not only against the spirit of Christmas, it could also end up being illegal to force someone to celebrate a festival.
One of the best parts of Office Secret Santa is the suspense. You don’t know who’s going to be choosing a gift for you. The person who you’re choosing a gift for is equally clueless. Some people tend to run around, wanting to know who got who but that ruins the spirit of the game. Avoid caving in to demands to reveal the name you picked and don’t demand that others tell you the same.
Sometimes when you participate in Office Secret Santa, you can end up getting a colleague you don’t know or one you don’t like much. Avoid the temptation to swap. Once people start swapping, the secret part of the game is pretty much over. Instead, look at it as a way to show some Christmas spirit and maybe mend ties at this seasonal time of the year. Sure, it may not work but at least you’ll know you did the right thing. On the other hand, it may work, and you’ll feel darn good about that!
If you’ve landed someone you don’t really know for Office Secret Santa, put in some effort into finding out more about them. Do this subtly or you’ll give the game away! You can try to time your coffee run so it coincides with them and gives you a chance to talk. You can start small talk about previous Christmases or Christmas shopping to get the conversation flowing and hopefully get some ideas.
It’s in really bad taste to make gift-giving a time to take jabs at someone. You shouldn’t ever use an occasion like Office Secret Santa to suggest your coworker lose weight or make them aware of their BO issues. Many times, gifts are opened at the workplace in front of others. If you don’t want everyone thinking of you as the office Scrooge, try to get a gift that’s thoughtful and neutral.
Offices are fraught with all kinds of interpersonal relationships. Some people hang out outside of work. Others keep to themselves. Some people have crushes on colleagues. Others hate the very sight of them. Office Secret Santa can get tense if gifts are of a personal nature. Etiquette suggests not buying anything you’d get a partner, like perfume. You should also avoid religious items. Stick to generic gifts, like photo frames, scarves, mugs, etc.
Unless you’ve got a close friend you goof around with a lot for Office Secret Santa, quell the urge to give prank gifts. Christmas is a time when many people are rather sensitive and stressed out. They might not appreciate getting a gag gift when they’ve spent money on an actual gift. The idea is not to get a laugh but to make the person feel noticed and appreciated. You can be funny some other time.
There’s a good chance you might not be thrilled with your Office Secret Santa gift. Even when colleagues manage to find out what we like, they can still be off the mark when it comes to taste. Don’t be a churl, however, and do thank them for the gift. Remember that your colleague doesn’t know you as well as your family and friends, and they probably did the best they could.
If you get someone you know or like for Office Secret Santa, you might be tempted to go above and beyond the spending limit. Avoid doing that because it can make you look like you’re trying to show off by spending more than others. You’ll also feel lousy if you get someone a gift for $45 but your gift only cost $5. If you want to give your colleague something better, you can do so later.
This Office Secret Santa Dos and Don’ts list might have made the event seem like a really serious affair. Truth is, it’s usually a fun and enjoyable time. As long as you follow some of these simple rules, you should be able to avoid disaster. Use it as an occasion to spend time with those you like and get to know those with whom you haven’t had much interaction. You might be surprised at how much fun you can have with your colleagues!
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