# Good office Secret Santa gifts for CHF 20

With CHF 20 you can find a Secret Santa gift that brings real joy and doesn't feel random. What matters is less the amount than whether the gift suits the person. Here are ideas for the desk and the break, tips for giving something personal and a few things better left alone.

Updated: 8 November 2026

## What CHF 20 buys

A CHF 20 budget is enough for one small, well-chosen gift or for two or three small things that together make one idea. A set often feels more personal than a single item, for example tea with a matching mug or a notebook with a good pen.

Include wrapping and any postage if they count towards the budget. Settle that for everyone before the draw.

If you make something yourself, such as baking biscuits or pouring a candle, CHF 20 often goes further than in a shop. Something homemade shows time and attention, and that is exactly what makes a Secret Santa gift personal.

Give yourself a little time for shopping. Whoever leaves it to the last day often grabs the nearest item, and that is exactly what feels random.

## Ideas for the desk

Gifts for the workspace are seen and used every day. For someone who hot-desks, small things that fit in a drawer or bag work better:

- A small low-maintenance plant, such as a succulent.
- A good notebook or a desk calendar for the new year.
- A quality pen or a set of highlighters.
- A mug or a travel cup for coffee at the desk.
- A cable organiser or a small desk tray.
- A postcard or an art print for the pinboard.
- A small puzzle or brain-teaser for the break.
- A bookmark and a second-hand paperback.

## Ideas for the coffee break

Something to eat almost always goes down well, as long as you know preferences and allergies. Check that it keeps over the holidays, and add the ingredients to anything homemade:

- Homemade biscuits or a baking mix for festive bread.
- Good chocolate from a local chocolatier.
- A selection of tea or a bag of beans from a local roaster.
- Honey, jam or syrup from the region.
- Nuts, dried fruit or mandarins in a nice box.
- Spices for alcohol-free mulled wine or punch.

## Personal rather than random

A gift under CHF 20 feels personal when it shows you have thought about the person. Look for hobbies, favourite drinks or things that come up in the office.

If you barely know your giftee, a short questionnaire before the draw helps: what do you like, what not at all, practical or fun, edible or not? Many teams collect wishes like these in advance so nobody has to guess. Ask about no-gos and allergies too, but only on a voluntary basis and only for the person buying the gift.

Small observations help too: someone who drinks tea every morning will enjoy a special blend; someone who travels a lot, something practical for their bag. One line on a handwritten card about why you chose this gift turns a small object into a personal gesture.

## What not to give

Some gifts cause more embarrassment than joy. When in doubt, something to eat or something for the desk is a safer choice than a gift with a message:

- Alcohol, unless you know for sure the person drinks.
- Perfume, cosmetics or clothing, because they are very personal.
- Joke gifts about looks, age or weight.
- Diet products or self-help books that could read as criticism.
- Things that were obviously left over.
- Vouchers for shops the person doesn't use.
- Plants that need a lot of care, or scented candles for a shared office.

## Giving digitally and keeping it fair

Not every Secret Santa gift has to cost money. A personal digital card with a few lines about something you shared can mean more than an object. With Wichtli, such a digital surprise, an e-card or a GIF, is free. Wichtli also uses a questionnaire to show what the giftee likes and sets the budget limit your team agrees on.

Fairness in Secret Santa mostly means: the budget is a ceiling. Spending much more puts others under pressure. If you make or bake something yourself, count only the ingredients.

If your team allows digital gifts, say so clearly in the invitation. Otherwise the person who receives a digital card can easily feel short-changed.

If the budget is tight for some people, one simple rule helps: a good idea counts for more than the price. Say so in the invitation, and nobody will feel obliged to spend the full amount.

## Frequently asked questions

### What can you give for Secret Santa with CHF 20?

For example a small plant, a notebook with a pen, a mug, good chocolate, tea or coffee from a local roaster, or homemade biscuits.

### How do you make an inexpensive Secret Santa gift personal?

By matching it to the person's hobbies or tastes. A short questionnaire before the draw helps if you barely know your giftee.

### What should you not give at an office Secret Santa?

Alcohol without knowing for sure, perfume or clothing, joke gifts about looks or age, and diet products.

### Can you spend more than the Secret Santa budget?

Better not. The budget is a ceiling, so nobody feels under pressure.

## Know what your giftee likes

With Wichtli everyone fills in a short questionnaire, and the budget limit applies to all. Nobody has to guess.

- [Start a Wichtli round](https://wichtli.ch/en/index.md)
- [Guides](https://wichtli.ch/en/guides.md)