Five Secret Santa Gifts That Are Really Awful

The holiday season is in full swing and with it comes office parties and, the part I always hate, “Secret Santa” gift buying. Don't get me wrong, I love giving holiday presents, but this sort of gift exchange always seems forced and in the end, no one is really happy.

In most offices, the tradition is to put everyone's name in a hat (coffee container, box or whatever) and each person draws a name. Then, you just buy a gift for the person whose name you drew and by the holiday party, everyone will be able to give and receive a gift. It's a good idea in theory, but in reality, it isn't nearly that simple.

In my experience, what typically happens is that I draw the name of a co-worker I barely know and since I don't have any idea what to give, I pick some generic gift that I think they'd like. Usually, there is a $20 - $40 suggested gift limit, even though not everyone follows it. For me, it always seems like I spend a little more than the suggested limit, at least once you add in wrapping paper, sales tax and so on. In return, I end up with a large bottle of drugstore perfume and body wash.

The office gift-giving experience is awful, but it's doesn't show any signs of stopping. So, if you have to buy a Secret Santa gift, here are five Secret Santa gifts that are really awful:

Gift cards to places you don't like – I like gift cards as much as the next person, but they make it super easy to be super lazy. There's nothing that says, “I couldn't be bothered to pick out a present, so here – just keep the money,” quite like a gift card. The problem with them is that most of the time, the gift cards I've been given are for places I'd never, ever shop. The best I can do is re-gift them. A good example is the time that I got a $30 gift card for Bass Pro Shop. As a single, chubby woman who is sort of a hippie, I have no idea what that place even sells. I ended up giving it to a male friend who I hoped would appreciate it.

Body wash sets – Personally, I think that giving body wash gift sets is just plain tacky. After all, it's rude to give your office mate soap. I don't think that there is any way to give bath supplies to a co-worker without subtly implying that they smell. Even if you're sure that they won't take it that way, you can't be sure that you're selecting products that they will use or that they aren't allergic to.

Homemade treats – In the past few years it's become less socially acceptable to give home-baked goods as gifts. The reason isn't that they aren't yummy. In the best cases, homemade treats are delicious and much appreciated. The problem is that for every baker that gets it right, there are a hundred people who make Jello molds and fruitcakes. What's worse is that you can't possibly know what sort of kitchen the treats are being made in. There's not much that's worse than getting a fresh fruitcake from a woman who comes to work everyday covered in cat hair.

Weapons – Believe it or not, I've been to several holiday parties where people were giving gifts like hunting knifes and cans of mace. Unless you work for a self-defense company who employs primarily survivalists and mercenaries, no one appreciates a key chain whistle and a can of pepper spray.

Handmade items – Every year, there's always someone who decides that instead of buying a present, they are going to make one. After all, who doesn't appreciate a hand knitted scarf or macrame plant holder? Although crafts are great and can make wonderful gifts for close friends and family, they aren't the way to go for an office gift exchange. To make things worse, if the recipient of your doesn't like it, they can't return it and they'll probably feel obligated to wear it to the office.

This holiday season, don't neglect your Secret Santa. Try to find out something about them and look for clever gifts that they can use at the office. For example, if they are a Star Wars geek, why not get them an R2-D2 flash drive? With a little thought and some creative web searching, you can give a gift that your co-workers will really appreciate.

Does your office do a Secret Santa event? What gifts do you hate? Please share your thoughts in the comments.

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