If you’re looking for creative, fun ways to keep the spending down over the holidays, you can’t beat Secret Santa. While it’s a popular workplace tradition, it works just as well with friends and family. In fact, in 2023, one survey from Big Lots and OnePoll found that more than half of Americans were planning to participate in Secret Santa gift exchanges, which, of course, involves exchanging gifts anonymously with just one person, rather than a whole group.
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There is often a limited budget for Secret Santa, which helps to prevent overspending. After all, the idea behind the tradition is to keep things thoughtful and fun, rather than expensive. If you’re participating in Secret Santa this year, we’ve gathered some great gift inspiration, too. And we’ve divided it by category, so whether your budget is $5, $10, $15, or $20, we’ve got you covered.
Table of Contents
Secret Santa gifts for $5 or less
Priced at $5 or less, these Secret Santa gifts aren’t just budget-friendly, they’re also delicious and handy.
DGMIOCS
1Olive Oil Sprayer
For a loved one or colleague who loves to cook, this olive oil sprayer is a really handy gift. It’s particularly suited for those who love to bake (as you can grease tins and trays with a few sprays) and people who can’t get enough of their air fryers (which, let’s be honest, is a heck of a lot of people).
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2 Endangered Species Chocolate Bar
Chocolate lovers will adore you for gifting them this tasty, ethical bar from Endangered Species. Not only is it delicious, but it’s also made with responsibly sourced ingredients and 10 percent of the net profits go to environmental charities.
Find it here
3 Coffee Beanery Michigan Cherry Flavored Coffee
For the friend or colleague who loves a cup of coffee, a sampler from the Coffee Beanery is a great way for them to try new creative flavors with their morning beverage. As well as Michigan Cherry, tasty varieties include Hazelnut, Vanilla Nut Cream, and Hawaiian Coconut.
Find it here
LesserEvil
4 LesserEvil No Cheese Cheesiness Organic Popcorn
Everyone loves snacks. This bag of organic popcorn from LesserEvil is deliciously cheesy and satisfying, but it’s actually dairy-free. It’s the perfect gift for that colleague who likes to keep their treat drawer well-stocked at all times.
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Lindt
5 Lindt Lindor Oat Milk Chocolate Truffles
Lindor isn’t just for people who eat dairy. If your friend has a real sweet tooth and they’re vegan or dairy-free, treat them to these oat milk chocolate truffles from Lindt. Fingers crossed they’re grateful enough to share.
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Secret Santa gifts for $10 or less
Get a real bang for your buck with these gifts ideal for a Secret Santa exchange.
6 Back to Nature Fudge Mint Cookies
These minty, fudgy cookies from Back to Nature are made with simple ingredients, but they’re still deliciously indulgent. Just maybe buy double, because you’ll be seriously tempted to open the packet for yourself, too.
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7 Pacaho Milk Frother With Double Whisk
Creamy oat lattes and hot chocolates are extra delicious when there’s a milk frother involved, there’s no doubt. This one from Pacaho even has a double whisk, so you can guarantee extra froth.
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Cocomels
8 Cocomels Coconut Milk Caramels
These soft and chewy dairy-free caramels from Cocomel are smooth, creamy, and totally delectable. Plus they’re made with organic ingredients, including coconut milk and brown rice syrup.
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Secret Santa gifts for $15 or less
Scoop up these Secret Santa gifts for just $15 or less.
Ohtomber
9Cocktail Shaker Set
For the friend who loves to host, this cocktail shaker set is the perfect Secret Santa gift. It’s less than $10, but it still comes with the essential accompanying tools, like a jigger and a mixing spoon.
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Fragscen
10Insulated Coffee Mug With Lid
An insulated coffee mug is the perfect Secret Santa gift for the loved one who is always on the go. This one from Fragscen will keep beverages hot for around three hours at a time and comes complete with a spill-proof lid, a straw, and a spoon.*
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Hagbou
11Avocado Chopping Board
If you know someone who practically lives on avocado toast, celebrate their love of the ultra-nutritious fruit by buying them this avocado-themed chopping board. It’s a super cute, fun, and thoughtful gift.
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Calonge
12 Mushroom Propagation Vase
For the person who loves flowers, this mushroom vase is an adorable and totally unique gift. With four openings for different flowers, it’s delicate and sweet, yet still easy to clean.
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13Portable Blender
Smoothie and milkshake fans will appreciate this portable blender, which can be charged via USB. Available in pink and black, it’s also small, lightweight, and easy to use thanks to its powerful stainless steel blades.
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14Fruit Bowl
This quirky, unique fruit bowl is the ideal gift for the person who likes to keep their kitchen counters colorful and fun. As well as fruit, it can also be used for dips, sauces, and popcorn, too.
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15Bamboo Reusable Coffee Cup
This reusable coffee cup is made with bamboo, so you can guarantee that it’s a sustainable and eco-friendly gift. Depending on the receiver’s preferences, you can choose from a handful of designs, including sweet sloths, cats, and dark marble.
Find it here
Secret Santa gifts for $20 or less
With a budget of $20, you can’t go wrong with these Secret Santa gifts.
16 Plant Terrarium
If you know someone who loves to grow plants but doesn’t have a huge amount of space, this countertop terrarium is the perfect gift. It comes complete with a wooden stand and three different planter bulbs, which are perfect for growing water-rooted plants like lucky bamboo and African violets.
Find it here
Monty Bojangles
17 Monty Bojangles Chocolate Truffles
Whether you’re buying for a loved one or a colleague, you can’t go wrong with Monty Bojangles vegan truffles. This luxury set comes complete with three crowd-pleasing flavors: Cocoa Nib Nights, Cocoberry Blush, and Caramel Haze.
Find it here
18Checkered Spoon Rest
For the loved one who is always in the kitchen, this sweet spoon rest is a great Secret Santa idea. Made with ceramic, it’s unique, colorful, and offers a great way to keep the kitchen counters clean.
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19 Blank Recipe Journal Notebook
Another great gift for the cook in your life, this blank notebook offers space for your Secret Santa to jot down their favorite recipes (53 of them, to be exact). The cover is even water-resistant, making it kitchen-safe and durable.
Find it here
20 SnackBox Vegan Variety Pack
When you’re not sure what to give, give snacks. This vegan variety pack from SnackBox covers all the bases, from PopChips to oat bites to fruit chews and granola. It’s a box of deliciousness.
Find it here
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Charlotte is a VegNews editor and writer based in sunny Southsea on England’s southern coast.
Here at VegNews, we live and breathe the plant-based lifestyle, and only recommend products we feel make our lives amazing. Occasionally, articles may include shopping links where we might earn a small commission, but in no way does this effect the editorial integrity of VegNews.
