Secret Santa. Help!

Californiablonde

Well-Known Member
We do Secret Santas at work every year. We don't have to, but I choose to because it's fun both to give and receive. Well, for the first time in the 12 years I've been working here, I have a VERY difficult secret santa. I got the athletics secretary, who is a total tomboy and not feminine at all. I have never seen her wear a stitch of makeup, and she dresses in jeans and tennis shoes and Tshirts. I don't believe she likes perfumes or lotions either. That's not a problem.

Problem is the list I was given. Her likes and dislikes are so damn difficult, she is not leaving me much to work with. Please let me know if any of you have some advice to give me. Her likes: The color white. Seriously? Ummm okay. There's plenty of white stuff around so... anyway, her favorite hobbies are remodeling her home, and wakeboarding. I don't even know what wakeboarding is. Something to do with the beach, I'm sure, because she likes the beach, and she likes sports so I'm assuming a water sport. How on earth am I supposed to get her something related to that? How am I supposed to work around that?

Her favorite animal? Starfish. No cute little kitties or bunnies, but a starfish. I googled online for any beach-y type stores that may sell some kind of starfish magnets or something, but all I'm getting is very expensive boutiques down at the beach. I cannot afford to spend more than 5 dollars a gift, 5 days worth of gifts. Her favorite thing to collect? Thousand dollar bills. Haha, very funny. This is not the time to be sarcastic. I need some serious ideas.

Her dislikes are worse. Things she dislikes: Anything Christmas (what?!) stuffed animals, and decorations. That leaves out any Christmas ornaments or little knick knacks for her house. No fluffy kitties or doggies either. What am I supposed to do with this list, that's in my price range? I am seriously starting to regret doing it this year. Seriously. Any suggestions?
 

ksm

Well-Known Member
Beach scented candle in a jar?

Hundred Thousand Dollar candy bar (be sarcastic back! LOL)

White kitchen towels

Some bath and body or similar hand soap dispenser

Note cards with star fish or beach scene

White glass bowls or small tray for coffee table or entry way.

I just bought myself a stainless steel drinking glass at Aldi's for $5. Love it! Still has ice in it the next morning!

$5 gift card to Starbucks or similar.

Specialty tea bags in a pretty mug?
 

ahhjeez

Active Member
$5 gift card to Home Depot.

Maybe make a little gift basket with some sunscreen and cheapie sunglasses, lip balm with spf for when she goes wakeboarding.

I was in Wal Mart and they had little gift sets. I think they had a Starbucks one. It was a mug with a small bag of coffee in it wrapped in pretty cellophane. I think they had a Godiva one as well. They also had a cute mason jar shaker with a margarita mix and salt for the rim.

Movie night gift basket. Inexpensive boxed candy, some popcorn, popcorn flavorings and an inexpensive dvd or two.
 

Copabanana

Well-Known Member
nice socks.

kitchen towels.

brightly colored shoelaces that she can use with her athletic shoes. (dollar store)

a lanyard (i got jewel studded ones at the dollar store.) i walk. i put a housekey and a whistle on it.

pot holders.

a key chain.

a sun visor

a big blister pack of different color pens

refrigerator magnet for photo

what in the world is wakeboarding?
 

susiestar

Roll With It
As she is athletic, go for an insulated bottle or cup (stainless steel ones are sold at Aldi's for cheap) and maybe some hot cocoa or tea to go with. Include a few sports bars if they fit in your budget. Again, Aldi's has some nice ones in their Fit and Active line.

Put them in a nice white gift bag. Draw a starfish on it.
 

BusynMember

Well-Known Member
Wow...lol. We have Secret Santa's too but nobody fills anything out! We just get somebody else to ask the person what he/she likes so it's much easier!
But we spend more... $20 max! I liked who I got and spent a little more.
 

Californiablonde

Well-Known Member
Hey everybody wanted to update you all. Didn't have much time to get online. The absences two weeks before Christmas break were HORRID. Anyway, my Secret Santa loved all her gifts.

I did most of my shopping at Target. Was just getting over a two week long cold and didn't want to go from store to store. Things I got her were a white coffee mug with her initial on it, filled with her favorite candy which is dark chocolate see salted caramels, sea lily scented bath salts in a pretty bottle, some tropical scented hand and body lotion in mango papaya scent, since she loves tropical things, a kitchen towel that said "Home is where the kitchen is" with a red heart on it, and some plug in oil diffusers in ocean breeze scent since she loves the beach so much.

For her last final gift I have her a gag gift and a real gift. You know how she said sarcastically that she collected thousand dollar bills? They were selling chocolate bars at Rite Aid wrapped up to look like million dollar bills. On the last day, I handed her the chocolate bar and told her I couldn't find any thousand dollar bills, but I did have a million dollar bill. She laughed and thought it was funny. Then I gave her her real gift, a gift card to her favorite restaurant. She said she loved everything. I am so relieved, and playing along was so fun!
 

Californiablonde

Well-Known Member
I did enjoy them, thank you. My Secret Santa did awesome. I'm a pretty easy person to buy for. I put on my list my favorite color is purple, and I collect nail polish, makeup, calendars, and anything to do with cats. I received a different color of nail polish every day, most of them in different pretty shades of purple, and I also received a new 2018 kitten calendar, some chocolates, and a kitty cat door mat. I am grateful for everything I received. It's a fun little game I like doing every year.
 
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