Christmas Gift Guide 2024: 13 Gift Ideas Under $50 For Your Office Secret Santa
Warning: you may be tempted to get them all for yourself.
By Aaron Kok - published
You know the drill: your inbox dings and the email subject header reads “Office Secret Santa 2024”.
You open it up and it says that you’ve got a budget of $50, you’ve been assigned to shop for a colleague from an extended team that you’re not the most familiar with, and you’ve got a time period of 10 days to get your gift bought, wrapped and ready. Panic ensues.
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Well, the good news for you is that we’ve done some of the snooping around and found some fabulous gifts for you to add to your cart before it’s too late. Yes, they’re all under $50, and no, none of it is a lazy cop-out gift like a gift card or a photo frame.
Ahead, 13 fab options for corporate stocking stuffers all tagged under $50, even for the Sylvie’s in your life.
1. For the colleague who packs lunch to work: Bowl and carrier, $45, Kupaa
Perhaps your recipient loves to bring their own meals to work each day? They might appreciate this reusable bowl that is made from food-grade silicone, and comes with its own nifty carrier.
2. For your stressed-out work buddy: Lavender Fields Candle, $28, Santai
It’s been a long year, and for some, a tough one too. Wrap up 2024 on a zen note with a serene lavender burner that will lull them into calmness.
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3. For the Caffeine Addict: “FUNK BREWS” Volume 1, $14, Dutch Colony Coffee Co.
Packaged in a groovy VHS tape-inspired sleeve, these Nespresso-compatible capsules offer a rich cup of java, with hints of dark chocolate and red grapes in each sip.
4. For the Colleague Who’s Always Out of Office: Nourishing Hand Cream Trio (Holiday Limited Edition), $27, CAUDALIE at Sephora
What’s great is that these mini-but-mighty tubes can be stowed in their handbag, so they can always keep their hands and nails moisturised.
5. For the Colleague Who’s Always Late to Work: Cap, $49, Beyond the Vines
Everyone could do with a cute cap to hide under on bad hair days. This one comes in a particularly cheery shade of marigold for that extra dopamine boost.
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6. For the Colleague Who Loves An Afternoon Bevvy: Straw set, $49, Hay at The Editor’s Market
Inject a bit of fun back into their afternoon boba tea run with a set of colourful glass straws.
7. For Your Problem-Solving Colleague: Puzzle, $49, Le Puzz at Stacked Store
For some people, taking a moment in their day to work on a puzzle can be therapeutic. We love this adorable 81-piece puzzle set that features quirky, vintage-inspired illustrations.
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8. For the Colleague with the Ugly Cup: Cup, $16.20 each, Serax at Finnish Design Shop
Help your co-worker upgrade their office mug to something fancier with a hand-crafted ceramic cup.
9. For the Work Spouse with Dry Hands: Eleos Aromatique Hand Balm, $43, Aesop
Dry, cracked hands? Not on your watch. This intensely hydrating hand balm doesn’t just help with moisturising hands, it smells so, so good too.
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10. For Your Boss (With a Sense of Humour): The Therapy Game, $42, Cat Socrates
From local craftmaker brand Give This Crap, this card game aims to spark conversation and reflection on self-love and the way that we honour and care for our mental wellbeing.
11. For the Office Scent-holic: Fragrance Discovery Set Mini (Holiday Limited Edition), $27, Fresh at Sephora
If your teammate can’t decide what scent works best for them, get them a discovery set so that they can play around with different notes to find their preferred scent profile.
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12. For the Old-school Note-taker: ‘PERANAKAN STORY’ Cotton Linen Notebook, $39, Onlewo
Onlewo is a local brand best known for its vibrant patterns and motifs designed in-house. Here, familiar Peranakan icons get remixed onto a chic notebook that will make a great gift for the analogue notetaker.
13. For Your Sporty Deskmate: Bottle, $45, Cheak
Here’s a gift idea for the work friend who also hits the same gym or pilates studio with you: a cute tumbler that beats all of the corporate merch bottles often seen in these workout spaces.