Secret Santa has one hard rule (the price limit) and one unwritten rule: don't be the person whose gift gets a polite "oh... thanks." The good news is that $20 is plenty for a gift people actually laugh at and then actually use. Here's how to pick one.
How to pick a Secret Santa gift in 3 steps
- Think about their Monday morning, not their hobbies. You may not know your coworker's favorite band, but you know whether they live on coffee, complain about meetings, or quietly hold the whole office together. Funny gifts that land are about everyday life.
- Keep the joke on the situation, not the person. "Running on coffee and holiday spite" is relatable. A joke about someone's looks or job performance is not. If everyone in the room could say "same," you're safe.
- Pick something they'll use after the party. A mug goes on the desk and gets seen every day. That's how a $14 gift keeps getting laughs into February.
Our favorite funny gifts under $20
For the coffee-before-words coworker
- Running on Coffee and Holiday Spite Mug: $13.99. The unofficial mascot of December.
- Plot Twist: I'm Still Tired Mug: $13.99.
- My Coffee Believes In Me Mug: $13.99. Wholesome, but still funny.
For the one who hosts every holiday
- Coffee Before Relatives Land Mug: $13.99.
- Coffee First, Relatives Second Tee: $13.99.
For the overthinker and the optimist
- My Five Year Plan Is A Coffee Myth Mug: $13.99.
- Manifesting It Till It's Real Tee: $13.99.
- Smiling at Work, Screaming in the Parking Lot Tee: $13.99. Every office has one.
Quick tips for gift day
- Order early. Every Black Bovx item is printed to order and takes several business days to make and ship, so order well before your exchange date.
- Not sure of their shirt size? Go with a mug. One size fits every desk.
- Add a one-line note. "Saw this and thought of your Monday face" turns a $14 gift into an inside joke.
