These are the worst Secret Santa gifts

Secret Santa is a source of excitement and anxiety. It combines something fun, like shopping, with the very real possibility that your gift will be rejected. 

Still, each year companies take on this challenge. And, no matter how well-intentioned the gifts, there have been many disasters. 

Research by Citation found that the worst gifts fall into two categories: insensitive or inappropriate. 

No matter how cute the packaging or how affordable the gift set, it is usually best to stay away from "gifts that are sexual or too cheeky, personal hygiene products, anything personal to someone’s religion, or gifts related to diets". 

Here's the complete list of terrible presents:

• A set of cards containing ideas for ‘Things to do before you die’ given to an older member of the team
  
• A religious person not of the Christian faith received a mug with ‘Look busy Jesus is coming’ written on it 
  
• A toy voodoo doll which allowed you to stick pins in your manager or supervisor given by another manager 
  
• A deodorant and a bar of soap given to a colleague in a reference to body odour 
  
• A collection of dental products to imply a person’s bad breath 
  
• A diet cookbook which an employee took offence to 
  
• A prank in which someone had faked a dog rehoming certificate and let them believe they were waiting for a new pet 
  
• A female colleague (accidentally given the wrong present) opened a nasal hair trimmer

The best way to avoid a gifting faux pas is to put some effort into it: ask around about what your colleague likes! There are ways of investigating without giving away your intentions to buy them the gift of their dreams, after all. 

To get you started, here are some ideas for thoughtful, inoffensive, and, most importantly, useful gifts: 

• Alcohol 
  
• Chocolates 
  
• Gift card 
  
• Book 
  
• Candles 
  
• Money 
  
• Sweets 
  
• Socks 
  
• Perfume 
  
• Bubble bath 
  
• Lotions / soaps 
  
• Stationery 
  
• A plant 
  
• Notebook 
  
• Jewellery 
  
• Makeup 
  
• Puzzle 
  
• Clothing 
  
• Diary 
  
• Boardgame
  

No matter what you buy, remember it's always best to give with an open heart. 

Image: mr_sweetis