41 Great Secret Santa Gift Ideas (All Under $20!)

You’ve been enlisted into a Secret Santa exchange, but where do you start? Especially if you barely know the person. These Secret Santa gift ideas are functional and stylish and should please almost anyone. And they all come in under $20 (*at the time of publishing.)

Quirky mugs with fun quotes always seem to hit the sweet spot – everyone needs their coffee or tea fix! Trendy desk gadgets or potted succulents can add a touch of flair to any workspace. How about a cozy pair of fuzzy socks or a scented candle? They’re like a little hug for the senses. And for those with a sweet tooth, gourmet chocolates or candy assortments never disappoint. Dive in, and let the Secret Santa games begin!

Mini Personal Heater

Everyone knows “that person” who is perpetually freezing. Enter the mini heater – perfect for small spaces needing extra heat or a work desk. It has tip-over protection and a cool-touch case. 

Coffee Mug

Ornithophile in the family? Or perhaps someone who doesn’t love birds as much as they love a good “conversation starter” to drink their morning coffee at work. This cup of many tits is sure to be a hit holiday gift.

Burt’s Bees Essentials Set

Everyone loves Burt’s Bees, and this “essentials” set will pamper them from head to toe for less than $10. The set includes five travel-size favorites: a Deep Cleansing Cream, Hand Salve, Milk and honey Body Lotion, Coconut Foot Cream, and Beeswax Lip Balm.

3-Pack Tote Bags 

You can never go wrong with canvas shopping bags, and this listing is for a set of three: dark blue stripes, trees, and plain. Help them stay eco-friendly by always having some bags on hand in the car.

Oven Mitt

Blue Q is known for its sassy and spicy kitchen linens, and this oven mitt doesn’t fail to meet that theme. It’s ideal for the home chef or wannabe chef on your list. Plus, you can feel good as part of your sale goes to worldwide hunger relief programs.

Wall Calendar  

Any Secret Santa recipient will go nuts over this squirrel calendar of meticulously crafted domestic scenes. There’s a squirrel pushing a tiny wicker baby carriage, a squirrel running a lemonade stand, and squirrels roasting marshmallows around a tent. This could be the greatest calendar you’ve ever laid eyes upon.

Blingy Booze Flask

Here’s the perfect gift for the lady imbiber on your list. This stainless steel portable flask holds 5 oz (that’s three shots) and comes with a crystal stone cap and a funnel for easy pouring. It will fit perfectly in a small handbag and is ideal for hiking, camping, picnicking, and workday meltdowns.

City Map Whiskey Glass

You can take the boy out of Boston, but you can’t take Boston out of his rocks glass. These whiskey glasses are etched with urban city maps and make an original gift. Is Boston, not their town? Try NYC, L.A., DC, Pittsburgh, or Austin.

Sexy Lips Planter 

This charming little ceramic planter is suitable for any mini plant – herbs, succulents, cacti, air plants, or artificial plants. It may not be ideal for every Secret Santa giftee, but it’s a highly original and show-stopping piece.

Witty Day-to-Day Calendar

This desk calendar is hilarious and perfect for the office worker with its satiric take on office politics. ” Tricks” to appear more brilliant include Always Drawing a Venn Diagram (two overlapping circles) for absolutely anything and randomly alternating between agreeing and disagreeing so no one can predict your next move.

Book Light

A book light is handy for many situations – partner goes to bed early, air travel, camping… and these little gadgets emit a gorgeous amber glow similar to campfire or candlelight – eliminating blue light at bedtime!

Korean Skincare Trio 

Here’s a cute little face mask gift set featuring three favorites of this South Korean skincare line. Disco Kitten illuminates dull-looking skin, Sugar Kitten exfoliates and hydrates, and Space Kitten helps purify pores.

Aromatherapy Shower Steamers 

These stress-relief shower steamers are bath bombs for the shower. Place one of these fizzes into the corner of the shower and allow it to dissolve, slowly sending a therapeutic fragrance into the steam. They are made with pure essential oils, including Lavender, Mint/Eucalyptus, and Grapefruit.

Wine Condoms

These wine condoms are a hilarious, effective solution for resealing opened bottles of wine. The shrink-fit technology allows you to create a fully reusable air-tight seal while making a wine lover feel exceptionally awkward when they open your gift.

Beer Chiller Sticks 

There is never a good time for warm beer. But these chiller sticks promise you’ll never have to drink warm beer again. You store the chiller sticks in the freezer, place them in the bottle, and drink right through it.

Women’s Pom Pom Beanie

These beanies are warm, fun, and great value for money! Plus, the inside is lined with baby-soft fleece. Amazon reviewers love these hats, and there are many colors to choose from.

Vegan Lip Butter 

It can be hard to know what lip colors women like to wear, so play it safe with a super-nourishing lip balm. It is made from agave and shea butter, with no petroleum, and is 100% vegan.

Ramen Noodle Socks 

Whether you’re buying for a man, woman, or teenager, these ramen socks will surely be a satisfying hit. They are moisture-wicking and fit shoe sizes 7-13.

Men’s Memory Foam Slippers

Never rule out the gift of comfy slippers. Today, all manner of slipper styles are available, and these stylish pairs are perfect for any guy. They have rubber soles for outdoor wear and memory foam arch support—a heavenly feature.

Infusion Water Bottle 

Infusion water bottles provide a healthy, inexpensive alternative to soda, juice, or sports drinks. You infuse your water with fruit – as you go! These make a convenient gift and are great for an office Santa exchange.

Godiva Chocolate Biscuits 

Belgium’s Godiva has been considered the Queen of luxury chocolate for over 90 years. Here, she meets crisp, buttery biscuits in a gorgeous gift box that oozes sophistication for the foodie on your Secret Santa gift exchange.

Handmade Leather Journal 

This is handcrafted from high-quality buffalo leather and still comes under $20. It’s a great Secret Santa gift idea for someone who loves to write, compile lists, or even doodle.

Burrito Blanket 

What better way to wrap oneself up for Netflix this holiday season than in a cozy tortilla? This life-like tortilla is indeed a blanket made from warm and snuggly fleece. Christmas gifts don’t get any better for burrito lovers. This blankie would make a fantastic last-minute gift for almost anyone.

Vintage Puzzle

If you’ve landed a plant lover in your gift exchange, they’re in for a real treat with this 1,000-piece retro-style puzzle full of succulents and cacti. It’s such lovely artwork that they may even wish to frame it when completed. 

Marble Pattern Coasters

These ceramic stone coasters make a great gift from “Santa”—a stylish one. Coasters are most needed at this time of year, from boozy family gatherings to hot chocolate by the fireplace. The back is cork-lined to prevent scratching.

Red Wine Coffee Beans

This one is for a friend or workmate who loves both coffee and wine. It may not be socially acceptable to have wine at 7 a.m., but they can have red wine-infused coffee beans! This is an excellent gift for a wine lover.

Custom Prayer Candle

This custom prayer candle gift will make everyone at the party jealous. It’s such a unique gift, yet it still costs 20 bucks. Customize the unscented candle with a photo of your gifting recipient, their pet, significant other, or even favorite celeb. 

Brown Sugar Body Scrub

Here’s a delicious brown sugar body scrub containing all-natural, vegan ingredients and nurturing oils like sweet almonds, apricots, grapefruit, and evening primrose. If you need to meet the $20 threshold, toss in this loofah sponge set. 

Funny T-Shirt

If you’re going to give or wear a novelty Xmas tee, it might as well be nicely made and fit into the festive theme. Though the messaging is harsh, the design is super cute. This tee also fits a White Elephant gift-giving exchange (i.e., amusing and impractical.)

Glass Trinket Dish 

Inspire your giftee this Christmas with a motivational glass trinket tray. The catchall features incredible artwork and elegant metallic foil edges and can hold everything from jewelry to paperclips.

Eco-Friendly Cutlery Set

This eco-minded travel cutlery set is made of food-grade, durable stainless steel. It includes a knife, fork, spoon, chopsticks, straw cleaning brush, straight straw, bent straw, and carrying case. This would also make a fantastic stocking stuffer for the whole family.

Sunflower Grow Kit 

Is there any flower more vibrantly dramatic than a sunflower? This kit includes everything they need to start their sunflower patch, including seeds for six heirloom varieties—100% pure happiness!

Beard and Face Wash 

Fact: Guys need to up their beauty game. This little beard wash infused with coconut water, argan oil, and avocado oil will leave skin soft and make beards smell fresh as a daisy—with a refreshing menthol zing.

Gel Nail Polish Set

This gel polish set combines six elegant colors: creamy, nude opaques for the cooler months. But if they prefer more vibrant hues, there are plenty more colors.

Personalized Bottle Opener

You can never have too many bottle openers, and this one will become a fast favorite once you personalize it with its name. Made from faux leather, you can choose your font, your leather color, and their name.

Vacuum-Insulated Travel Mug

These bestseller coffee tumblers are sleek, classy, and functional. They keep coffee hot for up to five hours and have an auto-seal function to prevent spills. They are available in a myriad of colors, and they make handy gifts for work colleagues.

Book of Sticky Notes

There are two kinds of people in this world—those who can’t live without sticky notes and those who don’t understand the fuss. These charming sloth stickies may well have both teams oohing and aahing. The gift includes one notepad and 12 sticky pads, plus an adorable hardcover case with a sleeping sloth.

Succulent Planter Pots 

These ceramic pots will look lovely anywhere – work or home – and they’ll get three of them. Each pot has drainage holes and a removable bamboo saucer, which appears far more expensive than they are. **Plants are NOT included.**

Party Stud Earrings

These earrings from Kate Spade New York are the perfect color and vibe for the party season—and they’re under $20. They’re ideal for the person who loves bold colors or likes to make a statement with their jewelry.

What is Secret Santa?

Secret Santa is a popular holiday tradition where participants anonymously exchange gifts within a group, often with a set spending limit. Each person draws someone else’s name in the group and becomes their “Secret Santa,” keeping their identity hidden until the gift is revealed. This fun and festive activity adds an element of surprise and joy to gift-giving as people try to choose thoughtful or humorous presents for their recipients. It’s commonly done in workplaces, classrooms, or among friends and family, bringing people together during the holiday season.