Morning Mamas! We are doing a secret santa at my work. We drew names of all the people in our dept and lucky me drew the only male in our dept. I have no clue as what to get him. I know his wife is a little possesive so I don't want to get anything that may offend her or make her mad I guess you could say. We're not supposed to do gift cards, and we have a 30.00 dollar limit. Need some ideas for him. Thanks so much!
Books - if you know what kind he likes.
Magazine subscriptions - again have to know if he likes certain kinds.
Wireless thermometer (the kind that shows indoor and outdoor temps)
Music CD
DVD
Coffee
Coupon for an oil change - does that fall under gift card? I guess it does.
Harry and David has some gift baskets for $30
Find out what he does! I had to do some major digging for my secret santa person - she started a week before we drew names! I knew nothing about her.
Pay attention to what he eats, coffee he drinks, the kind of cup he uses to drink during the day, what he mentions he does on weekends, etc.
Ideas:
-Golf balls/tennis balls - whatever sport he is into
-Bottle of wine or 6 pack of beer
-Coffee mug and Starbucks coffee
-Movie basket (popcorn, snacks, sneak a movie card in there or if you can really dig and find out one of his fav movies)
-I like the other suggestion about a cheese and meat basket, too
-Desk organizer/calendar
-Board game for his family to play with him
-Key/remote/phone finder (they have these on amazon or brookstone - amazing if he is a forgetful one like my husband!)
-Get on his wife's good side by involving her if you can and are allowed. Buy a picture frame for his desk and ask her for her pic so you can insert.
Basically, you should treat this like you would any other secret santa, male or female, leaving out the bubble bath and fluffy slippers. If his wife gets mad because you bought a completely innocent, work required gift for her husband, so long as you aren't getting him underwear, then that is her issue, not yours!
Good luck!
Food. Like a meat and cheese basket. Or, if you know he's into sweets, a cookie/candy/chocolate basket. As long as he's not allergic to anything, I think food is always a safe bet for guys.
Also, for next year, I would suggest creating a little questionaire that everyone fills out - favorites of various things (drinks, candy, thing to collect, smell/candle, sport, television show, movie, hobby, etc.).
We did this at my last job and turned it into a week of Secret Santa - no spending limit, though. Most people didn't want to spend a boatload, though, so found ways to keep it simple - a six pack of soda one day, a couple of boxes (or whatever) of their favorite candy the next, a small candle in their favorite smell, a small notepad with their favorite quote or disney character or whatever... then at the final secret santa (with a potluck lunch) was a bigger gift - a DVD season of their favorite tv show, a cd of their favorite musical artist/group, a decoration for their home, etc.
What's wrong with a gift card for some place like Starbuck's, Noodles, Chili's, TGIF, or Jamba Juice? Safe, won't incite jealousy, and he and his wife can share it if he wants. Buck the system. Do a gift card!
Does he drink alcohol? You could do wine and cheese or beer and nuts (pistachios or cashews to dress it up a bit).
Do you have a Buffalo Wild Wings in your area? You could buy their hot sauce (I think you can buy 3 bottles in a gift box) and use the balance to buy a bag of frozen Hot Wings (so he can cook at home) or use the balance on a BW3's gift card.
Does he drink coffee? Do a little gift basket with a new travel mug and some specialty coffee.
I know when we would do secret santa, often we would leave notes with small gifts. I could see how notes could get to a jealous wife, so i suggest leaving some silly comics (maybe Dilbert) with the gift/gifts.
A Jigsaw puzzle.
No wife, could incite any jealousy over a that.
I would not get alcohol.
That would irk, a jealous wife for some reason.
And it would create, other issues.
Lottery Tickets....fun to give and get....the only jealous person will be you, if he wins big:)
I would get him a bottle of Jack Daniels or Patron. Even if he doesn't drink, he can regift it. Unless, of course, he's an alcoholic, then I would get him a digital picture frame that his wifey can load with family pictures for his office.
