The Best Secret Santa Gifts Under $25 (That You Can Buy on Amazon)
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Secret Santa exchanges should, in theory, be a lot of fun, because who doesn’t like getting presents? But drawing the name of someone whose interests you barely know — or someone you really want to impress (e.g., thebig boss) — can pose a dauntinggiftingchallenge. But fear not: I’ve been curating gift guides for the last five years, and all that shopping has made me very good at sniffing out surprising gifts at every price point. To help you navigate your Secret Santa shopping this year, I’ve combed through our archives to put together a list of gifts for every type ofco-worker, casual acquaintance, family member, and more.
Every gift here costs less than $25, to help you stay within whatever budget is attached to your upcoming exchange, and is conveniently available on Amazon (though we’ve noted when a gift is available elsewhere for those who like to shop around). All of these items have been recommended to us by discerning experts, especially stylish people, or Strategist staffers who have used them or would personally love to receive them, so they’re practically guaranteed to delight.
Update on December 21, 2024:Removed gifts that won’t arrive before Christmas and added gifts that will; updated prices and checked stock for all products.
For the grandma who always brings homemade cookies
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Upgrade her from grocery-store extract to the “caviar” ofvanilla.
For the friend with a Surrealist streak
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Fish-head flip-flops make a fun pair of house shoes.
For the dad who runs the family vacation like it’s the Navy
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A luggage scale for pre-airport weight checks.
For the kid cousin who can’t get enough of Squishmallows
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Try this super-soft Pokémon collectible.
For the teen cousin who never leaves their room
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Magnoloran LED Photo String Lights
The lights hold up to 20 photos.
For the tween cousin with a Drunk Elephant routine
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Teens have told us they loves Byoma.
For the friend who is a child at heart
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A box of rock-shaped crayons for craft time.
For the friend who needs her beauty sleep
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A glossy, hydrating lip treatment that smells delightful.
For the grandpa who never misses a fishing trip
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This retractable tether can be attached to his jacket to keep his fishing tools in easy reach.
For the grandpa who’s a snacker
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For the niece with big city dreams
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Seventy-eight tarot cards illustrated with NYC icons.
For the sibling with ballerina ambitions
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Amy Sedaris’s ballet flats.
For the sibling who loves a kitchen project
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Make your own kimchi.
For the dad whose still reading the history book from last Christmas
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For the brother who is always prepared
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Rite in The Rain On-The-Go Notebooks
A set of weatherproof notebooks for jotting ideas down wherever they strike.
For the uncle who can’t sit still
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A German-made pocket level (with a belt-ready holster).
For the girlfriend who is serious about exfoliating
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Upgrade her “everything showers.”
For the crafty in-law
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Uni Posca Paint Markers
These paint markers are great for any project they might be working on.
For the wife who always loses her charger
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Anker Wireless Charger PowerWave 7.5 Stand Qi-Certified
A wireless charger stand is certainly harder to lose.
For the husband who doesn’t want anything
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This Italy-made after shave smells heavenly.
Additional reporting byLiza Corsillo,Kayla Levy, andKitty Guo
The Strategistis designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the bestacne treatments,rolling luggage,pillows for side sleepers,natural anxiety remedies, andbath towels. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
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