Secret Santa gifts up to 20 euros: Ideas from America for Secret Santa and White Elephant
By mid-November at the latest, the question arises in the office, club, or family group: "Are we doing a Secret Santa again this year?" And shortly thereafter, the second, more difficult one: What do you gift for ten, fifteen, or twenty euros without it looking like an afterthought? In America, they have several traditions for this problem and quite a bit of practice. We show you how it's done there and which small gifts from our assortment are real crowd-pleasers.
Secret Santa, American Style: Secret Santa, White Elephant, and Stocking Stuffers
Secret Santa is exactly what we call "Wichteln": Everyone draws a name and gifts that person without revealing their identity. Often, the big reveal happens at a small office Christmas party, with cookies, coffee, and a fixed budget.
White Elephant, also known in New England as a "Yankee Swap," is a louder affair. Everyone brings a wrapped gift, which is placed in the center. When it's your turn, you either unwrap a new gift or "steal" one that has already been opened by someone else. The winners here are gifts that are funny but that people still actually want.
And then there are stocking stuffers: small things used to fill the stockings hanging by the fireplace on Christmas morning. This is the exact category that is also ideal for your Secret Santa bag, as it is small, personal, and usually edible.
White Elephant, also known in New England as a "Yankee Swap," is a louder affair. Everyone brings a wrapped gift, which is placed in the center. When it's your turn, you either unwrap a new gift or "steal" one that has already been opened by someone else. The winners here are gifts that are funny but that people still actually want.
And then there are stocking stuffers: small things used to fill the stockings hanging by the fireplace on Christmas morning. This is the exact category that is also ideal for your Secret Santa bag, as it is small, personal, and usually edible.
Small Secret Santa gifts up to 10 euros
For under ten euros, things you can enjoy work best. The Christmas Cookies Popcorn from Everly Grace is available from €4.95 a cup and tastes like Christmas cookies. For maple lovers, the Amber Maple Popcorn from Easton Reed at €5.90, featuring caramel, maple sugar, and a pinch of sea salt, is a perfect fit.
A classic to sample is the Bourbon Barrel Aged Maple Syrup from Crown Maple in a 50 ml bottle for €5.95. This New York maple syrup is aged in bourbon barrels and makes any Sunday breakfast special.
For those who prefer something lasting, grab the Merry Mittens mug from Stonewall Kitchen for €9.95 or the green glass ornament At Christmas All Roads Lead Home, also €9.95 and available exclusively at American Heritage. The Holiday Jam from Stonewall Kitchen with pears, cranberries, raspberries, and orange liqueur is also €9.95 and goes just as well on a croissant as it does with cheese.
A classic to sample is the Bourbon Barrel Aged Maple Syrup from Crown Maple in a 50 ml bottle for €5.95. This New York maple syrup is aged in bourbon barrels and makes any Sunday breakfast special.
For those who prefer something lasting, grab the Merry Mittens mug from Stonewall Kitchen for €9.95 or the green glass ornament At Christmas All Roads Lead Home, also €9.95 and available exclusively at American Heritage. The Holiday Jam from Stonewall Kitchen with pears, cranberries, raspberries, and orange liqueur is also €9.95 and goes just as well on a croissant as it does with cheese.
Secret Santa gifts around 15 euros: small combinations
In America, people like to put together small gift bundles. It looks thoughtful, even when the budget is modest.
- Cocoa evening in a mug: The Merry Mittens mug (€9.95) combined with the vegan Dandies Vanilla Marshmallows (€5.95) makes for a €15.90 gift that instantly screams "sofa and blanket."
- Ready-made set: The Christmas Cookies Set from Everly Grace for €14.90 combines caffeine-free organic Christmas Cookies tea with the matching popcorn. For €14.95, you can get the Winter Popcorn Bundle featuring three 100g bags.
- For the grill fan in the office: The Meat Rub BBQ from Rufus Teague for €11.50 is small enough for any Secret Santa bag and will end up on the grill at the first winter barbecue.
- For the kitchen: The cotton Santa Suit tea towel from Stonewall Kitchen for €12.50 is useful, cheerful, and fits in any envelope.
Up to 20 euros: Gifts with a wow effect for White Elephant
At a White Elephant party, the winner is whatever makes everyone laugh and is then fought over anyway. A sure candidate is the Beef Jerky Christmas tree ornament for €18.90. For New York fans, there is the I Love New York ornament for €19.90. And if your budget extends to 25 euros, the Christmas Sweater ornament for €24.95 alludes to the Ugly Christmas Sweater parties that have long been a fixture of the holiday season in the USA.
More elegant, yet just as coveted, is the Petite Trio from Crown Maple for €17.90. The gift box contains three 50 ml bottles of organic maple syrup: Bourbon Barrel Aged, Madagascar Vanilla, and Amber Color. Tea lovers will appreciate the Gingerbread Cuppa Cake Red Tea from The Republic of Tea in a metal tin for €16.90. And for those who like to have variety on the table, the Easton Reed Gourmet Set with Farmhouse and Banana ketchup is priced at €18.90.
More elegant, yet just as coveted, is the Petite Trio from Crown Maple for €17.90. The gift box contains three 50 ml bottles of organic maple syrup: Bourbon Barrel Aged, Madagascar Vanilla, and Amber Color. Tea lovers will appreciate the Gingerbread Cuppa Cake Red Tea from The Republic of Tea in a metal tin for €16.90. And for those who like to have variety on the table, the Easton Reed Gourmet Set with Farmhouse and Banana ketchup is priced at €18.90.
The cookie Secret Santa: a gift to bake yourself
In America, Christmas cookies are as much a part of the holiday season as a cookie tin is for us. You can turn that into a nice Secret Santa gift: The Gingerbread Man cookie cutter from Ann Clark for €6.50 and the Semisweet Chocolate Chips from Guittard for €12.50 cost €19.00 together. Add a note with a recipe, for example our Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe. You can find more shapes in the Christmas cookie cutter collection.
Wrap it like they do in America
There's also an American twist to gift wrapping: the stocking itself becomes the wrapping. A Harry Potter stocking for €24.95 is a gift in itself for fans and can be filled with popcorn, maple syrup, or tea. For smaller budgets, the wood-look cardboard gift box for €3.95 is sufficient. With a Merry Christmas greeting card for €1.00, it becomes a small gift basket that makes a much bigger impression than its price suggests.
Order in time, enjoy your Secret Santa stress-free
Many Christmas parties and Secret Santa rounds take place in early to mid-December. If you order in November, you have the full selection and no stress. You can find even more ideas in our Christmas bestsellers, our gift sets, and among our Christmas ornaments. And if you are looking for a larger occasion, our post with gourmet gifts for foodies, grill fans, and hosts will help you further.
Happy Secret Santa!
Happy Secret Santa!
