Secret Santa has a specific problem. The budget is small, the recipient is often someone you only half know, and the gift gets opened in front of everyone. A novelty mug feels lazy. A gift card feels like you gave up. What you want is something small, useful and a little bit personal, that shows you thought about who they are.
Small pieces of original art fit that well. They cost little, they don't need you to know anyone's size, and they are not something the person has seen a hundred times. Here is what works under $20, and how to choose.
Prices are approximate, at the time of writing, and don't include shipping. Everything is made to order, so check the timing section before you buy.
The options
An acrylic keychain (about $15)
A double-sided print on clear acrylic, on a split ring. It goes on keys, a bag, a lanyard or a zip. Everyone has keys, so it gets used, and at this price it is the best single gift on the list. Browse the keychains collection.
Two or three button pins (about $6 to $7 each)
Glossy metal buttons with a safety-pin back, in three sizes. Three pins in a shared theme come to under $20 and look like a set you put together on purpose. They go on jackets, bags, lanyards and pin boards. See the pins collection and our guide to pin sizes.
A small poster (from about $14)
A matte art print in a smaller size. It suits someone with a desk or a cubicle wall to decorate. It ships rolled or flat as a print only, so it is a little harder to wrap, and it is a better pick when you know something about their taste. See the poster prints collection.
A pin and a card
If the limit is $10, one pin attached to a handwritten card is a complete gift. It costs about $6 and looks considered.
How to choose when you barely know them
You only need one fact. Think about what you have noticed.
- They have a cat, or cat photos on their desk: a cat design such as Lofi Cat Meow or the Grey Tabby.
- They talk about games: a cyberpunk city piece, such as the Cyberpunk Slick Street keychain.
- They like space, science or astrology: Hand of the Stars or Black Hole.
- They wear a lot of black, or like rock and metal: a skull or gothic design.
- They hike, camp or keep plants: a landscape such as Blue Mountain Fog.
- They are from Chicago or Nashville, or love either: the Chicago or Nashville skyline.
- They love animals in general: a fox, an owl or a deer.
If you know nothing at all
It happens. You drew the new starter, or someone from another floor. Choose something neutral that nobody could dislike.
- A landscape. Misty mountains or a calm lake are inoffensive and pleasant.
- A soft abstract. Colour without a subject.
- A cute animal. Hard to go wrong.
Avoid skulls, anything dark or gothic, strongly psychedelic designs and anything with a joke on it, unless you know the person would love it. A gift opened in front of a group should be safe.
Why a keychain or pin beats the usual options
- It gets used. A mug joins twelve other mugs. A keychain goes on the keys.
- No size, no scent, no dietary question. Clothes, candles and chocolate all carry a risk.
- It is small. Easy to wrap, easy to carry to the office party, fits in a card or a small box.
- It is original art. They won't get two of the same thing.
- It looks like you chose it. A design matched to the person says you paid attention.
Making a small gift look good
Presentation does a lot of the work at this price.
- Put a keychain or pins in a small box with tissue paper, or pin them to a piece of card.
- Add a short handwritten note. Even one line about why you picked it.
- Pair a pin with something tiny, such as a chocolate, to fill out the package.
Timing: this is the part to check
Made-to-order gifts need lead time. Handling and production take 2 to 7 business days, and US delivery takes another 3 to 7 business days. That is 5 to 14 business days in all.
- For an office party in mid-December, order by late November.
- For delivery by December 23, order by December 3.
- If names are drawn late, order the same day you find out who you have.
The full list of dates is in our holiday order deadlines post. Send it to your own address, so you can wrap it, and check the address before you pay: packages can't be redirected once shipped.
If the limit is higher
- $25: a keychain and a pin in the same design, or a small desk mat (about $21).
- $30 to $35: a graphic tee, if you know their size, or a small tapestry.
- $40: a full-size desk mat, the gift a desk worker will use every day.
See art gifts under $25, $50 and $100 for more.
A quick decision
- Know one thing about them? Match a keychain to it.
- Know nothing? A landscape or a cute animal.
- Limit under $10? One pin and a card.
- Order as soon as you draw the name.