Secret Santa

Savvy_Sue

lostinrates wrote: »

but that you had remembered my hobbies of reading or gardening would be really, really wonderful to me!

I think my colleagues do try to tailor gifts to the people, I think it was someone fairly new who got it wrong (but I might be way off in thinking that). I know I bought orange things for a colleague who loves orange, and I was thrilled with the pink socks someone found for me!

hazyjo

I like this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Culinary-Herbs-Wine-Lovers-Seeds/dp/B001NYTLPM/ref=sr_1_91?s=outdoors&ie=UTF8&qid=1386151872&sr=1-91&keywords=potting

"Culinary herbs for wine lovers"

Alternatively, search for 'string dispenser' - there are some nice tins/pots with them in.

I love this:

http://www.curlyfern.co.uk/chick-watering-can-pound1050-free-delivery.html

Metal chick watering can.

I've got a similar one (maybe the same) which used to sit on my kitchen windowsill. Love it. Unfortunately it doesn't fit on my current windowsill, but it's on the kitchen side

Gift vouchers are likely to be preferred in some ways, but I do like the thought that goes into buying a present

Jx

Savvy_Sue

hazyjo wrote: »

Gift vouchers are likely to be preferred in some ways, but I do like the thought that goes into buying a present

I think that JUST giving a gift voucher completely negates the whole idea of a Secret Santa. If we all buy each other a gift voucher, why not just pass a £10 note round?

Although, I work for a charity, and we sell 'Make a Difference' cards where you effectively donate £5 or £10 to a particular area of our work, and we had a moment of huge hilarity one year when someone gave the CEO one of those! We also guessed who it was: the colleague who's responsible for the charity's finances. :rotfl:

flutterby_lil

leandygandy wrote: »

You can get gardeners soap/hand cream sets designed to shift mud better than normal handwashes can, so maybe something along those lines?

Boots have them in the 3 for 2 Christmas gifts thing, I got my Grandad one.

itsanne

Tiddlywinks wrote: »

We only ever buy funny jokey pressies in our secret Santa - anyone who gets a proper present is normally a bit disappointed.

Is this the same in your team?

How about a saucy dot to dot book to cheer her up? Or a pamper kit?

When you've been through a crisis sometimes laughing is the best present in the world.

I would cringe. £10 on something which might get a laugh for 30 seconds on opening it is a waste of £10.

I like the goody bag idea or a voucher to buy seeds or plants in the spring. If you don't like the idea of "just" a voucher, you could include something small with it. The thing is, a voucher for either a garden centre or Amazon shows that you have thought about what she likes in a way that a £10 note would not, so I wouldn't worry about giving it.

theoretica

Do you think she would like an old book like this?
http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=10841326568&searchurl=bi%3D0%26amp%3Bbx%3Doff%26amp%3Bds%3D30%26amp%3Bprh%3D20%26amp%3Brecentlyadded%3Dall%26amp%3Bsortby%3D17%26amp%3Bsts%3Dt%26amp%3Btn%3Dgardening%26amp%3Bx%3D55%26amp%3By%3D12%26amp%3Byrh%3D1899%26amp%3Byrl%3D1799
or others here
https://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?bi=0&bx=off&ds=30&prh=20&recentlyadded=all&sortby=17&sts=t&tn=gardening&x=55&y=12&yrh=1899&yrl=1799

Blue_Elephant

I'm astounded, I really am! you're all wonderful! I post a SOS and disappear for less than 24 hours and you've completely bowled me over! Thank you all for your thoughts :A

Maysie wrote: »

I am getting my mum one of these kits http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Goat-Cheese-Kit-Make-your-own-creamy-chevre-FREE-DELIVERY-/321249572802?pt=UK_Home_Garden_Food_SM&hash=item4acbf777c2

She makes her own yogurt already which she says is easy to do so this is just an extension of that i thought. my mum is 61. I was thinking of adding posh crackers.

You sound a lovely thoughtful colleague i hope you come up with something brilliant.

I really like that idea. Maybe I could add the crackers, one of those mini jars of onion chutneys that frequent Christmas markets and a mini bottle of port?

trolleyrun wrote: »

Perhaps some gardening gloves (possibly warm ones for winter/spring)? A gardening "goody bag" with twine, metal wire, seeds, etc - the £ shop usually sell lots of things like these, so you could get quite a few bits.

Edinburgh Woolen Mill often have sales on fleeces etc, around £10, so maybe a gardening/wine making fleece?

This sounds like a fab idea, I actually spotted a "grow your own Christmas dinner" thing online today, both useful and tongue in cheek. It was expensive for what it was, but I may be able to do a DIY version?

Tiddlywinks wrote: »

We only ever buy funny jokey pressies in our secret Santa - anyone who gets a proper present is normally a bit disappointed.

Is this the same in your team?

How about a saucy dot to dot book to cheer her up? Or a pamper kit?

When you've been through a crisis sometimes laughing is the best present in the world.

I'm not sure she'd like the saucy stuff, and if we get a "jokey" present it's usually stuff that costs about a pound as well as a "proper" present to be honest, I agree about the laughter though!

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

I might get a bargainous 'little' thing like the handcream or soap, and a voucher with it, best of both worlds.

Or, instead of the handcream thing, I've got a nice slimline calendar with a gardening theme for FIL, and a similar one with birds for a friend.

And, in various popup shops last weekend I saw slate 'labels' for plants.

Me, I'd love the goody bag idea, lots of little bits.

As for jokes / saucy presents, let's just say the Ann Summers chocolate body paint didn't go down well at our place.

I do like the goody bag idea, and as you say, I could mix it up, amazon seem to do a £5 voucher so could get one of those and the seeds thing too

*ponders* I have a few lovely ideas now, thank you all so much!! :T:T