Secret Santa – the classic solution to the tricky issue of what to buy friends and colleagues for Christmas without going overboard.
In ShoppingLab this week we asked just what you’d really like to receive from your Secret Santa this Christmas - and whether you're a computer geek, extreme sportsman or woman, mean dinner party host, closet writer or artist – you have not disappointed in your responses, conjuring up a detailed list of present ideas, broken down along the lines of hobbies and interests, offering-up some highly useful hints for Secret Santas throughout the UK.
While we asked you to keep it ‘cheap and cheerful’, the vast majority of these presents can be adapted according to any budget.
1. For the avid reader
"I would like to receive a book that has been written and marketed for comedy or entertainment purposes. Purely because if the person doesn't know me very well it could be very difficult to buy a novel I might enjoy. A book that takes less than an hour to read but provides plenty of laughs is something that would put a smile on my face" Zac, southwest England
"A £5 book token so I can get myself a paperback of my choice" Lissy, Ayrshire
"A bookmark because I commute and hate folding over the corners of book pages" H, Brighton
"A book that the giver has read and really enjoyed (and is of a subject that I too will enjoy)" Robyn P, Leeds
"A book that my Santa has enjoyed and I haven't read. Gives me a chance to try something new" Anon
"Amazon vouchers, so I can buy what I want" Suzanne, Southall
"Paperbacks which are currently in the chart are always nice to receive" Anon
"A book of short stories - variety of authors with a bit of something for everyone" Anon
"A book voucher that can be redeemed for e-books online because I have an e-reader" Anon
2. For the office film buff
"A DVD. A recent film or Xmas film to get in the mood for Christmas" Anon
"A DVD of a film that wasn't a blockbuster, but looks interesting" Anon
"A film that the giver particularly loves, the more obscure the better" 'Misco', Crewe
"A little book of fun film facts or a game related to film, or any film that I’d mentioned I’d liked" Brigid, Belfast
"An old film that I have never seen but SHOULD have seen – classic" Robyn P, Leeds
"A cinema voucher" Anon
"Old school 3D glasses and the Jaws film" CJ Wroughton
3. For the music-mad co-worker
"A CD of something I have never heard; I was given some some Fado recently and was knocked out by it" Dhudi, Kendal
“A Spotify or iTunes voucher!” J.C., Devon
“Music-themed nic-nacs. Every music shop has a range of small music-related related gifts. They're usually original and have great novelty value.” Anon
"A suggestion for a great song, I always like to find out about new music!" Mandi
"Burn someone a CD of music you think they'd love perhaps with a specific theme - spend a bit of time creating an attractive track listing card - I would like this gift as it's thoughtful and has a personal touch" Anna, Hertford
"New headphones, or earphones for a cheaper option" 'Misco', Crewe
"A CD of Christmas songs" Nic B,Wigan
"Cheesy Xmas hits CD to play at next year’s party" Dave C., Worcester
4. For globe-trotting colleagues
"A (good!) book of some of the best places to travel in the world/travel guides. This would be a good present as there are always new places being discovered, and quite often it's much nicer to sit down with a nice book to read up on said places" Tom P, Aberdeen
"A money belt – practical and safe" Anon
"A selection of travel size essentials - shampoo, etc - always useful! Travel guides for preferred destinations or a book by a good travel writer, perhaps with humour, e.g. Bill Bryson" Anon,/em.
"A travel cushion or anything that helps the journey go by a little easier. These gifts are practical and tend to be cheap" Al C.
"Glossy and stylish travel books like 'The Hedonist's Guide To...' range" H.O.B., London
"Passport cover. Cheap and cheerful, but thoughtful" Anon
"Travel literature as it feels like you're travelling even when you're not. Lonely Planet guides if I am planning a trip; language pocket guides to help if a trip is planned" Anon
"Travel log for a planned holiday" Anon
5. For the cooks & bakers in your team
"A set of authentic Asian spices" Anon
"Small kitchen cutters in novelty shapes - it makes making biscuits (and scones!) more fun" Anon
"Flavoured oil - something different with an interesting flavour" Anon
"Silicone rolling pin, as it's non-stick" N, Rochdale
"Small, wooden gadgets, such as a honey dripper, or lemon squeezers. They tend to cost well under £10" H.O.B., London
6. For the person who loves to play the party host
"A cocktail mixing kit - including strainer, shaker with Boston glass, bar spoon, bar blade etc. Everyone loves cocktails! When hosting, it's always brilliant to show off your latest cocktails to friends to really get a party started. It can also be used romantically with a date round for a cooked meal, with a well-constructed aperitif" Tom P, Aberdeen
"A set of wine glasses - you can never have too many" Anon
"Chocolates - good for sharing" Anon
"Drinking games – funny and interactive for all your friends" Jenn, Birmingham
"I would just love to have a get together with just close friends as it would be fun and a chance to get to know each other more" Anon
7. For people with a love of politics
"A book of political satire" J.C., Devon
"A copy of the Financial Times, Private Eye, and The Daily Mash" Stoof, London
"A magazine subscription if you're not short of cash as it can be used all year round. If cash is an issue, than a donation to a charity/political group can be a nice thought" Al. C
"A stress toy that I could throw at the television when politicians are saying something you completely disagree with!" Janice, Darwen
"Book of newspaper cartoons. Cheap, easy and funny. A not too 'heavy' present to give as a Secret Santa" Anon
"Either a blown up picture of your anti-hero so you can throw darts at it. Alternatively, you could give gloves for delivering leaflets without taking them off, or a bag (preferably A4 size) to put the leaflets in and hang over your shoulder (not for armchair enthusiasts)" Anon
8. For those who are keen on theatre, culture and the arts
"A book relevant to the arts, which is a cheaper option, or perhaps a voucher towards the cost of tickets to an exhibition, which could be redeemed for a specific exhibition or show" DM, Surrey
"A copy of all the local theatres and culture for 2012 tied up with a big bow with a tiny box of chocolates on the top or wrapped round a bottle of wine" Bunny, Wakefield
"A mouse mat with a Lucien Freud nude on it (or a mug)" Sarah T, Hull
"A Ticketmaster voucher" J. O, Cambridgeshire
"Theatre gift tokens. Gift tokens are usually a lazy option but in a case like this the point is to give someone an incentive to go out and take part in an experience which they might be putting off for other reasons (i.e. money)" Anon
9. For the green-fingered gardener
"A gardener for an hour" Anon
"A gardening book because it's useful" Nina, Warrington
"An apple tree" Owain, Wales
"Gloves - they're great for protecting your hands especially when it's cold" Anna, Hertford
"Lots of seeds - I would like to be surprised by something new, that I might not have considered in the past" Dhudi, Kendal
"Plant labels" N, Rochdale
"Sunflower seeds to plant - sunflowers always go down a treat!" Anon
10. For those who spend their spare time walking & hiking
"A compass - I have no sense of direction so this has to be useful" Anon
"An outdoor gadget for example a penknife or hand warmer" Anon
"Funky laces for walking boots, or a funky coloured gloves/hat/scarf. Great prezzies because they can also be used in everyday life if you're just popping to the shops" Anon
"A pair of warm walking socks; they always need replacing" Anon
11. For the computer whizz/techy
"A ‘Keep Calm And Carry On’ Mug and coaster set – I need a nice cup of tea while I'm on my laptop" Janice, Darwen
"A couple of USB sticks, because backing up is handy" Anon
"Any small USB gadgets, like a USB fan or mug warmer, because it’s funny and useful" J. O., Cambridgeshire
12. For the person who is partial to puzzles
"A book of Sudoku puzzles to keep my mind active" Anon
"Lots of little books of brain teasers that I can take in my bag, on planes and trains" B, Wakefield
"Puzzlebooks or manipulative puzzles – puzzlers like puzzles!" Anon
13. For crafts-men & -women
"A Hobbycraft voucher. It allows me to buy something for a specific project without having to know exactly what I want" Anon
"Some printed papers or stickers" B, Wakefield
"Cath Kidston designed fabrics and pinks and girly patterned materials" Anon
14. For the all-weather cyclist
"LED pedals or ‘Ledals’ as they are called. Or small body attachable lights so motorists have no excuse to run into you. Cycling gloves for winter mornings to keep your hands warm. Cargo netting which links together so any size parcel can be taken on the back of the bike" Anon
"Bike speedometer" Anon
"Cycling shorts" Anon
"Something practical like a new water bottle or high visibility stuff for those winter nights" Anon
15. For the artists among you
"A set of paints, they will always come in useful to someone who is arty. Even if they have them already they are still likely to be used eventually" Anon
"A sketchbook, pencils and pens are always useful. The quality doesn't matter too much, and they aren't too expensive" DM, Surrey
"A canvas which I can paint on" Anon
"A tube of paint or a decent pen or pencil – you can get decent ones cheaply from any art store" Anon
"Brushes, camera film, sketchpad – all useful things to have and you can't have too much of them!" Brigid, Belfast
"Trivia or history of famous art or stories behind great paintings. It improves knowledge on the subject" Anon
16. For writers
"A lined book with good quality paper inside that the ink won't bleed on, either A5 or A4" Misco, Crewe
"A Moleskine notebook – they're stylish, and I'd use it a lot" Anon
"A nice notebook is always useful for when inspiration strikes!" Mandi
"A pen. It is enduring, useful and every time I use it I would think of the person who gave it to me with fondness" Nessie, Norfolk
17. For sports-men and -women
"An iPod holder for an arm or shoulder. This would be good as for many sports, such as running, or skiing etc, it would be great to have music to accompany you, without the mp3 player flapping about in your pocket" Tom P, Aberdeen
"Books on fitness training or training tips would always be welcome" Anon
"An iPod loaded with up-tempo music would make training more enjoyable" Mel H
18. For extreme sports enthusiasts
"A finger surfboard" K.K., Sheffield
"Lip salve with SPF in it, as extreme winter sports can hurt your lips!" Stoof, London
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