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“Management Called The Police”: 30 People Who Had The Worst Luck With Secret Santa
What do a pair of socks, a candle, a vacuum cleaner, and a box of chocolates have in common? All of them are Christmas presents that can be a success or a total flop. That’s because what is an excellent gift for one person might not be for another. But while these examples depend on the person on the receiving end, some items are terrible to give someone, and there’s simply no question about it.
As you probably already gathered, today we’re focusing on gifts; and mostly, the bad ones. We found stories of some of the most unforgivable, ridiculous, even somewhat inappropriate (especially when given at work, which some of the gifts on the list were), and simply the worst gifts people have ever received on Secret Santa. If you thought the ugly sweater you got from Susan in accounting was bad, you might change your mind after reading through this list, so wait no longer and scroll down to find Christmas gift horror stories below.
Below you will also find Bored Panda’s interview with professor of psychology at Georgia Gwinnett College, David Ludden, who was kind enough to share his opinion on Secret Santa and its influence on the people involved.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
There was a woman in our work who really wanted a baby. She was thinking of going for donor sperm and IVF, but would have had to go private for it and was stressing about the expense and uncertainty.
Her Secret Santa present was a turkey baster with a note attached suggesting "Santa" could provide the donor sperm. She broke down crying in the middle of the office while the utter a*sehole of a man that had given her the present laughed uproariously and the HR girls looked ready to throw up in horror.
He had been removed before New Year (dunno if he was fired or if he left willingly), and she had to take a month off due to stress. It was horrible. We don't do Secret Santa anymore in our office.
Zophra 11 months ago
Hang in there. I was there too, it's quite the emotional roller coaster. I wish you well!
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StrangeOne 11 months ago
This is why I be really careful what I share at work. It's just an adult version of Junior high.
Brenda Spagnola-Wilson 11 months ago
Of course, it was some dumba$$! They deserved to be fired!
Fire Singer 11 months ago
Yikes. Jokes, especially sensitive subjects, are only funny when all involved find the humor in it.
KatSaidWhat 11 months ago
This. Like "rape jokes" - would you tell your mother that joke? No? Then why tell anyone?
Load More Replies... KatSaidWhat 11 months ago
Don't be triggered, loads of us still use that phrase without it being derogatory or sexist.
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#2
We have a family gathering in early December where we have to do Secret Santa for no more than a Fiver and must be bought from a Charity Shop. Hats off to the local British Heart Foundation shop who had an unopened Santa that blows bubbles out of it's backside for £4.50. Absolute winner!
Amused panda 11 months ago
I think the rest of the family had the 'worst' ones by default of this being amazing.
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beccabootie 11 months ago
I got my two eight year old twin cousins stuffed animals that blow a squish ball out of their bottoms when you squeeze their stomachs. Can't wait to see if they like them or not.
#3
Way back I worked with a woman who had a major reputation for keeping her husband well under the thumb. This guy was not even allowed his own debit card from her without prior clearance.
In an anonymous secret Santa I got her a dog collar with his name on the tag.
She had a f**king meltdown.
SkippityBoppityBoo 11 months ago
Why is it that when it's a female doing something such as withholding access to a debit card? Not allowing them one? People term it as "under the thumb" and saying "I lolled." but if you reversed the genders? There'd be outrage and people saying that it's a form of Domestic Abuse...
Aelin Wildfire 11 months ago
It depends. If their finances are separate, then why should he have a debit card from her? (I would also say that about a woman, btw) IF she's the breadwinner and is denying him access to his half of the "bread", that absolutely is abuse, but I don't think that's the likely situation....
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marzin kotwal 11 months ago (edited)
Something tells me she might actually give it to her hubby back home!😅
Seeking to better understand just how fun or awful Secret Santa can get, especially in an environment such as a workplace, we got in touch with professor of psychology at Georgia Gwinnett College, David Ludden, who admitted to not being a huge fan of said holiday activity.
“It's hard enough finding appropriate gifts for the people you know, let alone those you don't. And when you're under social pressure to give, what really is the point?” he wondered.
#4
Obligatory not me but….
I worked with a girl who sometimes had slightly greasy hair, and an unfortunate monobrow.
She opened in front of everyone a pair of tweezers, a makeup mirror and a bottle of dry shampoo.
Safe to say she was fairly upset.
StrangeOne 11 months ago
That's so rude and terrible. Nothing wrong with a uni-brow and some people just have oily hair and a lot of allergies and sensitivities to hair products, so they have to be careful what they use. Generally, sticking to one that isn't super great but works enough for them.
Brenda Spagnola-Wilson 11 months ago
At one place I worked, we did Secret Santa but also pitched in $1 a ticket for a raffle held during our holiday luncheon potluck (1984). You could each get up to $10 tickets. Bosses matched the total and purchased the raffle gifts. We had a certain person whose hygiene wasn't always the best. They were super nice, always helpful, and everyone liked them. This person "won" the big gift of an all inclusive Spa Day, including a few of the actual products they used. After that, I never noticed any hygiene issues with them. What a great way to help them out!
ElfVibratorGlitter 11 months ago
My boyfriend back when I was...23? Bought me acne wash and wrinkle cream for Christmas. Couldn't understand why I was upset because "he knew I liked that brand". He legit was clueless, but I was still slightly upset and it got exchanged.
#5
I got the guy who would lie constantly to get out of work, not good lies either, real s****y lies. So naturally I got him ‘The big book of excuses’.
Lene 11 months ago
My bf had a coworker at his former workplace who also told shìtty lies to get out of work. One time his excuse was that he had a pointy toe. A few times his father aparently had birthday a few times in a year. Many times his excuse was that a new fridge would be delivered at his home and somehow his gf was not able to be alone at home when it'd arrive. So yeah. Weird lies. Especially the toe-one.
Talking to Bored Panda, the expert agreed that it's very easy to offend people when you try to be creative with your gifts. “So, the safe bet is to give generic gifts like gift cards for coffee shops or restaurants, but that just makes the whole Secret Santa enterprise boring.
“From a social psychological perspective, the Secret Santa enterprise is interesting,” Prof. Ludden continued. “I suspect that most people don't like Secret Santa, but a few people do. That small minority is quite vocal and manages to impose their will on the majority. Then the majority complies, even though they don't want to. We often see a vocal minority imposing their will on a silent majority, and Secret Santa is no exception.”
#6
My worst was when the owner of the company announced that whoever’s name he drew would be getting a new MacBook pro, everything else was a £10 limit. On the day there was a MacBook Pro shaped box with my name on it. Everybody was excited and gathered round. I opened the wrapping and it was indeed a MacBook Pro box. I opened the box and inside was not a new laptop, but a cork screw. The owner of the company thought it was hilarious, everybody else just thought he was a d*ck.
Lisa Tetlow 11 months ago
Me too. It's not "funny" when the prankster is the only one laughing.
Load More Replies... Lisa Tetlow 11 months ago
I'm with everybody else. A relative once gave my 10 year old son a fake $10,000 winning scratch ticket for Christmas. He was so excited thinking he had won $10K. While the rest of us were so happy for him, the relative sat there laughging her head off. My son was devasted when she told everyone it was a joke ticket. Can you imagine doing that to a child???
Jane Alexander 11 months ago (edited)
I think the message was 'you got scr*wed'
Load More Replies... #7
Well I was the only one to not receive a gift in the secret santa. It was humiliating. Someone got my name and didn't bother.
Nuku Nyara 11 months ago
This also happened to me one year at work. I don't do secret Santa anymore.
Celtic Pirate Queen 11 months ago
My sister put her PA in charge of the Secret Santa exchange. Now, I know my sis - and she was a great boss. Everyone got a Secret Santa gift but her, because her assistant was stupid. Sis handled it like a champ and afterward asked about the lack. PA says, oh I thought since you make more than the rest of us, you didn't need a gift. Yeah, fired on the spot.
Seedy Vine 11 months ago
You're not alone! That happened to me, in an office where secret Santa was somehow mandatory, and they paid us practically pennies per hour.
Depressed Lesbian(she/they/he) 11 months ago
This happened to me- my person dropped out, but they still got their gift. J was pissed. Told person running it, and got my gift.
#8
I once worked in a place where a guy with ginger hair received brown hair dye. He had never mentioned wanting to dye his hair at all and was a very unwelcome gift.
The office junior had also had a spray tan a few weeks before, I’m going back around 15 years ago so they were relatively new at the time and the colouring was definitely more orange than they are now. She got a can of Fanta and some orange face paints. She was a 17 year old girl and had only been with the company for a few months and looked absolutely mortified.
Both gifts were left in the conference room after the gifting and nobody ever took responsibility for them.
I never go for humorous gifts unless I know the person really well. If not, I’d rather stick to something generic like biscuits or a mug or something inoffensive. Much rather be boring than be as big an arsehole as either of the aforementioned gift givers.
Brenda Spagnola-Wilson 11 months ago
Briefly worked at a small business (about 20 people) where we had a $10-$15 price range. Rules were nothing "personal" or obscene, no food items (allergies), no holiday specific items, no alcohol or gift cards for alcohol. It was fun.
Upstaged75 11 months ago (edited)
My company just did one (we're virtual so no office, but we mailed them) and we had to pick from things on the recipient's Amazon list. There was a price limit of $20. Very easy. Some people put hilarious things on their list. Like a Nicolas Cage sequin face pillow. :)
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Donna Peluda 11 months ago
More orange than now? Not what we are seeing this side of the pond.
Debby Keir 11 months ago
We used to do a secret Santa, but not for a specific person. We often gifted practical things and occasionally wine. Our (F) manager would riffle through all the pressies and suss out any alcohol (but not allowing us to touch them)and for some reason would always 'gift' herself any bottles.
Prof. Ludden is not wrong in his thinking that many people dislike the tradition of doing Secret Santa, especially at work. According to a 2021 survey, carried out by Instantprint, close to a third (31%) of the respondents are noooot looking forward to such a gift exchange at their workplace (which marks an increase from 19% of respondents feeling this way in 2019).
#9
Does nothing count? I have done countless Secret Santas where I have been the one person to end up with nothing. The one thing I like about where I work now is that the person who runs it is like a wolverine when it comes to making sure everyone gets their present.
Brenda Spagnola-Wilson 11 months ago
There should always be one person who knows what name each person got just to keep things fair
Julie S 11 months ago
And if someone doesn't get a gift the person who didn't bother to buy one for them they get their gift taken away and given to the person they were supposed to buy for.
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Teutonic Disaster 11 months ago (edited)
"I have done countless Secret Santas where I have been the one person to end up with nothing." Hmm, interesting... 🤔🤨
Heir of Durin 11 months ago
These stories are why I prefer White Elephant gifts over Secret Santa. Everyone gets a gift.
#10
Broke up with my boyfriend and less than a month later got a ‘grow your own boyfriend’ from secret santa……….
Brenda Spagnola-Wilson 11 months ago
I'm sure they thought it was humorous. But unless they knew you well, this wasn't really appropriate.
Upstaged75 11 months ago
I asked my SIL to get me this a few years ago. :) I thought it was funny. But not as a Secret Santa gift - that's just mean.
Mary Kelly 11 months ago
maybe you talked too much about your break up at work, and people wanted to make you stop!
#11
Someone bought the office brown-nose a fresh, bloody cow's tongue and gave it to him in a glass presentation case.
Paul C. 11 months ago
A young co worker bought the oldest lady in the team (65 year old granny) a D!ldo! The silence was palpable, that is until I snort laughed and had to rush from the room.
The aforementioned survey found that for quite a few respondents, the pressure of giving the right gift is something that sucks the joy out of the gift exchange and even makes them anxious. Unsurprisingly, roughly one-in-ten of surveyed individuals say they would like Secret Santa to be cancelled altogether.
#12
A coworker got me makeup brushes, and said I'd be so much prettier with makeup, because I'm so plain.
(I actually like makeup, I just don't always feel like doing it. Apparently my coworker didn't think it was a choice?)
Paul C. 11 months ago
Everyone at our company thought that "Guy" I worked with was SO nice. He treated the colleagues in his team like sh!t. Woman from another department spent way over the allotted amount on his gift because, he was SO nice. If one of the ladies in his team had death rays for eyes, he would have been frazzled!
Jane Alexander 11 months ago
they might be fun if you like to paint. Be sure to bring your latest landscape to show at work.
#13
I'm a woman who used to have long hair. Over lockdown I shaved all my hair off. At the next Secret Santa, someone got me a Britney Spears wig. Absolute comedy gold.
Mary Kelly 11 months ago
i am glad tht you took it in the spirit intended, rather than having yoru husband slap the person who gave it to you!
#14
I was the cleaner and they gave me cleaning products for my home.
Jane Alexander 11 months ago
Rule #1 of secret santa-ing; Expect nothing or worse, then you won't be disappointed
“In my opinion, secret Santa is not a good thing, in that it creates far more strife within an organization than the good it does. But then again, there are those who would say that I'm a Scrooge and just can't get into the Christmas spirit. I don't agree with that assessment. I just prefer to celebrate the holidays in a more subdued and sincere way,” Prof. Ludden shared.
#15
When I was in sixth form I was overweight and not very popular/cool and the popular girls got me a thong. I was so obviously not the kind of person to wear one, I felt so humiliated.
CrunChewy McSandybutt 11 months ago
Even if they weren't trying to bully OP (they were), underwear is hardly an appropriate gift to a classmate.
Kalikima 11 months ago
This sounds like UK. We call it sixth grade, not sixth form..
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Ace 11 months ago
Eh? Sorry, are we talking about something else here, or is it somehow not weird for schoolkids to be buying underwear for each other?
Load More Replies... #16
A few years ago, I have gained some weight after having my daughter and was really struggling to loose it, which is the main contribution to my post-partum depression. I shared the situation with my colleagues and got a dumbbell as a secret santa gift with a note 'maybe you need to lift harder, this may help.' I was fuming at the spot but held myself together well (I think).
Left the job for a promotion 3 months later and only used the dumbbell as a doorstop.
CK 11 months ago
Interesting choice, insulting someone while giving them something that can be used as a weapon.
Jeane Gallo 11 months ago
I'm sorry you were insulted. It was probably a clueless man. It's a fact that lifting weights will burn more fat than aerobic exercise. They truly may have thought they were helping you.
Sand Ers 11 months ago
Aerobic exercises aren't intended for fat burning at all. That's why they're called "aerobics".
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#17
I had slept with someone at work, we hadn’t made it public but people had put two and two together, they got me a ‘screw’driver set (implying I screw in the office). Was so embarrassed opening it in front of everyone and people asking me why as a young 22yo female I’d have a masculine type tool box. He obviously got a normal secret Santa as why embarrass the male.
AKA AKA 11 months ago (edited)
i'm so sorry OP, that such an inappropriate gift, what you do is your business
Binky Melnik 11 months ago
Yeah, because women never have need of screwdrivers. They’re for men! When would we ever need to repair or even tighten anything? Geez; it just seems to get worse and not better. Where I live, I, a female, do all the repairs around here. People bring me their microwaves, their electrical items, whatever needs fixing and I fix it for them. Then new people move in, they’re told to see me when they need repairs, I open my door, and there’s some wide-eyed fool saying “YOU’RE gonna fix my [item]? Do you know how? Do you have the tools?” Why do you think you were sent to me, 🫏🕳️ ?
Joanne Hudson 11 months ago
Hold your head high and pretend you have NO idea why you got tools as a gift.
Richienotsorich 11 months ago
She had some d**k as her secret santa, he didn't. It's not about "let's s**t shame the female and not the male" FFS!
roddy 11 months ago
It's typical that the woman is shamed for sexual activity, but the male is congratulated.
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#18
I used to work with someone who was promised a promotion then screwed over by our manager. He got her a mug that said C*nt on it for the secret santa.
#19
A sack of cement. Still no idea why to this day.....
TiNaBoNiNa 11 months ago
I read cement and my mind went instantly to bodies. I think I watch too much true crime.
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Laura beilby 11 months ago
Okay, you didn't have an Aussie at work did you? Because here a bag of cement would imply you need to harden the f**k up.....
#20
Only ever participated in two Secret Santas.
First, sixth form: received a set of some big-ish name bath stuff - cute, but unfortunately I cannot use like 90% of bath products, fancy or otherwise, because of my eczema and generally super-sensitive skin. Put that in a drawer until the summer, when it went into a raffle for a local social club thing.
Second, first Xmas at a new job: despite my usual group of coworkers knowing that I absolutely do not want children, whoever got me as their giftee decided it would be *hilarious* to gift me a baby clothes set, complete with a "hint, hint" written on the tag... -.- Made sure those went in a rubbish bag and in the dumpster at end of shift.
Never, ever, taking part in one again. F**k, if I'm not sure what to get someone, surely a gift card is better than risking upsetting or outright offending them.
Huddo's sister 11 months ago
Why donate the bath stuff but not baby clothes. Would have been great for someone buying second hand things because they can't afford new. I wouldn't let ill intention make things go to waste.
Jane Alexander 11 months ago
Possibly tossed in the rubish at the time and place as a statement?
Joanne Hudson 11 months ago
We had Chinese gift exchange. All gifts on a table and your name was drawn to select a gift. If you didn't like what you got, you had 2 chances to re-gift it but then you had to keep what you were stuck with. Mostly gag things but lots of fun.
ROSESARERED 11 months ago
I stopped being part of Secret Santa when I kept being given Chocolates...on the peice of paper with my name is let 'santa' know I was allergic to dairy
#21
I used to work with this very sexist chauvinistic guy who was really vocal about his views on why women aren’t suited in the workplace. So I got him a nice notepad (Paperchase might I add) that had “The future is female” on the front. I thought it would be funny and thought he would see the funny side too but he was furious! I later found it on someone else’s desk, turns out he gave it to another colleague.
Teutonic Disaster 11 months ago
With a little mirror bolted on top in about a 45 degree angle, so dude can go and fück himself.
Load More Replies... #22
A free gift from a magazine. Not even with the magazine, just the freebie, still in packaging branded with the magazine name.
Mary Kelly 11 months ago
i once got a subscription to a womens fitness magazine for christmas...long story short: i gave my friend a thoughtful collection of 8 small, wrapped gifts for hannukah, and she gave me a hint...
#23
Expensive nuts and wine, clearly a regift. We had to fill out a form with things we can’t have etc, I am allergic to nuts at the time I couldn’t drink, which I made clear on the form.
beccabootie 11 months ago
That happened to me once - I got everything I said I did not want and nothing that I did.
Geoffrey Scott 11 months ago
As the custodian at the school, I received a wisk, and Arnold Palmer instant tea tubes. Not a Secret Santa gift, but she WAS at least thinking about me.
#24
I once got a bottle of moisturiser that was 2/3's full...
Bill 11 months ago
Yuck, I was gonna say something amusing but with that possibility now renting space in my head, I think I just wanna go set in the dark, listen to radiohead, and write poetry.
Load More Replies... #25
I had a boss who had an obvious favourite employee. For secret Santa one year she got a mug, mousepad and post-it notes with his face on them.
Amused panda 11 months ago (edited)
Well, I was assuming the secret santa gift received by the boss came from a third party and not from the favourite employee himself. So on the basis, nope, not creepy. But embarrassing, particularly for the employee himself if he wasn't receptive to the favouritism.
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#26
Got a picture frame. Inside the frame was a picture. This picture had been printed on normal paper, from a s**t printer, in black and white.
The picture was of the gift-giver's face.
Charlotte 11 months ago
Some people have no sense of humor. I would have put it on my desk, so everyone could witness the glory of its awfulness.
Chirp 11 months ago
Similar gift was in a crazy gift exchange at work where you take one when your number is called or you can steak one that's already been opened (those are lots of fun). The guy giving the gift put several lotto tickets behind the photo so it was funny but also a cool gift. And that photo resurfaced in the gift exchange for several years!
Ruth Watry 11 months ago
Take the photo and make it into a dart board to put on your wall at work
#27
Not me but a colleague. She had recently (about 5 months prior) gotten out of a long relationship and was in the middle of selling the house and got rid of the dog. She also used to put a crazy amount of effort into secret Santa making massive photo collages for people amongst other things but everything she did was handmade and a lot of time went into it.
One of the other girls thought it would be a great idea to get a blow-up man (the kind hen parties use) and tape on a box of chocolates and a few tins of drink. It very much did not go down well, she was very upset and she had a bit of a meltdown in front of us all about the present. She also said she was not happy because that’s what she got when she goes to such an effort every year.
Fenchurch 11 months ago
I went and read the original post This is what the poster said when someone queried the getting rid of the dog part. "Yes, it was only a few months old and they only had him about a month. They both wanted to keep the dog and were quite petty with each other so they agreed to get rid of it. If I recall correctly, he went and got it back when he got a new bird so it must have been one of his friends it went too."
Miki 11 months ago
It's cool she was trying so much.. But sorry you can't expect the other person will put the same effort. She got a joke gift, and there are worse than this one. Also.. "get rid" of the dog....?
Binky Melnik 11 months ago
The post was written about someone else. As she likely didn’t have any of the details, she shortened whatever she knew into “got rid of the dog.” I don’t understand so many people getting hung up on that part (which doesn’t contribute to the story in any way) when the writer didn’t know what happened other than that the dog was gone. It’s not pertinent, and it’s a shame it was included, and the way it was written is getting people panties bunched.
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Blue Bunny of Happiness 11 months ago
Totally off topic, but the ears in the photo accompanying this! I can’t concentrate on the text, my attention keeps being pulled back to the photo!
Binky Melnik 11 months ago
It’s a REALLY unusual photo, and I can’t even imagine someone at BP looking at stock photos, finding this, and thinking “It’s perfect!” I couldn’t stop looking at it as I was trying to figure out why on earth anyone would choose this photo for ANYTHING.
Load More Replies... #28
I once got an IKEA toilet brush. No idea why, nobody from work had ever been in my toilets to think I needed one.
Richienotsorich 11 months ago
Maybe they thought you were the person who left the toilet looking like the starting grid at Brands Hatch every day!
Vera Diblikova 11 months ago
Why think about bad intentions, sometimes it is pure fun and bad taste. But - how to tell sb st unpopular but utile (mouthwash or Tic-tac to sb with bad breath)? )
#29
Budget was a tenner.
Boss gave the perma-intern a tenner and a pack of polo mints.
Classy.
Vera Diblikova 11 months ago
Granny don´t bother with homemade gifts, a envelope is good enough!
Jane Alexander 11 months ago
Nothing wrong with money, it says choose the gift you'd like to have.
#30
When I was at school I received a secret Santa, it was a smarties tube with two dead Duracell batteries in it….
Megalodon Meg 11 months ago
Secret Santa in 4th grade. Got my bully. Gave my bully some nasty old mesh purse my foster mom had in storage. Wrapped it in newspaper and a grocery bag. Totally could have afforded a real gift but why would I?
#31
A member of staff who was on a fixed contract and was finishing at Christmas. He got a framed print out of a map from Google maps showing the directions from our office to the social security office.
Feathered Dinosaur 11 months ago
That's horrible. I wonder what went wrong with some people. Probably they were never loved and need to get their only surges of dopamine by hurting other people
#32
A fl*shlight beer can thing... the recipient was not happy and caused a huge HR thing.
During the same secret santander exchange, someone got 1/8 of weed and management called the police.
It was a wild place to work that week.
Upstaged75 11 months ago
And now your computer history has that search in there. ;) Hope it wasn't at work!
Load More Replies... #33
I spent a few hours making a picture montage of the person’s sporting wins (after speaking in confidence to their partner and sister) and putting the resulting image in a tasteful frame. I gift wrapped the present and added a hand-written note.
The donor (who was a bit of a flake, TBH) had forgotten it was secret Santa that day, and hastily wrapped an apple from her lunch in newspaper a few minutes before the presentation of gifts.
Guess who got that. :(
Joseph Miller 11 months ago
I get it if you forget. A lot of things going on during the holidays, but c'mon. At least an "IOU" would suffice.
#34
I worked for a small company that was owned by an actual billionaire. She picked out my name for Secret Santa. She got me a very cheap looking solar powered torch. Yes… a solar powered torch. A torch that requires sunlight to work. Even if it was a normal torch, who the f**k buys that for someone as a Secret Santa gift?! Why get me that? Not once did I express a love of wandering around in poorly lit places.
Nils Skirnir 11 months ago
They often don’t pay contractors or the cities they campaign in. Or the million dollar checks they promise.
Load More Replies... ElfVibratorGlitter 11 months ago
I mean... it's at least useful. I got a hand crank torch/lantern/strobe light/ radio from my mom one time. I've actually used it many many times.
#35
At girl who worked at my job (way before I started but this story has apparently gone down in history) gave a male member of staff a box of brownies and a “bl*wjob voucher”.
#36
A guy at work had epilepsy. His boss got him a strobe light.
#37
Bath bombs that were bake off themed. I didn’t have a bath, and we worked with a client who’s entire brand was around baking and I’d been extremely verbal about how I wasn’t watching or interested in bake off.
Huddo's sister 11 months ago
As a teacher, I often get bath products as gifts from student/parents. I either gift them to someone else or donate to the op shop. It doesn't disappoint me as much as getting edible gifts do now I have so many allergies/intolerances. I used to love getting chocolates and things. I was pleased to see no all the chocolates in the favourites box may contain gluten- I ate them and am giving the rest to my stepdad as part of his gift, along with the shortbreads from another student.
#38
Years ago I used to work on a site which had incredibly strict security - the sort where they X-ray all the things going into and out from the site. There was obvious restrictions on booze, weapons etc etc.
Someone in my team bought someone else a big box, in it was a crate of 0% beer, a water pistol that looked just like the real thing but was bright pink, some candies that came in a plastic case shaped like a hand grenade and some like syrup drink mixers which were presented in syringes. He hadn’t broken any specific rules, but when the recipient had to get it all xrayed to get out the guard nearly had a fit.
#39
When I was 20 I was working for the NHS on a inpatient mental health ward. We used to open our secret Santa presents with the patients on Christmas morning.
That Christmas I was given a vibrator by a man at least 20 years older than me, who said "I thought you needed to loosen up". And, of course, I opened a vibrator in front of a ward of women who'd been in inpatient care for years.
#40
I will stress that the person who received this gift thought it was hilarious as both he & the colleague who gifted the item share the same kind of humour.
He was a 2nd Generation Nigerian immigrant, so his parents had come over, he often went back to Nigeria. For Secret Santa he got a ‘Nigerian survival kit’. A cardboard box which contained a bag of rice, a bottle of water & a banana.
Mary Kelly 11 months ago
you know what?...all useful...nobody needs or wants another mug, candle or bath item...except maybe that "c**t" mug discussed above...that's a keeper
#41
I was 18 and quite shy. A much older man who was also the boss of the team got me a really crude calendar and said “it’s always the quiet ones.” Hid it in my locker as couldn’t face taking it home to my kind parents!
#42
A guy received a photoshopped picture of his sister in her underwear.
Huddo's sister 11 months ago
Eww, I hope the giver got some repercussions, though I doubt it. Same type of person who wouldn't get why women are upset about deep fakes being used in porn.
#43
Someone I knew got a novelty pooing reindeer that pooed chocolate drops for his boss. Mildly amusing to everyone else but insanely offensive to his boss.
#44
As a Project Manager I was given an alarm clock so that I would “ensure you are delivering on time” 🙄 who tf are these people
#45
A lime green mankini and the recipient proceeded to model it over his clothes at the pub. Oh the horror.
Jan Rosier 11 months ago
Well, me receiving that would also be modeling over my clothers, as a giant F U to the idiot who gifted it.
Littlemiss 11 months ago
I never did get that for my adopted Dad, he always wanted one much to the kids horror.
#46
Worked in a bank, and 1 woman got an edible g string! Nobody owned up and we were all just saying WTF!?
#47
My aunt lost her hair very suddenly. She was always very proud of it, then it was all gone in under a year. Obviously it was massively upsetting for her and she was very self conscious, especially with people prying about it at work. She got given a headscarf for secret santa.
Miki 11 months ago
I think it wasn't aimed to me AH move. Just extremely poorly thought out. ;(
Fire Singer 11 months ago
That's what I thought. Good intentions, but should have made sure it was something she wanted before getting it.
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#48
Inflatable photo frame. I "accidentally" left it in the restaurant, only for someone to bring it in to work the next day and return it to me
#49
Not mine but the story spread around work very quickly.
Trainee teacher at the secondary school I worked at. He had to buy for the head of department having known her for a few months. The gifts were obviously anonymous so he chose to buy her a double ended d*ldo. When I say buy, I mean he already owned it and just ‘gifted’ it to her.
She opened it at their department meeting and was appalled. Trainee bragged about it to the other student teachers, word got back to head of dept that he bought it.
Oddly enough, he dropped out not long after this.
#50
Porcelain d**k from an apparently famous place in Portugal. Recycled many times over each time we had a new person on the office till when someone broke the tradition.
ElfVibratorGlitter 11 months ago
I once received a body hair trimmer for our white elephant gift exchange at the office. When I regifted it the next year, the receiver absolutely lost his mind giggling and had me sign it and write the year. And thus began the very brief (5 years) tradition of the recycled body hair trimmer.
#51
I got given a nail polish set. It was a very cheap brand and clearly an “I don’t know what to buy women” gift, since I never wore nail polish.
#52
I did a secret santa once when I was at college with a few friends, we made lists for each other so we expected to just get something from there.
I ended up getting some sort of engine filter for someone's car as that's what he asked for. When the day came the person who had me had forgotten to bring it in. He ended up telling me what it is and it was a minecraft lego set.
That was about 4 years ago and I still haven't gotten it, every now and then he'll send a photo of it fully built just sitting on his shelf.
So I suppose my worst gift was nothing, unless you count pictures of said item as a gift.
#53
We had a guy with no teeth who was given a full dental hygiene kit. He took it as the joke it was intended to be though so all well.
Daniel Atkins 11 months ago
If the toothless guy makes jokes about himself not having teeth then yes he'll find it funny.
Load More Replies... #54
Inexpensive marital aid for a lovely lady who was mortified in the group opening and then very cross.
CrunChewy McSandybutt 11 months ago
I would think there'd be a rule to keep the gifts safe for work. I can't imagine giving some of these gifts to a coworker.
#55
I was once sent, by my wife, to buy nipple tassels for the lady she’d drawn in their Secret Santa. They all worked at the local primary school.
#56
One of the older ladies in HR bought one of the younger ladies in HR two pairs of edible knickers.
Inappropriate for anyone in any work environment, but completely unacceptable from/to anyone in HR.
#57
Years ago a male colleague of mine gave a very-single female colleague a set of AA batteries in a secret santa. She never forgave him.
LavenderHippoInAJar 11 months ago
Wait I'm missing something -- what does her being single have to do with any of this??
Rathoren 11 months ago
For a fun toy for her when she goes to bed alone....
Load More Replies... #59
The person I bought for had just moved here from Australia so I got them Scottish stuff like shortbread and a miniature whisky etc... as much as I could get for the limit. The person who had me got me a miniature bottle of Marvel Avengers branded shampoo.
#60
Canned peaches + can opener.
ElfVibratorGlitter 11 months ago
Honestly, with a can opener makes it a gift I'd actually like. :)
#61
£10 budget. Someone bought me a pack of incense sticks.
#62
My colleague received a box of beard baubles a couple of years ago. He didn't have a beard. Still doesn't.
Huddo's sister 11 months ago
Beard baubles are a thing? I suppose anything can be, but still seems weird.
Blue Bunny of Happiness 11 months ago
They were about 4 years ago, dunno if they are now?
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#63
My friends did a secret santa and the guy I got bought me a single beer wrapped up. That following weekend he brought the other 5 beers to a party I was hosting.
#64
Got told we could only spend a fiver, it was my first year there so I took it literally. Everyone else spent £20+ and I got a co-worker post-it origami. I thought it was a cool little gift. Heard her saying a few months later, "I'm not doing it again. Last year I got post its and I know who it was" and everyone acted appalled.
#65
I got given a lighbulb and a piece of wood once. Still not quite sure what it was meant to be.
#66
I wouldn’t class it as inappropriate, but a colleague, who was not the brightest, was really struggling to get someone a gift. All he knew about her was that she enjoyed a cigarette break, so he bought her a packet of fags for Christmas.
Huddo's sister 11 months ago
I'm surprised f**s wasn't censored (we use that for cigarettes in Australia and maybe the UK). There used to be lolly/candy called f**s, but with the change of meaning for the word, they became Fads.
#67
A neon pink lacy thong, at a work secret santa. I was totally confused until the purchaser told me that my knickers were constantly on show above my trousers when bending over. Mortified.
#68
In a place I worked, a colleague got offered deodorant because people thought he smelled bad. Another got “sl*tty” lingerie because they thought she was sleeping with the boss. Someone got a laundry bag because they wore same sweater days in a row. Is that kind of thing common?
#69
I got someone who was notoriously tight a wallet. However it was called a tight a*sewallet and all the pockets were stitched shut. He was well pleased with his new wallet until he realised! He left it on the table!
Huddo's sister 11 months ago
What I don't get is people who buy things like this are literally wasting their money. They would be better off just not buying anything, not giving something for a joke that lasts a few seconds at most.
Roxy222uk 11 months ago
I don't understand buying a present for the major purpose of upsetting them. That's the exact opposite of what I'm aiming for. There's so many generic presents that would be okay for most people (aside from allergies, ex-alcoholic, dietary requirements, etc).
Load More Replies... #70
A co-worker of mine once gifted a woman we work with a ball gag because she had a hard time being quiet. She took it very well.
#71
My boss in my first proper job (office worker, I generally just wore polo shirts to work) got me a shirt and tie from Marks and Spencer.
#72
I got a children's creative kit to make a volcano. Although I didn't have children then. It was a strange gift for me.
#73
A while ago, I was once given a "size matters" mug that's about 2 - 3 mugs worth. I can only assume it had something to do with my weight, however, jokes on them, I actually think it's a pretty decent mug and ended up being a good way to store my cooking utensils, lol. Oh, for a few days after getting it, I proceeded to use it for coffee at work, much to the shock (abd probably disgust) of my co workers, lol.
After that I was given my present: some kind of "cheap and nasty" pan flute (which didn't even work as most of the "pipes" were blocked)... I can only assume it's because I am originally from South Africa... I honestly don't know if they were trying to be nice or nasty, but I ended up feeling rather sad and disappointed (probably in part to my gift getting rejected)... I did have someone I know come over and ask what I got and if I liked it (maybe it was the gift giver?), and I tried to pretend I liked it, but my heart just wasn't in it...
v10011011 11 months ago
I’m sorry about the pan-flutes but glad that you got a nice mug that you could repurpose 🥰🤗
Kiss Army 11 months ago
I got one of those oversized mugs that has Snoopy on it and it's super cute... we keep it on the kitchen counter and store extra condiments we get from takeout orders in it.
Load More Replies... #74
I have a winner.
In school, year 9, we had Secret Santa with a £3-5 price. I get a bag of budgens sweets that say 39p in the corner from a guy who decided he really didn't like me.
He was very well off so it was just to be a d**k/stingy.
As I spitefully eat them, one of my molars which had apparently been weakened by antibiotics as a child decided to choose now as the moment to crumble. So I got to go to the dentist to have my tooth rebuilt for Secret Santa.
#75
A bottle of poppers called Phuck, wrapped in a used Milky Way wrapper with bits of chocolate still on it, with the tag from a teabag stuck on as a gift tag.
Dude who gave it to me was on roughly £50k.
#76
When in secondary school, my friend and I were the only two boys in a group of all girls. One Christmas they all gave us both a pair of their underwear.
Now I wonder why I never held onto them, could have made a mint.
Blue Bunny of Happiness 11 months ago
I wondered why they could have made a mint…..then I reread the post….ewwwwww!
#77
Finger lights. Yes lights for you fingers, led, red green and blue lights. F****n sh*te whilst everyone else got wine or smellies. We were all sat round as well about 15 of us. There were some shocked faces. Mine being the biggest.
What do you think ?
Smeghead Tribble Down Under 11 months ago (edited)
Not a Secret Santa, but I used to be on an international online postcard swapping forum, and sometimes groups did gift exchanges. I would go out of my way to pick unique little Aussie souvenirs, or Australian-made sweets or things like that, and they aren't cheap but I enjoyed it. I always got rubbish in return, but one swap was the worst. It was a Valentine's Day one. I got the person I drew a medium-sized stuffed kangaroo, boxed chocolates, some pretty stationery, and a couple other things that I thought were pretty nice. I received (from a different person in the group) a small string of heart lights and the cord was cut in pieces, a torn pink envelope, a single piece of chewing gum, and a tissue. A single tissue. Then when I asked on the boards if anyone else had received actual rubbish (with a photo of what I'd gotten, but not the person's name, username or anything like that) I was the one who got jumped all over for being rude O_o I left that site after that.
Lene 11 months ago
I have never been in postcard swapping forums but was in a lot of penpalling ones for a decade or so. I can totally relate to that drama you are describing. Lol. It was not aimed at me though, but I witnessed a lot of sh*t on those sites. I guess this is just what happens when a lot of (very) different ppl meet over one hobby. I can 100% understand why you left the group. I would have, too.
Load More Replies... brittany 11 months ago
i did secret santa this year and never ever will again. the limit was 30$ which doesnt seem like a lot, but i still had to give up some things i'd normally get for myself to afford it. we all got a list of things our person likes (think candies, foods, sports teams etc) i got everything on my persons list and ended up needing two gift baskets to fit it all. his girlfriend who also works with me somehow found out i was his secret santa and asked when i was getting him the rest of his gift. i was too embarrassed to tell her in front of everyone that i had no more money for anything else. i later found out she was my secret santa and almost all my gifts came from the dollar tree. not shaming the dollar tree or people who shop there, myself included. but how is a person going to ask when they are getting more when i already bought everything on the list and it was 2 gift baskets worth?
Roxy222uk 11 months ago
My husband was working somewhere that had a lot of overtime available at the relevant period, and many people were able to take up a lot of it due to family arrangements, being single or childfree etc, so there was a bit of money around. He put a lot of thought into his Secret Santa gift, although I can't remember what it was I know he matched it to the person's interests. On the day people were getting day trips to a spa and whole salmons. My husband got a plastic head band with Shrek ears on. Fuming doesn't start to describe how he felt, and he's generally the most laid back person you could meet.
jennifer brinkman 11 months ago
In junior high school i got a michael Jackson card for a present. They used a whole sheet of aluminum foil to make it look bigger. So disappointed.
Smeghead Tribble Down Under 11 months ago (edited)
Not a Secret Santa, but I used to be on an international online postcard swapping forum, and sometimes groups did gift exchanges. I would go out of my way to pick unique little Aussie souvenirs, or Australian-made sweets or things like that, and they aren't cheap but I enjoyed it. I always got rubbish in return, but one swap was the worst. It was a Valentine's Day one. I got the person I drew a medium-sized stuffed kangaroo, boxed chocolates, some pretty stationery, and a couple other things that I thought were pretty nice. I received (from a different person in the group) a small string of heart lights and the cord was cut in pieces, a torn pink envelope, a single piece of chewing gum, and a tissue. A single tissue. Then when I asked on the boards if anyone else had received actual rubbish (with a photo of what I'd gotten, but not the person's name, username or anything like that) I was the one who got jumped all over for being rude O_o I left that site after that.
Lene 11 months ago
I have never been in postcard swapping forums but was in a lot of penpalling ones for a decade or so. I can totally relate to that drama you are describing. Lol. It was not aimed at me though, but I witnessed a lot of sh*t on those sites. I guess this is just what happens when a lot of (very) different ppl meet over one hobby. I can 100% understand why you left the group. I would have, too.
Load More Replies... brittany 11 months ago
i did secret santa this year and never ever will again. the limit was 30$ which doesnt seem like a lot, but i still had to give up some things i'd normally get for myself to afford it. we all got a list of things our person likes (think candies, foods, sports teams etc) i got everything on my persons list and ended up needing two gift baskets to fit it all. his girlfriend who also works with me somehow found out i was his secret santa and asked when i was getting him the rest of his gift. i was too embarrassed to tell her in front of everyone that i had no more money for anything else. i later found out she was my secret santa and almost all my gifts came from the dollar tree. not shaming the dollar tree or people who shop there, myself included. but how is a person going to ask when they are getting more when i already bought everything on the list and it was 2 gift baskets worth?
Roxy222uk 11 months ago
My husband was working somewhere that had a lot of overtime available at the relevant period, and many people were able to take up a lot of it due to family arrangements, being single or childfree etc, so there was a bit of money around. He put a lot of thought into his Secret Santa gift, although I can't remember what it was I know he matched it to the person's interests. On the day people were getting day trips to a spa and whole salmons. My husband got a plastic head band with Shrek ears on. Fuming doesn't start to describe how he felt, and he's generally the most laid back person you could meet.
jennifer brinkman 11 months ago
In junior high school i got a michael Jackson card for a present. They used a whole sheet of aluminum foil to make it look bigger. So disappointed.
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