Shake up your Secret Santa this year

The Secret Santa has been a mainstay of workplace festive traditions for years. Rather than the usual plethora of novelty socks and luxury bath bombs, why not mix it up this festive season with some alternative ideas?

Secret Santa offers a chance to bring some excitement and fun to you and your practice team. But it can be more than just an opportunity to banish the winter blues. It is also a chance to promote team bonding, help staff get to know each other and support one another to meet their personal goals. We look at some simple ways to add an extra twist to your holiday celebrations this year.

Think value not cost

Most Secret Santa gifts have a small budget, but what about adding extra value to your gift exchange by agreeing on a theme that encapsulates the seasonal spirit? You might choose to only ‘buy local’ to support your community, purchase from a charity or agree to gift more environmentally friendly products.

Remove the stress

Take the stress out of gift buying by having a fun theme that everyone can get behind. You can ask your colleagues for suggestions and take a vote on what everyone would enjoy most. Why not have a ‘festive foodie’ theme? Asking people to gift a favourite holiday treat can be a fun way to introduce the team to different cultures and traditions they may not know.

How about a Secret Advent?

Instead of a quick gift exchange that lasts for a few minutes, why not keep the fun going for the whole month? Secret Advent is a great alternative to Secret Santa. Ask everyone to bring in a small, wrapped gift before the first of December and store them all in an ‘advent’ box. Every day people take turns to draw a gift. This is great for bigger teams or practices who have frequent visiting staff.

Update your wish lists

Choosing a gift for a colleague you don’t know well or a new starter who hasn’t been at the practice long can be tricky. A great way to mix it up is to ask that – instead of a wish list – everyone write down their goals for the coming year. Knowing more about the person, rather than what slipper size they wear, will ensure they receive a gift that truly means something to them.

Banish back to work blues

Santa might come once a year, but that doesn’t mean you have to limit your gift exchange to the days running up to Christmas. Why not consider a New Year gift exchange? This can be a fun way to welcome staff back to work and catch up on their post-holiday news. It also allows people to regift any unwanted presents they might not use but someone else may love, saving money and reducing waste.