November 5, 2025
• less than 3 min read
You know the feeling: the dread when you receive an email to the whole team titled “Holiday Gifts: Secret Santa.” You were hired to do a job, not to find that perfect gift for Sally on the marketing team.
That’s where we come in. We’re Kyle and Kaila, the co-hosts of Per My Last Email, Morning Brew’s work-life podcast, and we’ve seen our fair share of subpar work gifts. So, here are our favorite Secret Santa or white elephant gifts that will make a big impact for not very much money—nearly everything mentioned is $40 or less.
For the coworker obsessed with their desk setup
Sad desk lunches don’t have to mean greasy keyboards. Not the most exciting gift, but one they’ll actually use all the time. …
November 5, 2025
• less than 3 min read
You know the feeling: the dread when you receive an email to the whole team titled “Holiday Gifts: Secret Santa.” You were hired to do a job, not to find that perfect gift for Sally on the marketing team.
That’s where we come in. We’re Kyle and Kaila, the co-hosts of Per My Last Email, Morning Brew’s work-life podcast, and we’ve seen our fair share of subpar work gifts. So, here are our favorite Secret Santa or white elephant gifts that will make a big impact for not very much money—nearly everything mentioned is $40 or less.
For the coworker obsessed with their desk setup
Sad desk lunches don’t have to mean greasy keyboards. Not the most exciting gift, but one they’ll actually use all the time.
We’re biased, but Morning Brew’s new desk calendar is the perfect gift for anyone who likes to spend the first five minutes of their day playing a little game.
This will make sure your coworker always looks their best in those early morning meetings, even if they’re still in their pajamas.
Desk florals that won’t die after a few days? Groundbreaking.
For the creative coworker
It’s tough to beat a high-quality, midsize notebook. And, since no creative wants to be constrained by silly things like lines, the dotted pages allow for neat notes, designing, or doodling in meetings (not the meetings you’re leading, of course).
This cute brass bottle opener doubles as a desk knickknack.
Though slightly pricier than the others, this photo printer is perfect for anyone who spends just as much time prepping their next Instagram post as they do creating their portion of the slides for that big presentation.
For someone always on the go
An unexpected sip of lukewarm coffee can ruin a morning. This well-designed mug looks cool and actually keeps coffee hot. Know this coworker well and have some extra time before gifting? Get the mug personalized for an extra $10.
This is perfect for the coworker whose Zoom background is always a different exotic location.
Whew, all that jetsetting is dehydrating.
If your coworker tends to interrupt your workflow by asking for a USB-C, this portable charger ensures they can power up on the go, making dead batteries a thing of the past.
For the coworker you were assigned but don’t really know
A delicious and thoughtful option for someone you’ve barely met.
A tiny clock can make such a big difference for a desk, especially if it’s one of those coworkers who’s always just a little late to every meeting (we all know one).
We’re told these are all the rage, and many of our Gen Z coworkers have at least one watching them work.
These are product recommendations from our team. When you buy through these links, Morning Brew may earn a commission.
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Become smarter in just 5 minutes
Morning Brew delivers quick and insightful updates about the business world every day of the week from Wall St. to Silicon Valley.