Secret Santa gifts for a remote colleague

The gift has to survive the post and arrive before everyone opens on a call. That rules out anything fragile, heavy or last-minute, and it makes flat, light and funny the winning category.

Everything below sits inside a normal UK Secret Santa budget of £10 to £15, so nothing here makes anyone else's gift look small. The ideas are grouped by what usually works, what to steer clear of and how to handle the opening itself.

If you are still setting the draw up, the Secret Santa rules guide covers budgets, deadlines and drawing names, and our free name picker does the draw for you.

Secret Santa gift ideas for a remote colleague

1. A pin badge. Flat, light, cheap to post and it shows up well on camera.
2. A card and a print in one envelope. Nothing to break, nothing to weigh.
3. A postcard set. Letterbox-friendly and it invites them to write back.
4. Coasters. Flat enough to post, used at every home desk in the country.
5. A candle if the budget covers padded packaging. Check the seller posts it protected.
6. A digital voucher sent to arrive on the morning of the call.
7. Good coffee in a letterbox-sized pack — the standard remote-worker win.
8. A Christmas card posted separately so something lands even if the parcel is late.

What to avoid

• Anything fragile that will arrive in pieces.
• Anything needing a signature while they are on the call.
• Ordering in the last week of term. Post gets slower every December.
• Putting your own name on the delivery note — it ends the secret.

Budget and etiquette

• Give the organiser the addresses, not the group chat.
• Set the remote deadline a week earlier than an office one.
• Use a plain gift note rather than your name.
• Open together on a call so it still feels like a group thing.

Shop Secret Santa gifts

Pin badges under a tenner

Small enough to post, funny enough to survive being opened in front of everyone.

Christmas cards to go with it

A card turns a small gift into a proper present. Printed and posted in the UK.

How to write it so it lands

• Flat, light and unbreakable is the rule.
• Order a full week earlier than you think.
• Leave your name off the delivery note.

Where to shop next

• Secret Santa shop
• Shop Secret Santa gifts
• Secret Santa gift ideas
• Secret Santa rules
• How Secret Santa works
• Secret Santa gifts under £10
• Funny office Secret Santa gifts
• Secret Santa name picker
• Funny gifts
• Pin badges
• Buy Christmas cards
• Secret Santa gifts for your boss
• Secret Santa gifts for a fussy coworker
• Secret Santa gifts for a new colleague
• Secret Santa gifts for your work bestie
• Secret Santa gifts for a colleague who can take a joke
• Planning the party? Birthday party ideas
• How to make a balloon arch
• Photo booth prop ideas
• All guides

Frequently asked questions

What is a good Secret Santa gift to post?

Flat and light: pin badges, prints, postcards, coasters, cards or a letterbox coffee pack. All post cheaply and arrive intact.

How do you keep it secret when you post it?

Use a gift note with the recipient's name only and leave your name off the delivery. Most UK sellers allow this at checkout.

When should a remote team's deadline be?

A week earlier than an in-office one. December post is slow and one late parcel spoils the call for everybody.

How much should you spend on Secret Santa in the UK?

£10 to £15 at work and £15 to £20 in families. Agree one number rather than a range, and say up front whether the card and postage count towards it.