Buying a Secret Santa gift is a lot like childbirth. It's agony, right up until the moment your present is handed over and the memory of all the pain begins to fade. Twelve months later and you've signed up to do it all over again. The trouble is, the office is a minefield of politics that is amplified to crazy levels during Secret Santa time. The key is to be prepared, know your audience and stick to the budget. Follow these 5 simple steps to finding perfect Secret Santa gifts and you might just crack the system" Step 1: Know your enemy Second only to unwrapping your Secret Santa gift, finding out who you have to buy for is the most pivotal moment of the whole Secret Santa gift giving process. And it could one of two ways; you'll get your best work buddy, or much more likely, you'll unfold the paper and groan. In event of the latter, a little observation or coincidental trips to the water cooler will go a long way to establishing basic likes, dislikes and idiosyncrasies that can influence your Secret Santa gift choice. Hell, you might even make a new friend. Step 2: Beware of office sleuths You know the type. They are the ones that trade names under the table when no-one's looking and make it their business to reveal everyone"s matches. And let's face it, with Secret Santa gift giving, anonymity is absolutely essential. Knowing the name of the person who gave you this year's disappointment inevitably leads to an awkward and embarrassing fake "thanks" moment, or worse, your recipient will do the same to you. To outhustle this type you need watch everything you do, from fake handwriting on the Secret Santa gift card to your wrapping technique. Most of all, trust no-one. Step 3: Beat the budget The key to success here is time "" give yourself plenty of it and you can seek out those Secret Santa gift ideas at the perfect price no problem. Leave your Secret Santa gift shopping until the last minute and you could start to panic. Suddenly everything for 10 or less looks like old tat, you'll doubt your decisions and panic-buy something completely unsuitable or totally overpriced out of guilt. The solution? Don"t leave your shopping until the night before. Step 4: Choosing your gift Yes it's true, you could go cheap. But when it comes to crunch time and you cast half an eye over at your recipient there's a part of you that wants them to like your Secret Santa gift "" it's the same part that signs you up again each December and doesn't want to be named and shamed by the office busy body from step 3. Fortunately today's gift giving market is jam-packed with a smorgasbord of Secret Santa gift ideas, so whether you want to play it safe or pick something more fun or even hi-tech, the gifts are there for the taking. Step 5: Watch out for Secret Santa karma Now there's no actual evidence to support the idea that what you put into your Secret Santa gift you'll get back, but it's there. Like laughing at someone's misfortune, being a cheapskate could come back and get you. Maybe not in this year's round of Secret Santa gifts, but one year soon you could unwrap a real dud. Afterall, Secret Santa gift giving is hazardous enough without jinxing the whole thing.
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