What are your go-to inexpensive and 'non-tat' presents that people actually use?

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calicoki77@reddit

Candles are out for me , what smells lovely to someone else may not smell the same to the recipient, plus some places, renting , senior living places etc don’t allow them.

Socks -Yep all good

Cheese and small cheese board with biscuits but not Carrs water biscuits they are an abomination to Jacob’s - not for the lactose intolerant though.

Yes to a nice pen

And good coffee and tea and a nice bone china cup … That’s me sorted thanks OP

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I give drivers that gadget for inflating tyres, the one that can cut seatbelts and break windows but is also a torch, the gadget for charging your car battery, a really good long handles ice scraper, that rain repellent window wash. All make life safer.

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CrispyFriedOwl@reddit

What is the gimmick for making the seat belt more comfortable because this is genuinely something I will ask for christmas!

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fluentindothraki@reddit

Other types are available

bought in Amazon

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BackgroundGate3@reddit

I'm always happy to receive one of those folding shopping bags that packs into a tiny pouch. I keep one in all my handbags and in the door bins of the car in case I go on a spontaneous shopping trip.

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Novel_Structure8833@reddit

Nanobags are awesome

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PickleFandango@reddit

I came here to say this. And small toiletry bags that anyone can use for essentials. I got two a few years ago and still use them every day.

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unnaturaldoings@reddit

I do not want candles. Scents are very personal and I would also add that with smellies too. If I get one more Ted Baker set (I can't return to Boots for full price or something I actually want) or set of candles I'll scream. They go in a regifting box to give to people I know who like that stuff.
I'd dearly love for us to move past the buying cheap tat and gifting it willy nilly. I'd rather have a nice bottle of wine/champers than something I'll either never use or want.

FWIW I use an online site called drawnames that you can get people to sign up for. You set the limit and they put up links to things they actually would want and no one is miserable. We stopped buying random gifts for our family/friends xmas and its worked really well. Kids of course are not included and we're happy to spoil all small beings, bipeds and quadrapeds.

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quirky1111@reddit

If you get ted baker nail polish pass it here? 👀

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unnaturaldoings@reddit

If it was a nail polish I'd probably like it (depending on the colour) I'm not against Ted Baker i'd love the bag or the little flip flops but the generic smellies that appear every Xmas bore me to hell and I hate them.

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quirky1111@reddit

Honestly that is completely fair. It’s such a waste of resources. But I do have a soft spot for their nail polish :)

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missminttea@reddit (OP)

I always gift unscented candles 😊

And I also have a regift drawer! Love that actually, it comes in handy often. 😄 (I regift scented candles!)

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Serious_Escape_5438@reddit

You see, if I'm lighting candles it's for the scent. I have no interest in unscented ones. It's just so personal.

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missminttea@reddit (OP)

Definitely helps to know the person you’re gifting for 😄 after all every single one of the suggestions here could be disliked by an individual, I just love that we’re creating a big list of things to choose from 😄

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Serious_Escape_5438@reddit

I always think food/drink/sweet things are the best if you really don't know. Even if the person doesn't like it they're bound to be able to share with family or give to guests. That's always my theory anyway.

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vectorology@reddit

Everyone I know is on a diet or has diet restrictions. Even wine drinking friends of mine will only drink one specific kind of wine (source as well as varietal, varies by person), and I can’t keep all that straight. So I’m very leery of giving food or drink gifts to anyone, much less someone I don’t know well.

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Serious_Escape_5438@reddit

As I said, I tend to think it's something they can make use of in some way. Most people at some stage will have people over and want to give them a drink so they can open it then, or take it when invited elsewhere. Or take the chocolates to share at work or for your kids or builders or something. I'm talking about people you barely know, whatever you buy might not be wanted, I just feel it's less likely to be wasted than other things.

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vectorology@reddit

Makes sense. A gift that can be paid forward if needed.

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Minimum_Leopard_2698@reddit

Try selling it all on Vinted, I’ve cleaned up to the tune of £110 on my regifts that nobody else really wants either. Bought partner a fancy coat that was on sale, and my purse is no lighter for it!

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Sammiebear_143@reddit

I have a ton of candles from well-meaning gifters, that I just don't use. I pack them away for any tombola or raffle prizes.

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blackcurrantcat@reddit

Me too. Just anything with any kind of scent- just don’t.

Also Boots 3 for 2 Christmas shit- nothing says yeah, sorry I just felt so bloody obligated to get you something and it was a cheap and easy deal more than these. Ted Baker in particular.

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Serious_Escape_5438@reddit

That's the thing though, it depends on the person. I absolutely love scented candles and while I personally would like nice wine or champagne I know lots of people who wouldn't. For this reason I only buy gifts for my own siblings and parents who I know well and know what they would like. I have agreed with other people to skip gifts except for children. I'm not a massive fan of useful presents either for independent adults. Better we all just buy our own socks or whatever.

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wyzo94@reddit

I like reading.. Anyone I'm gifting to I usually know them some what well enough to get them something they'd like. Blown a few people away over the years with a really good book. I'll even buy them second hand.

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whizzymamajuni@reddit

And if you’re buying for someone who loves reading but you’re not sure what they’re into, there are some really beautiful bookmarks out there. I really like getting those as gifts!

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Bendandsnap27@reddit

My favourite gift, especially when so much thought has gone into which book it is.

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wyzo94@reddit

And there's multiple books for everyone out there

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Helpful_Librarian_87@reddit

A nice mug & some hot chocolate mix.

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missminttea@reddit (OP)

See, I know this is a really popular mix of presents but I HATE getting mugs 😭 I don’t like when they don’t match… 🙈 But I also know lots of people who love this, so I guess it depends on the person you’re buying for!

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whizzymamajuni@reddit

Now, I love getting mugs, especially silly ones with slogans - and I loathe candles! 😂 (though actually my best mate buys me these really tacky candles with saints on and I love those because they’re so daft - but that’s really niche 😂😂)

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CrossCityLine@reddit

I agree mugs/glasses are crap presents. Everyone has cupboards FULL of them, they don’t need any more.

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memorablepotato@reddit

A set of teaspoons to stir the hot chocolate with would be more useful.

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IHateTheLetter-C-@reddit

Long handled teaspoons. Not as many people have them, but even more useful

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Kim_catiko@reddit

Same here! I don't like mismatching crockery of any kind. I have two bowls that don't match because the others broke and I needed to replace them. That is my limit.

I also don't drink anything that usually goes in a mug, so they're surplus to requirements for me.

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Serious_Escape_5438@reddit

Me too, I'm fussy about which ones I like and have plenty. I also don't like hot chocolate. That's the thing, it depends on the person really.

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Peter_gggg@reddit

For any cooks.. microplane grater

With an itruction note Good for garlic,

nutmeg,

Lemon zest Lime zest,

ginger Chocolate Cinnamon Parmesan

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Thestolenone@reddit

Really fancy expensive biscuits for cheeses, you always end up with far more sweet stuff than savoury at Christmas.

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RosieEmily@reddit

I work in a primary school office and get given so many biscuits and chocolates at Christmas time. I really don't have a sweet tooth and would prefer a multipack of McCoy's 😆

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Feline-Sloth@reddit

Bath Olivers are a perfect posh cracker

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ilovewineandcats@reddit

Miller's toast....absolutely delicious and elevates a cheese board.

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CrossCityLine@reddit

Peter’s Yard charcoal crackers 👌

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free-the-imps@reddit

My brother got me a carmount magnetic dashboard mount, it holds a mobile phone in the car. Took me ages to install it and I was sure I didn’t need it, but it’s actually brilliant and so easy to just pop my phone onto it when I get in the car

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Acrobatic_Try5792@reddit

A good pen! One with a little weight behind it. A power bank Socks

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Acrobatic_Try5792@reddit

I give home made fudge, and chorizo ‘jam’, but I’d only give those to people I know and not in secret Santa.

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adhdontplz@reddit

Experience vouchers or tickets per someone's hobbies and interests (though the logistics of leaving the house for them might be awkward for some people)

A top range leakproof thermos for a few birdwatcher friends.

High quality or specialist winter clothing accessories such as gloves or scarves.

Consumable wise - high quality biscuits are always well loved, Monty Bojangles truffles, Lindt boxes or baileys truffles are divine, or at the upper cost end hampers are always great for variety and a bit more effort in the presentation.

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bacon_cake@reddit

Cinema vouchers are always my go-to gift!

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PaleSeal@reddit

Monty Bojangles always go down a treat whenever I gift them, for any occassion!

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Even-Employee2554@reddit

I adore Monty Bojangles’ ugly cat tins.

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TheSecretIsMarmite@reddit

Candles (works from my experience better for females than males)

Martin Goodman has entered the chat.

You need to know your audience for candles. I am a female (eurgh) and don't like candles - they affect indoor air quality and some scents can trigger migraines.

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CarameltheStar@reddit

A box of indomie noodles Novel Candles Cheap bracelet or necklace Scalf or hat

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jlelvidge@reddit

Comical mugs or even water bottles

Small card wallets with the security on

T shirts with their favourite character or nickname on

An easy cookbook for ramen (students especially)

Women, satin hats to sleep in and Men, a small handheld game compendium

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GT_Pork@reddit

This could be useful. Last year for secret Santa a gave the recipient an “abandoned mattresses of Bristol” calendar which they didn’t appreciate. I thought it was brilliant but hey ho.

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swungover264@reddit

That is a very niche thing to take a punt on for Secret Santa...

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LauraPa1mer@reddit

What? That's actually amazing

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GT_Pork@reddit

Maybe this year it will be Toilets Top Trumps. I’ve got some work to do

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SlippersParty2024@reddit

Absolutely socks and food/drink. Oxfam sells some nice Christmas treats this time of year, like chilli almonds (although I have yet to see them this year), dates...this year they have these tiny pots of salt smoked over fir trees in Wales. Yes, it's expensive but it really smells like a Christmas tree!

On my 'NO' list is toiletries. I don't want another bottle of runny body lotion with a cheap fragrance from Boots 2 for 3.

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missminttea@reddit (OP)

Agree with the toiletries. I have sensitive skin and allergies, and don’t use any of the mainstream brands, and have no use for them. I usually regift them though, as others like receiving it!

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Apidium@reddit

I sew so I usually lean on that. For random crap little cute custom sewn pouches go over well often. Usually I will pick something I know they will like if I know them in any way.

This year I'm expanding into knitting. So eveyone is getting scarves and similar in hopefully prefered colours / types with increasingly absurd fake packaging. I used one of those ai image things to make a little comedy logo of a ball of yarn stabbed with a knitting needle.

I find sewing and such quite calming. But I don't need the array of stuff that I end up making most of the time. So either I pretend to be someone who puts a lot of effort and consideration into gifts when really I'm just killing two birds with one stone. Ultimately it doesn't really matter to me what I sew or knit. I just like to do it.

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missminttea@reddit (OP)

I love that. I really want to get into embroidery!

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Junior_Tradition7958@reddit

A mug

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Savasanana@reddit

I once received a passport holder as a secret Santa gift. I love travelling so was an excellent gift, not something I’d have bought for myself but wouldn’t go without it now.

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CrossCityLine@reddit

socks, yes they’re a cliche but they’re genuinely gratefully received by me as I get through them very quickly as I have big feet and socks for feet my size are expensive. Double points if you buy me socks in my size!
a nice pen. If you’re buying for someone in a shitty office job even a £10 Parker pen will be a massive upgrade on the half chewed monstrosities that are usually available in office jobs.
some nice biscuits/chocolates/snacks that people wouldn’t buy themselves for being slightly too expensive to justify but fine for a small Xmas present.
good quality long charging cables. People will laugh at you for buying them as presents but they’re an absolute game changer if you’ve not used them before. Pair with a charging block that can support 50+ watt charging for extra points.
Air tags or the android equivalent. Pair with a holder to go on a keyring, they’re very handy.

-

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Crochet-panther@reddit

I agree with long charging cables. My ex once got me a real long long charging cable for Christmas (there’s a reason he’s an ex lol) and I was annoyed given that was all he got me but I also can’t deny it got the most use of any gift that year

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CrossCityLine@reddit

Anker 3 metre cables are the best. Best £10 you’ll ever spend, supports fast charging and they’ll last years.

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Paulstan67@reddit

Do these work for fast charging for oneplus phones?

I've paid big money for cables advertised as "fast charge" yet even in my OnePlus plug they charge "snail pace".

I went in several phone (and accessory shops) with my phone and charger and none would work as a fast charger.

I have found that if i want to charge my phone in under 30 minutes i HAVE to use a red one plus lead nothing else works at speed.

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BoopityFloop17@reddit

For one, "fast charging" is achieved by high wattage power delivery. So brands don't matter - specifications do.

Find out the fast charge limitations of your phone - eg, Pixel 8s fast charge at 30 watts and at least 2.4 amps.

I use a Javex cable that supports up to 100 watts and 5 amps and fast charges my phone from 5% to 75% in 30 mins.

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Paulstan67@reddit

Ok so my supplied fast charging "plug" is 100 watts, and the supplied OnePlus charging cable will charge my phone from 0% to 100% in about 25 minutes.

I've not found another cable that will do that. Every other cable advertised as "fast" "high speed" etc just don't work with the OnePlus phones.

That's my issue , I think OnePlus must use some protocol that no others do .

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BoopityFloop17@reddit

Online sources seem to say that (depending on models) OnePlus phones fast charge at min 30W up to 65W, and at 6.5 amps.

Have you confirmed that your USB wires are specced for that?

UGreen, Javex, Anker are popular trusted third party vendors for USB cables who bother specifying their amp delivery.

OnePlus won't be using any special protocols so it won't be that.

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Paulstan67@reddit

My OnePlus charger is 100watt (well that's what it says on the side).

I don't know the technical spec of my oneplus 12r all I know is that I've not found another cable capable of charging my phone at the same rate as the supplied cable.

I have my phone.

I have my thing I plug in the wall (is that called a block? I call it a charger but whatever).

When I link those together using my supplied one plus cable it charges ultra fast and takes under 25 mins from empty to full.

Every other cable charges the phone, but instead of ultra fast, or super fast or even fast it just charges at snail pace. This is why I'm asking?

You quote specs, I've bought on specs ,I've been in shops with the charger and the phone and tried the cables and yet they don't work. If I buy a new OnePlus cable it works ultrafast... Hence my comment about OnePlus using some sort of special protocol (it could be equipment or software) to provide the speedy charging.

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BoopityFloop17@reddit

Hey! I did some digging as this entire thread bugged me. I was so sure it was just amp and wattage as most USB PD came down to that but you're right.

https://youtu.be/hScecDuwXLg?si=ADxgtRtetHQLCrET

OnePlus in particular uses SuperVooc which is proprietary - which means even with advanced GaN tech etc, you don't get the same level of charge unless you fork out for an official brick.

So TLDR, in the case of OnePlus, you're basically stuck with their stuff as it doesn't seem like the usual trusted third parties have been able to produce SuperVooc PD.

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Paulstan67@reddit

Thanks for that.. I have the bricks(they all come with the charger included) ,

I'm on my 4th or 5th oneplus phone so I've still got 35w, 45w 65w chargers and now my latest charger is 100w.

They all fast charge my phone , obviously some quicker than others.

But they ONLY do it with the OnePlus cable , they are all red , and OnePlus has a "red cable" club , all I want is a stronger longer stronger "red " cable.

A battery pack that also charges my phone in 25 minutes would be unbelievable.

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bashbob@reddit

If it helps, this 3m cable works with my 10t, shows as superVOOC when charging: https://amzn.eu/d/crltzFR

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PuzzleheadedLow4687@reddit

It's a bit random and not very helpful to you, but... I also thought that I wouldn't get the super fast charging on my Oneplus 8T without the official cable. Certainly that is the case for my wife's 7T.

But my 8T came with a different charger to hers, mine has a USB C socket whereas hers has USB A.

My Oneplus cable broke and I thought it was the only USB C-to-C cable we had in the house, until I remembered we had one we had bought for about $6 from a random discount store in Florida when we were on holiday and the hire car only came with USB C sockets and we had only bought USB A cables. I tried it, expecting it to be a temporary measure until I could get a proper cable... But it works perfectly with the super fast charging on my phone! I've been using it for the past few months with no problem.

No idea the specs of the cable... could be fluke but it shows it is possible for a third party cable to work...

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therealonnyuk@reddit

I think the OnePlus chargers are quite advanced, it absolutely zips my 9 pro with the 65W warp charge, but knows when the wife's 7 pro is connected and delivers the optimal reduced amount for her phone, the cigarette lighter dash charger is also pretty swift aswell

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BoopityFloop17@reddit

Hey! Replied to OP but I did some digging and turns out OnePlus uses SuperVooc for their fast charge so it's entirely proprietary!

Additionally, this vid from LTT explains the whole PD and USB system better than I ever would: https://youtu.be/hScecDuwXLg?si=ADxgtRtetHQLCrET

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Xaphios@reddit

There are 2 standard types of fast charge - my One Plus 7 definitely works with USB PD (power delivery), not sure about the Qualcom Fast Charge (or Quick Charge, or whatever else it calls itself now) as I don't use that.

One Plus have historically also had their own Warp Charge.

Crucially, in all three of these cases there are multiple speeds - the phone, cable, and charger talk to each other and figure out the highest wattage charge they all support using the same type of charging. If you have a warp charge charger and a quick charge cable it won't work and you'll get slow speeds. I buy cables to match my chargers and leave them with that charger to make sure they work as well as possible.

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lurcherzzz@reddit

My lenovo tablet cable charges my oneplus 7t at high speed. I also have a couple of generic C to C cables that fast charge my phone from a powerbank or laptop. However the 7T is now very old, maybe newer phones are fussier.

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therealonnyuk@reddit

One plus vooc chargers are so good aren't they, my 9pro charges SO quick

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Paulstan67@reddit

Yes this is now my 4th OnePlus phone my iphone loving mates/family can't get over the charging speeds and battery life.

I've said I'll demonstrate the under 25 mins from empty to full , but they can never wait for the 2 1/2 days it takes for the battery actual die!

I would like a longer stronger red cable but haven't been able to find one that works ultra fast.

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Sylv68@reddit

I love my Anker Soundcore earbuds & have bought them for family & friends too. Fantastic VFM & most importantly imo they pair very easily & charge lasts for ages.

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vectorology@reddit

Second Soundcore, though they aren’t socks-level cheap.

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TheEmpressEllaseen@reddit

I’ll add the third and most expensive tier of Anker subsidiary Christmas gifts - their Eufy robot vacuum cleaner. We have one and it’s fantastic.

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a4991@reddit

I’m so happy to see Anker/Soundcore getting some recognition! I swear by their headphones and speakers

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brit_parent@reddit

I have soundcore EarPods. Best I’ve ever owned. I tend to lose things like that, so I don’t dare to buy the apple ones.

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adhdontplz@reddit

It's a great stocking filler or if you're genuinely too destitute to afford anything else but assuming that wasn't the case I'd have been tempted to strangle him with it!

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MonsieurJag@reddit

I do things like that, but yes, as useful/practical stocking fillers not as a main present! 😆

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Crochet-panther@reddit

It wasn’t the case for him no, luckily we were at our own families for Christmas as he had kids and we weren’t at that point yet so he wasn’t present for me to strangle 😂

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4321zxcvb@reddit

Not socks. I have very specific tastes wet to materials used. Most socks are not to my standards

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NorthAstronaut@reddit

Ok, I'll get you something else.

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4321zxcvb@reddit

Thanks mate

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Chemical_Film5335@reddit

Man, I havent bought socks for myself since like 2012

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wingding456@reddit

Totally agree re candles.

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Icy-Regret7424@reddit

For men and boys, flash lights.

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EugeneStargazer@reddit

PSA: Women and girls also need to see in the dark from time to time. ;-)

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Blueskiesbrowneyes@reddit

Or flesh lights, depends on how confident you're feeling ,🤣

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Icy-Regret7424@reddit

Thank you!!

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SquidgeSquadge@reddit

Trying to suggest stuff that's not been said over and over. Fingerless gloves. I wear (and loose) then way more than 'proper' gloves

Car interior wipes and air freshener/ car care hamper - especially for someone with a new car. Same goes for bike lovers

Posh soap from TK Maxx - usually far cheaper and longer lasting than lush. The lemon ones go down a treat as last minute gifts

Vouchers for digital games. My husband has an Oculus 3 and a voucher for meta for it or Steam for other games is a great gift for him and his nephews whose preferences for games change every week.

Handmade Christmas ornament. I try to make one for myself every year but many people catch wind and want one themselves. I see little reindeer but some are much simpler to make and I've made some for new babies/ couples and such. Not everyone loves homemade stuff so it can be hit and miss

Big Christmas blanket.

Long ended lighter, candle and hurricane jar/ candle holder. I love those lighters, you can often get nice long Christmas matches too which can be nice.

Electric screwdriver.

Scrub daddy and holder.. This ended up causing a meltdown at a work secret Santa when it was gifted to the bosses wife who is very strict with cleaning and tidying in the staff room (I know who the gifter was and they got it on purpose to wind her up). She threw it in the bin by the time I arrived at the present exchange, I told her if she didn't want it I'd love it as I wanted a back up. She took it out the bin and kept it herself and has since gloated how good it is.

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Crochet-panther@reddit

Posh jams/chutney/sauces from farm shops or garden centres. Better if you know they like the cheap versions.

Rechargeable lighter has gone over well with several people, maybe paired with a candle?

Food maybe a mini hamper? Like say marshmallows, chocolate, biscuits and skewers for s’mores? Or pate and a couple of sorts of crackers?

Shower steamers? Similar idea to bath bombs but doesn’t require the person to have a bathtub and you can get all different scents

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SquidgeSquadge@reddit

My birthday is around Christmas and for a couple of years on the trot there was just nothing I wanted for Christmas, the couple of ideas my mum could shake out of me were for my birthday.

So my mum came up with the idea of a hamper and we LOVED it. Loads of fun bits and bobs from Lidl / Aldi/ funky pasta from TK Maxx with the odd firm favourite and homemade thing in such as chutney and cupcakes.

I would highly recommend a hamper, it's a great thing to take home when you travel far for family at Christmas. We just want to gorge ourselves on cheese and crackers for a few days after Christmas so that and some silly pasta help us keep going for a few days if off until new years

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SaltyName8341@reddit

Tell me more about shower steamers I have a couple of nieces that are impossible to buy for.

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Crochet-panther@reddit

They’re similar to bath bombs in a way, they’re a little disc that you unwrap and put somewhere where shower water will hit it some of the time, so on the edge of the bath or the edge of the shower tray. They release a nice aromatherapy like scent.

Probably not everyone’s cup of tea but if someone likes bath products but no longer has a tub they’re an alternative to give some of the effect. And they come in all different scents, some can do more than one shower depending.

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SaltyName8341@reddit

Thank you I think this solves one problem. Please tell me all nieces are this bad to buy for all in their 20's and when I ask what do you want, the answer is dunno.

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boudicas_shield@reddit

Could always be worse, I'm scouring this thread for ideas for my own husband, who is similarly impossible to buy for and equally useless when you ask him what he wants.

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SaltyName8341@reddit

Ask his best mate they'll have an idea

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boudicas_shield@reddit

Doubt it, his best mate always comes to me to ask what he should get my husband for his birthday.

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FroggingFrogs@reddit

Just thought I'd add some more suggestions for you, in addition to the shower steamers.

Socks - cosy socks always work and you can get them in all different colours, patterns etc. so you can match them your nieces tastes. They are most likely to be worn around the house too so no worry of them not matching their outfits etc. New Look do really nice ones which are not too expensive, sometimes they are on offer for 3 for 2 as well.

Face masks/sheet masks - TK Maxx for more expensive brands & Boots/Superdrug for cheaper. You can also get them on Amazon too and plenty of supermarkets sell them. They usually have buzzwords on them so you'll be able to personalise them a little e..g if they are at uni/have a busy job you can go for ones that say de-stress on them. If they enjoy going out for drinks with friends etc. Go for one that says 'glow'

Hot chocolate gift set (you can easily make your own by buying a cute mug, matching it with marshmallows, hot chocolate, a mini whisk. (Could also add a tiny bottle of baileys if they like it!) - new look do really nice novelty mugs but they are a bit more pricey, Asda always do nice ones too for cheaper.

'posh' chocolates/sweets (e.g. hotel Chocolat, lindt, m&s, candy kittens)

I could go on, but depends on budget and their taste! The sheet masks won't work for everyone for example as they may not like stuff like that, but it's something they can easily regift or share with friends, sisters etc. If you know they won't use them then you can swap that for something else, try and think about their general interests and go from there. The nice thing about the above gifts is they all work together for a girly pamper night in. They can also be wrapped together easily too - socks & mini whisk can be put inside the mug. Shower steamer and sheet masks wrapped together etc. I also sometimes do a 'pamper box' and buy a gift box from card factory or wherever and put everything in there.

My neices have definitely become harder to buy for as they get older and are generally more reluctant to say what they actually want. Some of them I just arrange a shopping day with and set a budget so they can pick some new clothes etc. then I top it up with things in the above list so they still have suprises. Although I am pretty sure they enjoy the shopping trip and spending the day with me one on one more than anything I end up buying for them.

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boojes@reddit

Cinema voucher.

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Feline-Sloth@reddit

From a financial point of view, vouchers for anywhere are not a good idea, as if the company goes bust, then the giver has wasted money, and the receiver has no gift.

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boojes@reddit

I'd rather take that small chance and give them something they're highly likely to use, than give something that will sit in a cupboard for years or go straight to a charity shop/ landfill.

[-]

Crochet-panther@reddit

My niece is 10 so I haven’t hit that point yet luckily! She is getting a lot harder to buy for though!

[-]

SaltyName8341@reddit

I have learnt with mine that being a rock and confident and in my case soft touch uncle is worth more than anything. They get me slippers every year by request and we exchange low cost gifts. Now my brother has given me a little nephew (1) to spoil and care for.

[-]

Crochet-panther@reddit

My issue is going to be that since she was 4 I’ve done her an advent box as half of her Christmas present. So 24 small things she can open one a day through December.

Up until last year it was fairly easy. This year I began to struggle. In another couple of years I imagine it will be really hard but she loves it so I know full well I’m stuck committing to this until she’s probably mid thirties 😂😜

[-]

cari-strat@reddit

My daughter is a teen but still loves a stocking full of bits. This year she has miniature perfumes (look for the 1ml-5ml samples), other mini beauty stuff like face masks, lip balms and travel sized sprays, lotions, shower or bath bombs, etc . Sweetie bits like mini chocolate treats, hot chocolate stirrers.

Keyrings, pens, mini notebooks. Croc charms. Croc lights. Hunt up Temu/Shein for beauty bits like little boxes of mascara/brow wands, makeup sponges, cleansing pads, pimple patches. Look for personalised or themed stuff like little jewellery items, earrings, bag charms. Mini jewellery case. Phone cable holders shaped like cute animals. Mini clip lights. Cute erasers.

[-]

SaltyName8341@reddit

If she likes learning this could cover 10 of them and they are for that age. https://www.axelbooks.com/products/usborne-beginners-science-paperback-10-book-set?variant=41737689399471&currency=GBP&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=google%2Bshopping&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAi_G5BhDXARIsAN5SX7o9nYAeGSByhoILhCO3GP1ZYFpHjrMMcMTWh54qB0j-Y19guAVYla0aAgN7EALw_wcB

[-]

Crochet-panther@reddit

Ooo thank you!

[-]

SaltyName8341@reddit

No problem you helped me first just repaying the favour

[-]

watsee@reddit

Honestly, I got some of these bought for me & I didn't find that they made any difference whatsoever to my shower. Other than introducing a potential slip hazard to the floor of my shower.

If you want a bath bomb, you need a bath. There is no substitute.

[-]

DeepStatic@reddit

Pate is such an odd choice here. It needs to be refrigerated.

[-]

Crochet-panther@reddit

Some do but there are plenty on sale in garden centres near me that don’t.

[-]

I_choose_your_face@reddit

I have never heard of shower steamers and now want some! Do you have any particular recommendations?

[-]

Romeejo@reddit

Potter and Hare shower steamers are wonderful.

https://potterandhare.com/collections/aromatherapy-shower-steamers

[-]

Booboodelafalaise@reddit

When we were really skint one year we gifted my sister-in-law a basket of foodie treats. She is a Marks & Spencer shopper, but was very impressed with the basket full of unfamiliar continental sounding labels.

She had no idea that they came from the further reaches of the shelves of Lidl… If she knew she’d eaten food from a budget supermarket she would probably die of middle class shock lol It made a great bargain present though.

[-]

PriscillaLaine@reddit

My aunt once got us a hamper - it was a Fortnum and Mason bag, but inside it was filled with Tesco Value stuff (back when it was the plain white packaging with blue stripes). It was cute and funny, and all the goodies tasted nice regardless.

[-]

Crochet-panther@reddit

I do a hamper each year for my Nana and my neighbours who have adopted me as an honorary grandchild. It’s all either posh versions of what they already get or stuff from supermarkets they don’t go to. I’d say a good 40% is either aldi or Lidl, they have some fantastic stuff!

[-]

cari-strat@reddit

I've done one the last few years for my elderly aunt who has lost most of her mobility and therefore can't enjoy much now. She requested one again this year and said how much pleasure she got from it. Only simple stuff, mince pies, festive biscuits and cake, after dinner mints, little puddings, special tea, hot chocolate and such, but it is treats that people don't always buy just for themselves when they live alone.

[-]

missminttea@reddit (OP)

Ohhhh, genius. The s’mores just created a really specific light bulb moment for me for a friend of mine! Thank you! 🙌🏻

[-]

dobber72@reddit

Thermal socks, Heat Savers from B&M, there's no better Winter socks for the price. My sister bought me a couple of pairs one winter 5 years ago, best gift ever.

[-]

Maleficent-Jelly2287@reddit

This might sound really silly but I once received a tiny jar of truffle honey and my God. It's incredible on cheese and lasts forever.

An ideal small gift for any cheese lover.

[-]

dweir82@reddit

Have you ever thought about an edible anus?

[-]

MysteriousSchemeatic@reddit

It’s £24 for 3 measly cracks!

[-]

whatsername235@reddit

Do they take bulk orders? Asking for a friend

[-]

double-happiness@reddit

Beeswax food wrap - better for the planet and looks quite nice too

[-]

banedlol@reddit

Amazon GC

[-]

wearezombie@reddit

I always like things that I use every day but are nicer than I’d treat myself to in say a weekly shop because it’s too much to justify usually. Like a really nice creamy butter (M&S does one in a gold wrapper that’s phenomenal), fancy jam, fancy teabags, fancy cordial.

[-]

plankton_lover@reddit

I make my own fudge - a block of butter, a pound of sugar and a tin of condensed milk, boil together until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is golden, making sure you don't stop stirring at any point. Then stir in a 6pk of crushed mince pies and pour into a tin to set. Chop into squares and bag up. I quite like the plastic bags with xmas designs, or for a more sophisticated gift, pop into chocolate boxes (you can get packs of these relatively cheap online).

Looks and tastes great and like you put a lot of effort in but actually is very quick and easy. I often make several batches and freeze it until I'm ready to gift it.

[-]

Dans77b@reddit

Careful with homemade food, especially stuff like fudge. Some people are a bit put off by other people's food.

I'm a bit like that, I never know how clean someone's kitchen is, and I don't always trust people to wash their hands.

[-]

PM-me-your-cuppa-tea@reddit

especially stuff like fudge

Why fudge/stuff like fudge rather than other foods? Genuinely trying to understand as I'd far rather receive something like fudge from a colleague over something with meat in it

[-]

Dans77b@reddit

If you are the type of person that is squeamish about other people's kitchens, fudge just seems like it gets handled more than something like muffins. I've never made fudge but I'd picture it sat on a dirty worktop to cool all day, then each piece I'd handled as it's cut.

And something like a cake can just be swallowed, but fudge claws to the mouth.

I know it's my insanity, not the cooks fault, but I know there are other people that have my thoughts on homemade food.

[-]

PM-me-your-cuppa-tea@reddit

Ah interesting. I was thinking the opposite, fudge is pretty minimal handling vs baked goods:

Mix ingredients in saucepan, bring to boil.

Take off the heat, whisk

Pour into tin, wait for it to set

Cut into pieces (I do this in the tin and then use a spatula to move to tuppawear pot where it lives until eaten - so basically no touching compared to muffins or cakes which are more hands on, though I'm not gifting baked goods or fudge to people)

[-]

Upferret@reddit

Can I have the recipe please?

[-]

Dans77b@reddit

It's not just the amount of touching, it's the texture that seems like the type of thing that will cling on to 'cooties'

Ridiculous I know.

[-]

TheOneTruJordan@reddit

Fuck all these down-voters! I totally understand the fudge factor. For me, the issue is It's sticky as hell. I don't know what you've got in your house that's gonna be all gummed up in my teeth, but i don't fancy finding out.

[-]

Dans77b@reddit

I think it started when I was a kid at school events, parents of some really dirty smelly kids would bring in homemade brownies in clingfilm and homemade beef jerky in ziplock bags...gross.

[-]

TheOneTruJordan@reddit

For me, it depends if I've seen the person offering me baked goods' kichen/food hygiene. I've seen enough people do heinous shit in a kitchen to know I don't wanna roll the dice without that prior knowledge.

[-]

FishUK_Harp@reddit

Get some help mate. Seriously, that must be a crippling phobia.

[-]

LOTDT@reddit

Definitely needs therapy.

[-]

rectal_warrior@reddit

It must be tiring being scared of the world

[-]

Dans77b@reddit

I'm not, I just prefer not to eat homemade fudge, otherwise, I'm not that picky.

[-]

BellaIsOnline@reddit

are you autistic? lol you sound a lot like me with my extreme sensory issues 😭

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terryjuicelawson@reddit

If people's kids have made food, I am put off as I know what snotty little kids do with their fingers.

[-]

iwannabeinnyc@reddit

I am exactly like this too! I have a phobia of being sick which probably skews things!

[-]

turntricks@reddit

A coworker recently made cookies for everyone...I bit into one and found a hair in it. Discreetly disposed of it whilst trying very hard not to throw up and definitely not eating anything they bring in ever again :x

[-]

Eloise2581@reddit

Some people also have allergies that you may no be aware of and they might go beyond nuts. I'm allergic to nuts and also to heavy spices. Bit into some Christmas cookies a year ago and started having an allergic reaction! So best to include the ingredients as onerous as that sounds (seriously - someone gave me cookies last year and had attached a small card with ingredients since she was running into new allergies with folks).

People are more allergic than ever which is why I forgo any food gifts as wonderful as they can be, especially homemade stuff.

[-]

Dogsbellybutton@reddit

Yes!

[-]

nacnud_uk@reddit

My mate loves to bake...her kitchen is a place I'd never eat from. It's hard to find creative ways to say "thanks but no thanks".

[-]

Trick-Station8742@reddit

Mine as in Christmas mine pie mince or mince as in mince n dumplings mince?

[-]

VRS38@reddit

Beef mince, duh.

[-]

Trick-Station8742@reddit

Humourless

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cececaca@reddit

Thank you for this, I'm going to give this recipe a go this year, it sounds delicious!

[-]

JamieTidders@reddit

Well damm you have made me want to make fudge now!

[-]

UnicornStar1988@reddit

Pyjamas, soap products. Because people will always need them.

[-]

Thread-Hunter@reddit

A nice piece of meat, it will get eaten.

[-]

LordEmostache@reddit

They'd never ask you to take part in the office secret santa again at least.

[-]

HereLiesMissNobody@reddit

A care package consisting of sore throat lozenges, tissues, lemon honey tea, lemsip, vitamin C etc. Or a useful household one with bin liners, cling film, antibacterial wipes etc. It’s what I usually do for secret santa or white elephant.

[-]

RaspberryJammm@reddit

Idk this would just make me feel sad

[-]

boudicas_shield@reddit

I'd be so taken aback if someone gave me bin liners or lemsip for Christmas haha.

[-]

LordEmostache@reddit

Yeah you'd definitely get a reputation if you did this in my office.

[-]

missminttea@reddit (OP)

What’s white elephant?

[-]

Bluerocky67@reddit

It’s a term for miscellaneous. School fetes or jumble sales would have a white elephant stall for selling bits of crockery, ornaments, pictures etc

[-]

missminttea@reddit (OP)

I see! Thanks for explaining 😊

[-]

Blinding_Son@reddit

As others have suggested; a small hamper is always a good idea imo.

But to add - TKMAXX do a great selection of world foods that always look fancy and arn't all sweet treats. They do some unusual dried pasta, spices and preserves as well as deserts and canned drinks. I find this works well for young teenages up to adults.

Or if you know that the person finds a certain country fascinating; fill the box full of goodies from that part of the world.

[-]

TryToBeKindEh@reddit

Cash.

[-]

lawrekat63@reddit

A telescopic back scratcher. I use mine every day

[-]

DameKumquat@reddit

Coffee beans or ground coffee, fancy teabags, good oven gloves.

And cheese.

[-]

rabbithole-xyz@reddit

I got oven gloves for my birthday today! Especially appreciated because I can't get proper joined up oven gloves here. They only have/ use separate ones. Can't be doing with those.

[-]

haybayley@reddit

I don’t drink/actively dislike coffee and tea so it’s not universal (though obviously if you know they partake in them it’s a great shout).

[-]

Pale_Royal9549@reddit

This is the answer.

[-]

IAmJohnny5ive@reddit

LED flashlights - I never seem to have enough

[-]

caliandris@reddit

One of the best gifts I ever received was a wooden box with a big ball of pink paper twine. It's not a big gift but I found it so useful. It was nice enough to use as parcel twine, but strong enough to use as string in all the circumstances you might need it, except for food.

It lasted for ages and I thought of the friend who bought it for me every time I used it. You can get posher string dispensers and buy a nice pair of scissors to go with it (although grandma always said you needed to get the recipient to pay a penny for any gift involving sharp blades or it would bring bad luck!).

Practical gifts like small first aid kits, space blankets, a hot water bottle, thermos flask, all seems quite boring but things become magical when wrapped and often make the most welcome gifts.

There's no substitute for knowing the person and making the gift personal, but that's hard to do with secret Santas. Most people enjoy a face pack, bubble bath, bar of chocolate and a book.

[-]

RoyalCultural@reddit

Premium booze if they're into it. I love whisky so I'm never disappointed to receive it.

[-]

Kazizui@reddit

The problem I found there is that it's too easy a gift. Once my wife's family found out I liked whiskey I was inundated with the stuff every Xmas, every birthday, anniversary, basically every gift-giving opportunity. And also whiskey-adjacent stuff - whiskey books, whiskey glasses, whiskey marmalade, whiskey socks, whiskey shower gel. Same thing happened to my father-in-law with golf.

On the flip side, I gave up drinking a couple of years back and it's now pretty hilarious watching everyone scramble frantically for ideas now that the easy option has been kicked out from under them after 15 years.

[-]

legosophie@reddit

I’m a fan of buying stuff that’s nicer versions of regular food you already buy as gifts: - olive oil! Really expensive for your weekly shop but for a gift very nice - nice coffee - find out what kind of coffee maker they have and get this - M&S biscuits - everyone appreciates these big boxes and always nice to have something to give other people at Xmas

[-]

snozbert18@reddit

My husband is a nightmare to buy for and I can assure you... A person CAN have too many socks.

[-]

PaleSeal@reddit

Same with my partner, he's banned everyone from buying him socks lol

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IHateTheLetter-C-@reddit

Tell him to wear a few pairs at a time!

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queen_micks@reddit

Best random present I’ve been gifted was a mini toolkit and some WD40. At the time I thought WTF, but I’ve used both soooooo many times!

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SomeHSomeE@reddit

Someone got me a little leather tray. It folds flat.

It's great for travelling to put on the side and dump keys, misc change, etc in. And even if you don't travel it's equally useful to have one at home.

You can get nice leather ones and I think they're a nice gift.

Basically like this: https://www.notonthehighstreet.com/acornandhide/product/personalised-vintage-leather-key-jewellery-tray

Obviously it's a one off - would be a bit weird to give someone one of these every day.

Other things that are useful but nice enough to be gifted

Simple black or brown leather belts
Scarf (if you've seen them wearing one)
Beer from a local brewery
local honey

[-]

PaleSeal@reddit

This is lovely, I want one for myself!

[-]

Serious_Escape_5438@reddit

Oooh, someone got me a beautiful handmade tray thing for that purpose for home which was one of my best gifts but I'd love a travel version. Will hint.

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SomeHSomeE@reddit

Yeah I travel for work and it's a godsend. Otherwise before I'd always just have random piles of shit in random places I'm the hotel room. And because it goes flat it takes up zero space - it usually just lives in the front pocket of my suitcase.

[-]

Nuclear_Geek@reddit

A nice mug is always a good bet.

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MumbleSnix@reddit

I like giving stationery: fun notebooks, pens, funky post-it’s. Cheeky adult colouring books too.

Added bonus I’m happy to keep them if they don’t end up being gifted!

[-]

ChallengingKumquat@reddit

These things strike me as great for a lot of women, but men don't really seem to be into stationery in the same way.

[-]

ghodsgift@reddit

Tell that to my collecting of Rotring mechanical pencils, Rotring pens. Blackwing pencils ,M&B sharpeners.

I'm stationary daft.

[-]

Kazizui@reddit

Fountain pens, Clairefontaine paper, leatherbound notebooks. Love it.

[-]

Rachel94Rachel@reddit

I know people will think its very low effort but a gift card. I've given ones for amazon, justeat, even morrisons etc. I normally do £10-20.

That's what I typically give to my childrens teachers, anyway. I don't know them on a personal level to know what they like, what they don't like, what they already have, intolerances/allergies so this way they can choose something themselves.

[-]

haybayley@reddit

I read a tip that said for housewarming gifts instead of the usual wine (just in case someone is teetotal or doesn’t partake), to buy fancy olive oil and/or vinegar, and I think the same could work for a secret Santa gift as it has fewer risks of allergies etc than things like chocolates and biscuits and it’s something you wouldn’t normally spend a lot of money on to buy for yourself but would be fairly likely to use. It’s very middle class lol but everyone I’ve bought it for so far has been really chuffed!

[-]

Cumulus-Crafts@reddit

Lidl has a fancy glass bottle of extra virgin oil for around £6 right now. The bottle looks super fancy and I'd definitely like it in a housewarming hamper

[-]

malcolmmonkey@reddit

I'm stealing this and passing it off as my own idea. Ha!

[-]

haybayley@reddit

Please do! I like that you can easily get them from a supermarket but put them in a nice bag or wrapping and it really looks like you’ve made an effort!

[-]

vectorology@reddit

Great idea! Or fancy salts, etc.

[-]

Saintesky@reddit

Carnivorous plants like a Venus Flytrap. Not that expensive , perform a far more useful function than a normal houseplant, can obviously be paired with a fancy pot. Come summertime, a very useful plant, if they’ve managed not to kill it!

[-]

english_but_now_kiwi@reddit

handy tip - dont water them from water from a tap - used distilled - tap water kills them fairly quickly

[-]

Cumulus-Crafts@reddit

Go to TK Maxx if you want some cool food items. Preserves and weird shaped pastas are always a safe bet

[-]

cheebifred@reddit

You can get some great little card games now, they make great little "extra" gifts for a lot of folks, these kinds of things often go down well with my friends and family, we take em on holiday as they are small enough to pack and they come out at any dinner/party.

Nice gloves, hats/scarves always go down well too, especially if you made them yourself. Did a crochet dragon hat for a friend once in secret santa.

[-]

Appropriate-Bad-9379@reddit

A relevant calendar ( ie dog/cat/horse lover etc)…

[-]

treedemon2023@reddit

Gift card Scratch cards Hand creams & lip balms Gloves, scarf Hot water bottle

[-]

Affectionateballbags@reddit

A bag of flour. It’s so useful! You can do so many things with a bag of flour. You can’t complain about receiving a bag of good quality flour

[-]

reddit__alpha@reddit

A Swiss Army knife is a great present. I received mine about 20 years ago and it still works perfectly - I’d say it’s probably the best present I’ve received in terms of utility and value. You can still buy them for under £30.

[-]

BlueBarbie_xo@reddit

Slippers! My mum always gets me a pair and I absolutely adore them.

[-]

RevolutionaryPace167@reddit

Drinking can openers, they pull up the tab, without nails getting broken. I bought a few from Temu last year to give out. The recipients still use them

[-]

watsee@reddit

If they're a coffee drinker (find out if they use beans or ground) you can make your own little hamper of a selection of artisan coffees relatively inexpensively. £20-30 would probably be enough for a nice basket/tray and a selection of packs of coffee.

The same thinking can apply to most things really. If they like something, you can probably put together a nice little hamper of a selection of items relating to that.

[-]

Marsh-Gibbon@reddit

Not 'use' but one of my most successful secret santas was for a sports fan at work. Got him a £5 bet on England to win the next Ashes at something like 90/1 - they didn't have much of a chance and didn't win, but the possibility remained until well into the next year, and I got updates any time they showed promise.

[-]

greenpowerman99@reddit

Nice Champagne is always appreciated and never returned, ever…

[-]

plantsncats128@reddit

I make shortbread and cut it into Christmassy shapes. I use Paul Hollywoods recipie and it never fails me.

[-]

Kieczkowska@reddit

Speaking of edible things - chutneys & jams, you can go quite fancy with those. Also, in the current economy, I’d be super happy to get good quality olive oil

[-]

Magpie_Mind@reddit

Toaster Tongs are something where there’s a very short arc between “Who the heck needs these?!” to “Actually these are incredibly useful!”

[-]

spankybianky@reddit

I like to make hampers. I buy baskets from charity shops and car boot fairs (Poundland often have flimsy ones for £1.50 too) and buy a big roll of cello for a tenner on amazon.

It’s then completely customisable to their tastes and your budget. Maybe they eat biscuits every day at 11, so just go to town in the biscuit aisle.

Vegan? Fill it with vegan snacks

Chocolate

Beers - selection of craft beer cans

Baking supplies (cupcake cases, sprinkles,etc)

Keto? Meat and cheese or keto snacks or nuts

Retro sweets

The possibilities are endless!

[-]

theabnormalone@reddit

We've given mates a box of Who Gives A Crap before (mostly as house warming gifts but a couple for birthdays) and that's always gone down surprisingly well.

[-]

iwannabeinnyc@reddit

A calendar

[-]

MisterWednesday6@reddit

Get a large mug, fill it with good quality teabags, coffee sachets, mini chocolate bars or small packets of biscuits. Works for either gender, and you can never have too many mugs, right?

[-]

ChocoMcBunny@reddit

A £10 gift card for costa or Starbucks or whatever coffee shops are local.

[-]

SausagenBacon@reddit

Christmas Cactus. Easy to look after and it’s nice having a plant that flowers every November/December.

[-]

remwreck@reddit

fugly tho

[-]

ChallengingKumquat@reddit

I'd hate it if someone i barely knew bought me slippers or indeed any clothing. Clothing to me feels too personal to come from a work colleague. They dont know my taste. Even if by some good luck they have guessed my taste, I don't wanna think of Gina in Payroll every time I put on my slippers.

And candles are, IMHO, a shit present.

[-]

Interesting_Annual81@reddit

Roll of Home made cookie dough frozen - everyone loves it, it’s not expensive and is generally used!

[-]

GreyFoxNinjaFan@reddit

Lego Flowers.

They look pretty cool and don't cost insane amounts (yet). Don't buy the knockoff versions off temu though - they don't work/build properly.

[-]

Ok_Monitor_7897@reddit

Pyjamas. Especially for kids.

[-]

adhdontplz@reddit

I'd go one further and say dressing gowns but IDK if they'd exactly be considered "inexpensive"

[-]

LauraPa1mer@reddit

But you really have to know the recipient for that because there are silk, satin, cotton, terrycloth, linen, or fleece.

[-]

adhdontplz@reddit

I thought that but honestly I don't know a woman who wouldn't love a fluffy one even just as a backup. Especially to save on heating!

[-]

Archbishopofcheese@reddit

Museum membership for my mother

[-]

Poo_Poo_La_Foo@reddit

A lottery ticket/scratch card.

[-]

AmorphousBlob-0001@reddit

Finally! Can't believe this isn't higher up, it's the best secret santa gift going and always about half the presents at work are scratch cards - wonder if it's more of a working class thing and Reddit demographic isn't aware

[-]

Poo_Poo_La_Foo@reddit

No idea! I nicked the idea from my friends husband who always gives this on birthdays and Christmas. It is weirdly exciting as I'd never buy it for myself and it gives you the immediate urge to scratch/check numbers which is fun...(he is very working class FWIW)

[-]

Smeeble09@reddit

Lego, who doesn't like a little lego build.

Can get a decent choice of ones under £20.

[-]

AmorphousBlob-0001@reddit

First answer I've seen that wouldn't immediately go to the chazza if given to me!

[-]

StefalieOrchid@reddit

Tea (good tea), a nice mug

[-]

extranjeroQ@reddit

Tiny Tony’s Chocoloney mix box £6

https://www.waitrose.com/ecom/products/tonys-chocolonely-tiny-mix-of-choc-flavours/414433-777254-777255

[-]

CaptainHindsight92@reddit

Generally, for men (and some women) I find unique craft beers/ales are a good one. A few ones they have never heard of and seem interesting and they will usually get drank within a year.

[-]

Willeth@reddit

If you gave me slippers I'd be very grateful to your face and then they'd go in the bottom of my wardrobe never to be seen again until I eventually charity shopped them.

Similar with food to be honest. I'd probably prefer it a bit but it'll probably end up feeling more like an obligation than a gift.

[-]

missminttea@reddit (OP)

That’s fair!

I’m surprised about the food bit. What gifts are you happy about?

[-]

freeeeels@reddit

Just something to bear in mind - people are generally far more motivated to chime in to be contrarian than to offer helpful suggestions. So if course this thread is full of "erm akchually I don't eat food/socks are itchy/my nose fell off so candles give me PTSD".

Your go-to stocking filler suggestions are perfectly fine for most people. Like, I don't particularly like sweets but if I receive sweets from an acquaintance it's still fine and I'll still eat (some of) them and appreciate the thought.

Of course there isn't going to be a gift that's perfect for everyone.

[-]

Serious_Escape_5438@reddit

Some people just aren't that fussed about food and don't really care that it's the fancy version. I tried for my mum because she already has lots of clutter but she'd prefer her Jacob's cream crackers to the fancy ones and is perfectly happy with own brand branston pickle. She clearly wasn't impressed at all, and when I've suggested she buy me food she gets cheap stuff from b&m.

[-]

januarynights@reddit

Yeah my mum is like this with candles. She'd much rather I bought her lots of cheap ones than one fancy one.

[-]

Willeth@reddit

What I find with food gifts is that it's a lot all at once. So I end up living on cheese and crackers and pickle for two weeks or whatever.

I'm annoying to buy for because if I want a Thing, I'll have it already. I want people to think about what I'm like and what I would like and buy accordingly. It's the giving of the gift, not the actual item, that I like.

It's a really my birthday today - I got some really creative things I'd never have thought of myself because of this!

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memorablepotato@reddit

Also, happy birthday! Hope you had a good one

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memorablepotato@reddit

Thinking about what you are like and what you would like is something people close to you would do, but what about people who don't know you super well like in OP's case? Like people at your job who only see you randomly or a friend's partner. I guess you would still prefer the cheese and crackers from them than some random tat they thought you'd like

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LittleSadRufus@reddit

I have no interest at all in receiving slippers or candles (I literally never use either), and I only like to wear plain socks so wouldn't want Christmas socks either. I'd say my thanks but drop all of these items at the charity shop the following week.

Food gifts I'd like though. Especially a really good jam, gin or some chocolates.

Best would be a book. For a long time I had a bunch of friends where we all gave each other the best book we'd read that year. It was a great way to be introduced to new books

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A_Literal_Fruit_5369@reddit

Alternatively I buy my mum slippers every year for christmas, because I can get her the hardy good quality ones that will take her the next year to wear out. She loves them, one year I didn't and I've never seen her more disappointed Just depends on the person I guess 😂🤷🏻‍♀️

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lazenbaby@reddit

I always go to a nice reusable coffee mug or water bottle. You can get a nice one at TK Maxx for under £10.

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__----------@reddit

I give a good spanking.

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VerityPee@reddit

I HATE being given socks, candles and slippers. Only give consumables or you’re just filling someone else’s life with tat.

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Saintesky@reddit

If you want to get some stuff for a kid that’s not going to end up in recycling. Get them a mixed sharpie box of their coloured pens. Obviously not for toddlers! But they’re not your typical cheap n nasty pens that last 5 seconds. Just don’t blame me if you end up with a graffiti epidemic as a result when they start writing ‘shay ❤️ livvy’. everywhere or try to ‘hilariously’ out their mates.

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LittleSadRufus@reddit

Kids also love the brush pens (thin nib one end, flexible brush ends nib the other), and they're usually washable ink. Superb for any age

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Bskns@reddit

If you are aware of a brand or smell that a person likes, always go for smellies. I’m known for loving almost every soap and glory scent so I often get a couple of gift sets for Christmas in the original pink scent as that’s my absolute favourite. Be wary of gifting alcohol. My brother in law is a functioning alcoholic and people seem to not realise and buy him crates for Christmas which is just totally inappropriate. Slippers, thick socks, hat/gloves/scarf, blankets and general cosy items. You can never have too much cosiness. You can put together a half decent food hamper from the food section at TK Maxx - chutneys, crackers, biscuits, chocolate, sweets, some fancy looking pasta, fancy cooking oils. Anything that you notice someone using a lot of day to day.

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verbenabonnie@reddit

Luxury matches! They aren’t very expensive but look really luxe and are great to display. You could pair with a candle too

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Urban-Amazon@reddit

Decent hot chocolate powder or coffee - which is often available at this time of year in decorative cannisters.
Small hand cream tubes and lip balms - excellent for the colder months
nice soap
a decent scarf or gloves
pocket hand heaters (there are some really good USB rechargeable ones out there that are fantastic, especially if you're a commuter)

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Minimum_Leopard_2698@reddit

Flowers! Letterbox flowers are really great and it’s so lovely having a special bunch at Xmas. I got gifted a 3 month subscription once for my birthday, which meant I also had Dec/Xmas flowers and honestly everyone thought it was a fab idea.

Blossoming Gifts and Bloom&Wild are two I’ve used frequently, very good quality. Often they have flash discounts, special day discounts but if you sign up to Bloom&Wilds newsletter you get all sorts of offers.

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ichirin-no-hana@reddit

Chocolate Orange

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gunner01293@reddit

Darn tough socks. They are like £25 but the best I've ever had.

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Elnow25@reddit

I’ve done Cashmere socks before, so proper nice, soft, cosy ones. They’re always met positively :)

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hypnoticwinter@reddit

I'm a miserable c...ow ( I freely admit it), I don't like Christmas, and only really take part for the kids.

I'm not mad keen on the expectation of getting people I don't know well gifts ( for the exact reasons in the post), and I prefer giving gifts over receiving them.

Where I would appreciate the thought ( mostly), I'm pretty minimalist, already have slippers, don't really want hampers of food, I don't drink, and I just threw out a bunch of candles because they were threatening to breed and take over my living room.

Which leaves me with a USB cable or power bank, which might be useful, but likely stowed in the car for emergency, or a gift card, ( and I'd rather not know how much someone spent). I'd probably prefer nothing honestly - yes, I am that much of a miserable mare- but I literally have no room in my very, very small house for anything that isn't there by choice, necessity or design.

I will say the abandoned mattresses of Bristol calendar would be a hit though ! ( several people I know are getting Best Mullets of all Time calenders this year . Sorry/ not sorry)

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lotissement@reddit

Not being referred to as females and males is a good start.

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Swiss91@reddit

With the price of olive oil as it is at the moment, I’ve taken to giving people fancy olive oil when they host/housewarming.

My go to is Honest Toil

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pikantnasuka@reddit

Insulated coffee mugs now I have mine, I work in an organisation spread out over 11 sites we all have to visit constantly and your brew staying hot on your travels is just lovely.

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jakesmith0@reddit

This is my go-to, as well as insulated water bottles. Something with a bit of style, like Chillys and Frank Green

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pikantnasuka@reddit

The water bottles are great too, a proper cold drink in summer when you're stuck in traffic between two sweaty jobs is ace

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EffenBee@reddit

Two random gifts that have worked for me: - Cosy gift: Long hot water bottle (bonus if you shell out for the version with a hand warmer and ties). - Kitchen gadget: Silicone veg keeper (like these).

Both insanely useful items!

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TumbleweedDeep4878@reddit

I wouldn't get slippers. It's not the sort of thing you can always have more of. Most people have one pair they love so unless you know they want new ones they're aren't getting used

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Ok-Morning-6911@reddit

- fancy cooking oil / salt / spices sets

- garden ornaments / gardening gloves / overalls / seeds or bulbs

- plants

I only do socks if the person has mentioned that they need them OR if they've ever made a comment like 'can't go wrong with socks' , because I'm not a fan of socks as a gift, or alcohol or chocolate / sweets. I feel like those things always feel like a cop out.

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Disastrous_Door_5338@reddit

A boot buddy. If you know someone who is into walks/hiking, then these are the best for cleaning your shoes/wellies after a muddy walk! Gifted to a few family members and they all love it.

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jael001@reddit

You've had some nice ideas. I just wanted to say, don't buy slippers unless you know the actual shoe size of the person. Nothing I hate more than slippers that are too short or flap about my feet cos they're too big lol.

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missminttea@reddit (OP)

Oh god. Yeah, that’d be really annoying! I do tend to always check with partners or other people who know the person better if I have an idea. Probably the safest thing one can do!

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Lox_Ox@reddit

Random bit of advice, but if they're a womens 8, check the slippers say they're a european size 42 and not a 41 (which is in fact a size UK 7). At some point one or many people have mis-converted the european to UK size which now means that size 8 shoes can be either a size 7/41 or a size 8/42! I spent half my life wondering why half of shoes my size didn't fit (it was because they were literally a size too small!).

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RaspberryJammm@reddit

I have wondered why when I measure my feet they're a little over a size 8, but size 8 rarely fits unless we're talking DMs and Birkenstocks. Size 9 are always way too big it's so confusing. Rare to find half sizes.

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Lox_Ox@reddit

I came across this info on a random shoe website and then started checking the european sizes on things and found out the website was correct!

Yes DMs are buggers because they only do womens up to an 8 (which is actually a 7) meaning I couldn't buy those tartan lined womens boots about a decade ago (yes I am still irked by it haha).

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One-Illustrator8358@reddit

Coffee shop gift cards, but honestly gift cards from anywhere are pretty good

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Laylelo@reddit

For food, fancy salt and fancy pepper. They’re fairly universal and they’re a little bit of luxury you can use every day.

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Katietori@reddit

Nice Christmas Tree decorations (small ones!)

I agree with most of the ones that everyone else has added!

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whatsername235@reddit

Honestly, this is what I would love. Something useful that has a nice memory attached. There's also so many to choose from and if you know even a tiny bit about a person, it takes minimal effort.

John from accounts likes flamingos? Flamingo for the tree!

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Bluebellrose94@reddit

I like a gift card. 9/10 presents I’ve gotten aren’t something I want/use

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Little_Mog@reddit

My go to gift is a cute mug with hot chocolate sachets, a mug cake sachet and some individual tea/coffee bags

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Dogsbellybutton@reddit

Well Christmas is coming fast isn’t it. This is my unpopular opinion, and I appreciate the thought and all that, but unless I personally know you, fudge, biscuits and all that home baked shit, straight in the bin. No idea how hygienic your kitchen is.

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missminttea@reddit (OP)

Wow! Yeah, Christmas is coming and you’re clearly feeling the spirit already 😄

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Dogsbellybutton@reddit

No not yet lol. It’s still November:) And a plastic bag full of shitty fudge made by who the fk knows is going straight in the nearest bin. I would never obviously say that to the person who made it or gifted it to me. I would be grateful for the thought. But not a chance in hell am I going to eat it. No fkn idea where it’s been.

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thisisthisisp@reddit

Alright Nigella, having just seen the state of the soup you posted I’d bin that right away too 😂

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BibbleBeans@reddit

Nice crackers and chutney to have with cheese

The trusty Amazon voucher so they can choose their own tat

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djodell@reddit

Coffee - there are some good coffees on Etsy that mix other interests like reading, football, golf, cricket etc into the design. Useful for difficult to buy for men!

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BoopingBurrito@reddit

Socks - good, but don't gift Christmas socks. Gift ones that can be worn year round. Most folk wear that pair of xmas socks once or twice, then they end up shoved to the back of the drawer and forgotten about until the whole drawer gets emptied at some unspecified time in the future.

Candles - they're good for people who like candles, but gifting women candles as a default "I don't know what to get you" comes off as thoughtless. Many people don't enjoy candles or actively avoid them for a variety of reasons.

Slippers are good if you know their shoe size!

For food thats a little more special than just chocolate - posh chocolate is always good, a bag of fancy pasta will invite comment but usually be appreciated, and a jar of a nice relish or sauce will often go down well.

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IHateTheLetter-C-@reddit

I've never understood why people gift Xmas jumpers and stuff, even more so if it's given on the day - it's gone now, the time you'd wear it has passed, now it has to sit in a drawer for 11 months til next year

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WuufTheBika@reddit

Etsy has pulled me out of the fire for a few years on the bounce.

Find out what they like - movie, videogame, football team etc - and do an Etsy search. You'll find all sorts of cool stuff.

I used to like og Judge Dredd and Etsy had a judge badge with custom name. Very cool. I also like Norse mythology (for the actual mythology, not the unfortunate turn certain groups have tried to take it in) and I just found yesterday a black steel men's pendant with Nordic runes in a circle with Ygdrassil (the world tree) in the centre.

Even if it's generic like "cats" it will come up with art, jewellery, clothing, stationary, pins, mugs, etc.

There's stocking filler cheap up to main event prices.

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cari-strat@reddit

Etsy has been amazing for me. I have an autistic 14yo and he really isn't into much besides football. So on top of the basic stuff like a new tracksuit, trainers etc, I've got him an amazing personalised drinks bottle with a back view of a lad in his own club's football strip, with his name and squad number on it, his hairstyle etc.

He's got a boot bag with his name and number on, a stylised photo print for his room showing him against a premiership stadium background, Croc charms for the side he supports, and assorted other footie bits. I was delighted.

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bikinikills@reddit

Portable power banks for phones can be useful. I always have one in my handbag.

Long charger cables someone else said, great idea.

Decent quality travel mug - I love my "8 ounce" Yeti Cup (approx 230ml). I love it as I don't like a huge coffee. It was less than £20 and i use it daily.

Pods for coffee machine if they have one.

Cocktails in a can! I love these so much. And more interesting than wine. M&S do delicious ones.

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IHateTheLetter-C-@reddit

Travel mugs a bit of a hard one, a bit individual. I love my pint one, makes sure I drink enough tea while at work, but others like you prefer small ones. I like ones that stay hot for ages, so usually metal, but others prefer to be able to heat it up, so no metal.

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Jacktheforkie@reddit

I like nice smelling bars of soap, socks are a safe option too, chocolate etc

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Paulstan67@reddit

A pint of good ale in a good pub..

You cannot get an ale at home, (cans and bottles are ok but NOT the same).

It needs to be cask conditioned ,mature (but not old), well kept, clean beer lines, clean glass, served without knocking all the conditioning out.

It needs to be in a pub that is NOT a restaurant, or at least has a proper bar area, if there is music it shouldn't be intrusive.

In short a good pint in a good pub with a good mate for a good chinwag, that's a fantastic present.

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CheesecakeExpress@reddit

In terms of a bit more special than chocolate, I got gifted a selection of biscuits from fortnum & mason recently, they were delicious and not ridiculously priced. These were my favourite.

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gandyg@reddit

If it's someone with a sweet tooth I do a sweet hamper. A mix of cheaper and better quality things so it doesn't become too expensive. Things like a good quality chocolate lolly, a tube of sweets (fruit pastilles or haribo, the sort that's out this time of year), a small pack of truffles etc.

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EvilOctopoda@reddit

Rechargeable LED Beanie hat - available from plenty of places for really cheap, and nice and warm and really useful during the winter and at night.

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CulturalTortoise@reddit

I got one and the battery doesn't last long at all. Does yours last long?

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EvilOctopoda@reddit

I only use it for short periods of time (like 10-15 mins), but so far been good.
It's even been through the wash without me removing the electronics bit and still going strong after 2 years.

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CulturalTortoise@reddit

Maybe I've got a dodgy one. Thanks!

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Daddys_peach@reddit

I got my son and husband these, they get loads of use in winter.

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Snickerty@reddit

Please God, no candles. Please!

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p1nkclay@reddit

Things I’ve bought that went down well - nice olive oil & a maldon salt set - mini raclette with some tea lights & a nice melting cheese - set of nice jams, chutneys, spreads - cozy night kit: fuzzy socks, hot chocolate & marshmallows, their favourite treat

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Physical-Cheesecake@reddit

• Fluffy socks. Gotta be fluffy. So warm and cosy at Christmas. • Fancy crackers and cheese/chutney etc. • the clicky rechargeable hand warmers. They're so useful and even if you have several, you can just go an extra use before recharging them again.

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memorablepotato@reddit

Wearable stuff like scarves and gloves are also useful but you might need to know the recipient a bit better. Gloves are socks for the hands.

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missminttea@reddit (OP)

Fun Fact, in German gloves are ‘Handschuhe’ as in shoes for hands!!

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memorablepotato@reddit

You can wear mittens over gloves, but you can't wear gloves over mittens. What do the Germans have to say to that? Galoshes?

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CrossCityLine@reddit

What are the shoes for the hands?

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memorablepotato@reddit

Mittens

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baddymcbadface@reddit

Alcohol

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kifflington@reddit

Super chunky hand crocheted infinity scarf

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buginarugsnug@reddit

Really nice chocolates, not the stuff you just get in the supermarket, stuff from an actual chocolate shop like hotel choclat or something like that

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Feedlpls@reddit

Charity donation in their name!!

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Sammiebear_143@reddit

I have no clue! But I'm glad I came across your post, and I hope other readers have lots of ideas, as I'm in this dilemma. New job, lovely people, but I don't know any of them that well, and we have Secret Santa coming up. 😬

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MysteriousTable6394@reddit

Use the website DrawNames, that allows everyone that participates to choose whatever on their wishlist - that way everyone is happy because they've picked out what they would like, within the budget. Only the host will know who drew who on the day (other than the others when they individually draw their person & doesn't blab about it like my colleague does).

Been using it for a few years now and works a treat

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SaltyName8341@reddit

I joined a team once in November and I was in the same boat. I went with a £10 selection of chocolate from hotel Chocolat. Better than quality street but not bank busting.

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missminttea@reddit (OP)

I have just sorted my secret Santa today! And made the post because I bought funny Christmas socks for my best friends partner who I don’t know really well, and thought I’d like to add something else.

For my secret Santa - quite niche but genius for the people it applies to: I drew a guy who I know is a videographer on the side, and he loves coffee. So I ordered a To Go Thermos Coffee Cup that looks like a camera lense (found on Amazon and Etsy), AND it was in the sale for £10! Yay!

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Itchy3lf@reddit

Bath towels.

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ShellSeekers54@reddit

A plant

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memorablepotato@reddit

For edible stuff:

If they drink: fancy wine / beer / whiskey / other

Fancy coffee/tea

For food: Jams, preserves, marmalade, sweets, nuts, mincemeat, put together a basket of things like olives and cheeses? Bonus for this one is you get to choose the amount (small basket or big basket) and the price depends on what you choose, package it well and it looks super fancy

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luala@reddit

A multi head usb charger maybe? https://uk-technology.com/products/fast-charging-cable-lightning-usb-c-micro-usb?variant=45446077055276&currency=GBP&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAp_f-vXUuZcMC-irwvUdUllYRz4iB&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI08j0npDpiQMV25NQBh0SjAABEAQYCyABEgI8y_D_BwE

Magnet hooks

Charger bank

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