Smashing Secret Santa ideas for everyone!

Having trouble finding a Secret Santa gift? Feeling completely uninspired? Don't panic! Help is at hand!

This article is now out of date. For the latest Secret Santa gift ideas for 2012, read The best Secret Santa gifts

It’s that time of year again when offices up and down the country get into the Christmas spirit, don their Santa hats, and take part in that great phenomenon known as ‘Secret Santa.'

But while Secret Santa can be great fun, it can also be a complete nightmare! You can guarantee you’ll pick the name you least want, the person you have only spoken to a couple of times, or the colleague whose interests you’re completely clueless about.

And that means finding something to buy at the right price can prove very difficult indeed.

But don’t despair! To give you a helping hand, I’ve come up with a range of wonderful Secret Santa ideas to provide you with some inspiration.

£5 and Under

DVDs and books

If you fancy being extra festive, Play.com is offering a range of Christmas DVDs at fantastic prices. For a fiver each, you can pick up The Muppet Christmas Carol: Special Edition, Bad Santa, Elf, and Love Actually.

Other great DVD bargains include Casino Royale for James Bond fans, and The Italian Job (1969 And 2003) Box Set, both of which are also £5 each.

For bookworms, Waterstones is offering 50% off on loads of titles to help you bag yourself a great gift. Harry Potter fans will love JK Rowling’s new title The Tales of Beedle The Bard at just £3.49.

Also on offer is Khaled Hosseini’s haunting story A Thousand Splendid Suns at £3.99, and Bill Bryson’s entertaining biography of William Shakespeare -- Shakespeare: The World As A Stage, also £3.99.

Smellies and other treats

Smellies and make-up sets are always a big hit with the ladies. So if your Secret Santa is for a female colleague, why not pick up a bargain at The Body Shop? For just £3.20 you can buy this gorgeous Bird Print Mirror Compact and for £4.80 you can grab these lovely Neroli Jasmin Pampering Treats.

Boots also have some good offers, with this cute Fresh! Strawberry Cupcake Surprise coming in at just £2.94.

Fun and frolics

If you’d prefer to buy something a little less sensible and a little more lively, Play.com has a great selection of gadgets which should provide some inspiration. For car lovers you can pick up this fabulous Build Your Own Lamborghini for £5. Or how about this festive Colour Changing Reindeer Mug for only £2.99?

Alternatively, you might like these groovy Monkey Key Covers for £4.99 at Pink Cat Shop.

£10 and Under

DVDs, CDs and books

HMV has some great bargains for comedy lovers, such as the Little Britain box set featuring series 1, 2 and 3 for just £8.99. Or how about the hilarious classic Fawlty Towers: Complete Series for £9.99?

If you’re buying for a music lover, you can pick up this lovely Time To Relax CD Box Set for £9.78 from Lakeland which features a range of classical music to unwind with.

BangCD also has some great offers on CDs. For just £6.99, Take That fans will love the new album ‘The Circus’. Stereophonics’ ‘Decade In The Sun: Best Of’ and Snow Patrol’s ‘A Hundred Million Suns’ can also be bought for the same bargain price.

If you’re purchasing a gift for a cookery lover, Waterstones have some brilliant cook books on offer. Inspiring chefs with a range of recipes which are cheap and easy to prepare, Delia’s Frugal Food will make a great present at just £8.99.

Smellies and other treats

Once again, The Body Shop has a range of lovely gifts such as this Aqua Lily Me Time set for £9.60 and this cute Mini Jewellery Case for £9.60

You can also pick up this Christmassy Cranberry Selection Box for £9.79 from Boots or this handy Liliac Manicure Set for £9.78 from Lakeland.

Fun and frolics

For more entertaining gift ideas, how about buying these adorable Christmas Slipper Socks for just £6.84 from Lakeland? Or, one of my favourites, this funky Desktop Henry Hoover for only £9.99 from Play.com?

Over £10

In case your Secret Santa really is serious business and you are looking for gift ideas above £10, I’ve picked out five great ideas at brilliant prices:

Help your colleague keep his/her feet warm with these fabulous Cozy Feet Microwaveable Slippers from Play.com for £12.99.

For Indiana Jones fans, you can buy this groovy Mr Potato Head: Indiana Jones: Taters Of The Lost Ark from Play.com for £11.99.

From Lakeland, you can pick up this Fantastic Kite Kit! at just £11.73, or this handy Make-Up Caddy for £12.71.

And finally, for coffee lovers, you can buy this cute Teeny Bag Of Coffee Things for £14.97, also from Lakeland.

Don’t forget, if you have any other fabulous Secret Santa ideas, you can share them with in the comments box below. Good luck and Merry Christmas!

More on Christmas spending and saving

How to have a cheaper Christmas

Twelve good, cheap Christmas gift ideas

Ways to spread the cost of Christmas

Top credit cards for Christmas spending

Recycle your things for cash!