6 Secret Santa Gift Ideas for Under $20

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It's that time of year when somebody is going to come by your desk and tell you about Secret Santa gift exchange sign ups. Don't shake in your boots, because I've got you covered with 6 awesome gift ideas that you can put together for under $20! And you only have to shop at one store: 99 Cents Only. No matter the age of your coworker or what they're into, you will always find something amazing at the 99. Check out these fun gift ideas for everyone on your Secret Santa list.

Now before we start putting together the different types of gifts for your coworkers, let's talk about the one place that you need to shop for all of your Secret Santa needs:  99 Cents Only Stores. This might not be the first place you think of when you think about Secret Santa gifts.

But I'm going to tell you I was surprised too! The 99 has really amazing gift sets that are already put together, home decor that looks really expensive, and lots of amazing items that you can use to make a custom gift basket really affordably. And if you're a DIYer like me, then you can totally take supplies from the 99 to create an over-the-top amazing custom gift for your Secret Santa exchange.

Growing up, I remember my abuela making lots of gifts during the holidays. One of the main reasons she made gifts was because she couldn't find what she wanted in the store for an affordable price.  As an adult, when my husband comes to me and wants a gift for a Secret Santa gift exchange at work, I think about how I can give something special with a touch of handmade and still not break the bank.

I think my Grandma will be really proud to see how I've taken things I've learned from her to make really beautiful gift ideas on a budget. It's not just about how much money you spend, it's about the care that you put into it and the thought that you put into choosing the items you're going to give.

So with that in mind I present to you: 6 Secret Santa Gift Ideas For Under $20 Each!

Step One: Go to the 99!

Secret Santa Gift For The Secretary

My husband always seems to pick the secretaries at work when he has Secret Santa gift exchanges. So over the years we've gifted the same secretaries multiple times. That means I've got to get really creative with what kind of gift we're going to give this year. So when I saw these really awesome deep wide mugs at the 99 for just $0.99, I knew that was going to be my starting point.

Then I went down the stationary aisle and saw some of the most adorable color-coordinated pens and office supplies that I've seen all year! One of my husband's coworker's loves the color teal and I was able to pick up this mug plus all kinds of great office supplies to go inside for under $15.

I also grabbed some Russell Stover chocolates, because she loves chocolate. Plus I picked up a bag of mints and a cute little box of mini chocolates for only $0.99 each. 99 Cents Only Stores have all of your favorite name brands at a price that can't be beat, like Russell Stover chocolates. As a kid I remember visiting their factory in Colorado every summer during vacations with my grandma!

I put it all together with a super cute gift bag with shred that I made by hand. I'll be showing you how to put together a custom gift basket on the cheap at the end of this post so keep reading …

Secret Santa Gift Idea For The Girly Girl

Everybody loves a cute bath set with lotions, bubble bath and fun little soaps.

So when I saw these adorable bath sets at the 99 for just $2.99, I was really excited. I've seen bath sets at other stores for up to 10 times more than what I paid for a similar set at the 99! I mean seriously, I can get one of these adorable bath sets for every one of my friends and still have room in my gift budget.

But we're talking Secret Santa here, so let's share who this would be appropriate for to give to at work. Now I like the idea of giving one of these gifts on their own, if it was to one of my kids or to one of my friends, but for a coworker I feel like you have to pair it with a few other things.

The 99 has lots of great products for self-care that can make someone feel absolutely pampered. From gourmet tea to fancy chocolates to loofahs and other bath items, there's lots of ways to create a pampered themed gift basket for your Secret Santa. This would be a great gift for a boss or for any girly girl coworker.

Secret Santa Gift Idea For The Traveler

A few weeks ago I spotted these really cool shadow box picture frames at the 99. I've been wanting to make a travel bank for one of my friends for a few years now. This shadow box frame could easily be turned into a travel Savings Bank by cutting a slit in the top.

Drill holes across the top for about 2 or 3 inches and then use a saw to cut away any excess wood. Next, use sandpaper to sand the slot smooth. If you're giving this as a gift, you could put some money inside to help start the fund off right.

This is something your coworker could keep at their desk to motivate them to work towards their next vacation, or they could take it home and keep it in a safe place. You could pair this Savings Bank with some items from the place they want to go to most. For example, if they wanted to go to the Far East you could package this Savings Bank with some tea, a reed diffuser and a Buddha statue, all of which you can get at the 99 for under $10 total.

Secret Santa Gift For The Creative Crafter

Coloring books have been such a huge trend in the last couple of years. So when I saw this beautiful golden coloring book at the 99, I knew I had to make a gift basket based on it. This is like a relaxation gift set for someone who's creative.

There's the coloring book, some chocolates, some tea and other things to help this person relax and get in touch with their creative side.

Secret Santa Gift For The Pet Lover

The 99 has an awesome selection of ready-made gift baskets.

These pet baskets are so cute and include toys for the pet, plus pet bath products in a cute doggie dish. You could buy just this as a gift and it would be super adorable!

Secret Santa Gift For The Stressed Out CoWorker (Who Needs Some Zen In Their Life!)

Okay I wasn't going to say it, but I know you're thinking it. This gift is for your boss!

What I love about the 99 is they have all of this awesome stuff for making little Zen Gardens and Succulent Gardens. Earlier this summer I made a mermaid fairy garden with supplies from the 99. The 99 has everything you need!

To create this gift basket, gather supplies that would create a Zen feeling like a reed diffuser, some pretty rocks, and a Buddha statue. Assemble them all in a cute container and give them to someone who needs to relax, but you don't want to say those words to them. LOL!

How To Put Together And Wrap A Gift Basket On A Budget

I remember the first time I tried to wrap a gift basket. I had to go to like 3 stores to get all the supplies and it cost a crazy amount of money! Why don't we just put the stuff in the basket and forget the plastic and the shred? Well, it doesn't have to be that way.

While I was at the 99 I saw these awesome shredding scissors. I was super excited to find these for only $0.99! You don't have to buy bags of shred, which are actually one of the banes of my existence when it comes to storing gift wrap.

All you need is some tissue paper, which actually folds flat, and you can get that for $0.99 a pack at the 99.

Shred the tissue paper with the shredding scissors and you instantly have shred in whatever color you want.

Then fill your gift basket or mug, or whatever it is that you're using to put all of the gifts into, with half of the shred.

They have these basket bags at the 99 for a pack of 2 for $0.99.

Place the mug inside of a basket bag. Once the mug or basket is inside the bag, surround the base of it with more of the shred.

Make sure all the items inside look nice, then tie the top closed with the bow. If the basket bag is too big, just trim any excess plastic sticking out of the top with scissors.

You have a professional-looking gift basket for literally less than $2!

Does your coworker like fresh produce or those uber-fancy gift baskets filled with nuts, oranges, and jellies? You can make a gourmet fruit basket because the 99 has fresh produce too! You don't have to be wealthy to eat healthy … P.S. Did you see the heirloom tomato salad recipe I made with produce from the 99?

Who's on your list for Secret Santa this year? Let me know in the comments and I'll help you find a gift basket idea from the 99!

Find out more about the 99 in your neighborhood here:

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