Interested in Virtual Team Building Events?
9 mins 
The Christmas season is officially upon us. This means you and your coworkers are racking your brain for some virtual Secret Santa ideas for a memorable holiday celebration. You may not know if a bunch of pens could truly surprise John, whom you only know from the weekly Zoom call. Alright, we get it, and we are here to help you choose great Christmas gifts that are fun, thoughtful, and even useful for a coworker.
So, read on for the list of the 10 best virtual Secret Santa ideas for coworkers that will undoubtedly keep you on St.Nick’s nice list.
1. What is a Virtual Secret Santa?
A virtual Secret Santa party is the online version of the traditional gift exchange. Participants brainstorm the best virtual Secret Santa ideas and exchange gifts online. The giver’s identity remains a secret but can be guessed depending on how well you know each other.
Playing online Secret Santa is slightly different from playing it in person. Instead of passing around a bowl with paper chits, you enter the participants’ names on a random name generator. To add a bit of fun to the exchange, you can have the recipients try guessing who their Secret Santa is.
2. 10 Best Virtual Secret Santa Ideas for Remote team
2.1. Holiday Winter Accessories🧦
Who doesn’t love some cozy winter accessories as a present for a Secret Santa gift exchange? Gloves, scarves, or hats make great winter essentials to add an extra flair to any holiday outfit. You can even customize items like socks by adding your coworker’s pet’s face or a favorite sports team logo on them. From getting classic winter wear to ordering holiday-themed accessories, there are various ways to spice up this simple online Secret Santa idea.
Tip: Personalize these gifts by selecting colors or patterns that reflect your coworker's style or favorite hobbies.
2.2. Cookie Decorating With Hooray Teams 🍪
Looking to add a sweet twist to your list of best virtual Secret Santa ideas for work? Then join the Christmas Cookie Decorating Class by Hooray Teams, our sister site that hosts a wide range of virtual team-building events.
An expert baker will host this class and share some useful tips with your team as they spruce up plain cookies into holiday treats. They also send cookie decorating kits to the participant’s addresses to make things easier for them. These kits include icing, sprinkles, and edible glitters for teams to use during the class.
Tip: Add a mini competition for the "Best Decorated Cookie" to make the experience more interactive and fun!
2.3. Wine Tasting Kits 🍷
Wine tasting kits make an ideal Secret Santa gift for your remote colleagues during the holiday season. These are perfect for sampling various wines right from the comfort of your home. With the right glasses and a good virtual wine tasting session, your coworker can savor the flavors of wine and enjoy an enhanced tasting experience.
You can even consider sending a premium wine bottle and glasses like tulips, universals, or Bordeaux to match the wine so they can raise a toast this holiday season.
Tip: Pair the wine with a small snack box (think cheese or chocolate) to elevate the tasting experience.
2.4. Smart Tech Gadgets 🔌
Smart gadgets are one of the best virtual Secret Santa gift ideas for coworkers who love upgrading their tech essentials. Things like wireless earbuds, noise-canceling headphones, or Bluetooth speakers could be a perfect gift to give during remote Secret Santa.
It’s even easier if you know what kind of gadgets they are looking for this holiday season. Otherwise, you can consider giving them a universal wireless charger that is perfect for keeping their devices charged on the go.
Tip: Choose a smart gadget that can be used for both work and play, so the gift gets plenty of use both at home and during Zoom calls.
2.5. Grow Your Own Salsa 🍅
This is one of the best virtual Secret Santa ideas for holiday gifts for coworkers who love gardening. These salsa-growing kits usually contain seeds of Roma tomato, cilantro, and jalapenos, along with recycled egg cartons, plant stakes, and an instruction card.
You can find these kits on Uncommongoods, which ships all over the U.S. The kit contains recycled egg cartons, instructions, and plant stakes to help you monitor how you're planting them. They also sell seedling starter boxes and other succulents if you want to opt for a microgarden kit for your virtual holiday gift exchange.
Tip: Include a fun recipe card for your coworker to try with the salsa once it’s grown. This adds a personal touch.
2.6. Milk Frother 🥛
If your colleague loves lattes or cappuccino, giving them a milk frother could be the best Secret Santa gift idea for them. A good quality milk frothing device might just be what they need to log in to work fresh and bright-eyed!
This device is perfect for creating a nice foam from milk, which they can use in their morning cup of joe. Our personal pick is the PowerLix Milk Frother and Whisk Foam maker. You can scout for more options online or get it from a local store and mail it to your coworker.
Tip: Pair the frother with a bag of gourmet coffee beans or flavored syrups for an extra treat.
2.7. Fruit-infused Water Bottle 💧
Fruit-infused water bottles are the best way to stay hydrated, making them a thoughtful choice for virtual Secret Santa gifts. These bottles have an infuser pump to work in the fruit flavors, so your coworker can enjoy something refreshing throughout the day.
You can fill the inside of the tube with any fruit of your choice - berries, citrus, or mint and sip from it all day as you work. It is spill-proof and fits in most car cups, thanks to the cap screws.
Tip: To make this gift even more fun, include a small selection of dried fruits or fresh fruit for them to try in the water bottle.
2.8. Engraved Artifacts 🏺
Artifacts such as a brass mini telescope, sailor’s compass, or binoculars can be thoughtful Secret Santa gifts for people who like collecting antiques. They are a little more indulgent as far as virtual Secret Santa gift ideas go, but people do really enjoy them.
If your budget is between $20 and $40, you can check Stanley London’s website to source the gift. The store offers a wide selection of vintage nautical instruments, pocket compasses, and engravable plaques for you to explore.
Tip: Add a personal engraving, such as their initials or a meaningful date, to add a more customized touch.
2.9. Weighted Blankets 🛏
Weighted blankets make a thoughtful gift option for your coworkers who may have trouble falling asleep after a stressful day at work. These blankets are typically heavier than the regular ones and are designed to mimic a hug, which creates a sense of comfort.
Multiple businesses sell these mattresses online, giving you a wide variety of options to choose from. The price range of these products is flexible enough to suit different budget limits for a virtual gift exchange.
Tip: Choose a lighter, more breathable weighted blanket for those in warmer climates.
2.10. Foodies Dice 🥂🧇🍽️
Do you have any amateur cooks in your team? Well, here are the best virtual Secret Santa ideas for them to put their skills to the test. The Foodies Dice is a perfect gift idea for people who like to cook things a little out of their comfort zones. This product comes with various dice to choose proteins, grains, seasonal vegetables, cooking methods, and bonus ingredients to experiment with for your holiday dinner. The best part? It's vegetarian and vegan-friendly, so you can try dishes that suit everyone’s preferences.
Tip: Include a fun recipe booklet with ideas for dishes to try using the Foodies Dice. This helps spark creativity in the kitchen.
3. FAQs
3.1. How to do Secret Santa virtually?
- Set a date and time for the Secret Santa online party after everyone has received their gifts, and share a Zoom link to invite your team.
- Send some party snacks and a cocktail package to all the participants as a surprise to get them into the holiday mood.
- On the day of the event, break the ice with some exciting Secret Santa games, icebreaker questions, and a fun guess-the-gift session before unwrapping presents.
3.2. How to assign Secret Santa online?
There are many online name generators like Arcanis or DrawName that can randomly send links with the details of the coworker for whom you should buy gifts. This is also a great addition to your list of virtual Secret Santa reveal ideas, as it is easy and seamless.
3.3. What is the best Secret Santa game online?
The best sites for playing online Secret Santa are Arcanis, DrawNames, and Prezzybox.
3.4. Why do we play Secret Santa?
Secret Santa online gift exchange is a fun way for coworkers to get into the season of giving by allowing them to shop for their coworkers. Not only is there joy in gift giving, but the suspense of opening your gift and attempting to guess your ‘Santa’ is exciting. This is also a fun team bonding activity to get to know each other better.
3.5. What are some great tips for hosting a Secret Santa online gift exchange?
Here are some useful tips to help you organize a successful virtual Secret Santa party:
- Set a budget for the gift that everyone can afford and inform the team in advance.
- Select a date for the event on or before Christmas Eve according to your holiday calendars.
- Send the link to any online Secret Santa name generator to all interested participants.
- You can also invite your team to fill in their wishlists (optional)
- Finally, just mail the gifts and wait for the event day to unwrap them over a video call.
