The idea of Secret Santa sounds like so much fun when you first agree, but when it comes to the whole shopping for a gift part, why is it actually a massive pain?
Add to that, the fact that you over-enthusiastically agreed to take part in three more Secret Santa gift exchanges *sighing*.
And why is it that we end up drawing the name of someone we really don’t know that well? As always, we’ve got you. We’re cosplaying as the big guy up North this year with a gift guide for every budget, so just sip your Karak and enjoy the season of Michael Bublé!
Under Dhs100
H&M Perfume
A collab with actress Alisha Boe, this exclusive fragrance collection includes 8 different scents, to reflect a diverse set of personalities from Hopeful Romantic to Modern Minimalist.
Fix Chocolate
It’s hard to resist. Probably the snack of 2024, Fix Chocolate (Dubai chocolate) has gained popularity fast and totally taken over our feeds. Perfect for the friend who hasn’t managed to get their hands on Fix chocolate yet. You can make all their dreams come true by setting an alarm at 2pm and 5pm each day leading up to the gift exchange. Get yourself a bar while you’re at it – it would be rude not to.
Purchase on Deliveroo for Dhs68.25
Verity by Colleen Hoover
For the girl who loves to read but never makes time for it. Make her BookTok dreams come true with a literary sensation you can’t scroll past on your FYP. Plus, this one is making it to our screens soon!
Purchase from a UAE bookseller for Dhs68
Under Dhs 250
Pink Peppermint foot lotion
We all have that friend who is up at the crack of dawn running along Kite Beach. If you get them for Secret Santa this year, what better way to treat them and their feet than with this Lush foot lotion containing spearmint oils and arnica?
Davines Heart of Glass hair treatment
For your blondie best friends, this fabulous new hair treatment helps to strengthen the hair fibre, prevent breakage and deeply nourish hair. The formula is enriched with biodegradable ingredients too! Your bestie and her hair will thank you!
Chanel hand cream
For your girl with a curated IG feed. If you haven’t seen this cream on your favourite influencers’ feed at least once, then where have you been? Good friends don’t let you skip on hand cream 🤝.
Pasta making workshop
Be totally creative with gifting this year and buy them a voucher to whip up some pasta from scratch. If the identity of your Secret Santa is being revealed, then make it a bestie date and go with.
Rhode lip balm
I don’t know anybody who would be unhappy to receive a lip tint from Rhode (apart from my grandad maybe..). This lip tint is infused with peptides and it’s in cinnamon roll – gimme 14 of them right now.
Five-minute journal
Help your girl to enter 2025 as the best version of herself with this guided meditation journal. We need more friends like you 💖.
Supergoop SPF
A practical gift is always well received. We need to apply SPF 365 days a year, especially when living in a warmer climate. This one protects against UVA and UVB rays and comes as a primer and a glow stick for easy application when you’re on the go. Tell your friend there are no excuses!
Under Dhs500
Kayali Boujee Marshmallow
Not sure what a boujee marshmallow is, but we want to try one stat. ICYMI, the gorge Mona Kattan has just released her newest fragrance for her Kayali range. Satisfy your sweet tooth with this decadent scent which layers fluffy pink marshmallow, juicy strawberry, and whipped vanilla with hints of coconut and freesia for a mouthwatering treat. You’ll want one for yourself too.
Under Dhs1000
Fujifilm Instax Mini Evo camera
A hybrid camera AND printer all-in-one? Exactly what we didn’t know we needed for all those winter plans we have. Plus when you get this for your BFF, you can get her to print you a copy of the pic without waiting for her to send the pics to you after 😉.
White Stars long necklace by Hiba Hasbini
For your special friend who you just love to treat, how about this demure necklace that also screams “look at me!”. We can’t stop staring at it.
For more jewellery gifting inspo, are these brands on your radar?