12 Days of Christmas Gifts + Secret Santa Gift Ideas
By Maria Healey, MariaHealey.com
12 Days of Christmas Gift Ideas
The holiday season is upon us, so what better time to start making your Christmas gift list than now? A good Christmas gift theme can be a ton of fun for both the gift recipient and the gift giver. It can also assist with inspiring some unexpected gifts by sticking to a theme. Everyone knows the song, “On the first day of Christmas…” Now it’s time to use that classic Christmas carol as some holiday inspiration for the gift-giving season! Grab a cup of cocoa and settle in to the 12 days of Christmas list!
1. A partridge in a pear tree
Pears are an obvious choice for this gift, but you can really set the bar high by baking a pear recipe from scratch and gifting the recipient a new baking dish as well.
2. Two turtle doves
I don’t think the birds will mind some creative freedom with this phrase when gifting some decadent chocolate turtles in a beautiful candy dish!
3. Three French hens
Know what else is French? Champagne! And who doesn’t love to pop some bubbly during the holidays? Pair a bottle of bubbles with some champagne flutes for an unforgettable gift!
4. Four calling birds
Take some creative freedom with this phrase too, and pick up a fun game that will have the gift recipient calling all their friends to come over and play!
5. Five gold rings
Five rings might be a little excessive but one nice piece of jewelry will do!
6. Six geese a-laying
Geese lay eggs so gifting a delicious, homemade quiche seems appropriate, or just a thoughtful cookbook for the gift recipient to bake their own!
7. Seven swans a-swimming
There are a lot of birds in this song! Why not use the swans as an excuse to get in the water with a floatie?!
8. Eight maids a-milking
Milk makes cheese and no cheese pairing is complete without a charcuterie board!
9. Nine ladies dancing
What dancing lady doesn’t want some new athletic gear? Hook her up with some leggings or tank tops!
10. Ten lords a-leaping
After all that leaping, some new shoes are in order…or maybe a foot massager. Either way, it’s a win!
11. Eleven pipers piping
The piper is just getting started and the party can continue with your gift recipient singing your praises once they open up a new set of headphones!
12. Twelve drummers drumming
The twelve gifts of Christmas aren’t complete without some musical instruments!
Finding that this theme is a little difficult to stick to or requires a little bit too much creative freedom? I’ve come up with a bunch of other ways to celebrate with twelve days of Christmas gifts. Below find some great gift suggestions for family and work.
Advent Calendar Gift Ideas
One of my favorite 12 days of Christmas gift ideas is an Advent Calendar. Pick one up that’s already pre-loaded with gifts and surprises or invest in a nice reusable countdown calendar that you can fill with treats of your own and reuse year after year. Some fun ideas for what to put in an advent calendar include:
- Candy: Small chocolates or saltwater taffy are a tasty treat.
- Cosmetics: Every teenage girl or woman will appreciate a new eyeshadow or lip gloss.
- LEGOs: kids from 3-99 love LEGO and the pint size pieces fit perfectly inside.
- Jewelry: Small earrings or rings or a necklace are a fun surprise leading up to Christmas.
- Ornaments: A small ornament to remember the year is a sweet memento.
Gifts for Your Co-Worker or Secret Santa Gift Ideas for Work
Don’t forget your coworkers, or your boss, or that Secret Santa gift exchange you signed up for! Often, a Secret Santa gift exchange at work consists of 2-3 days of gift giving, but there’s no reason you can’t extend the excitement of the holiday season and turn it into 12 days of Christmas presents. Some of the best small items to gift to coworkers during the holidays include:- Office Products: Consider picking up a nice pen set, some fun sticky notes, or colorful whiteboard markers and magnets.
- Coffee Break: Treat your coworker to specialty coffee, tea or a fun new mug.
- Snack Time: Stock up on snacks they’ll love.
- Sugar Rush: You can’t go wrong with candy.
- After Work Drinks: Mini bottles make for a cheap and easy gift that someone can enjoy at home after a long day on the job.
- Gift Card: Everyone loves giving and getting gift cards. One size fits all!
- Fun & Games: A playful game will help spread joy throughout the holiday season.
- Green Thumb: Cheer up your coworker’s office space with a plant
- Furry Friend: Keep pets in mind and gift a dog toy or catnip for their furry best friend
- Calendar It: Hook them up with a new calendar or planner for the upcoming year
- Stay Hydrated: A new water bottle might be just what they need
- Light it Up: candles are a nice addition to any room or office
