With the holiday season in full swing, there's a good chance you've got at least one White Elephant, Secret Santa or other gift exchange to shop for this year, if not more.
If that's the case, and you're on the hunt for just the right gift to give your recipient or recipients, we've got exactly what you need to ensure that whatever you select doesn't end up in the donation bin come Jan. 1.
To give friends, family or coworkers exactly what they want this Christmas, we've gathered a list of Secret Santa questions to narrow down your gift choices and help make your holiday shopping just a bit easier.
In this collection of insightful queries, you'll learn about your recipient's likes, dislikes, tastes, favorite things, hobbies, allergies and just about anything else necessary to whittle down your Secret Santa options and deliver the perfect present.
After all, the Christmas season comes just once a year and whether you're shopping for your mom, a bestie or colleague, you want your gift to be the one they simply can't stop raving about.
So, read on, and get ready to shop like a pro, because thanks to these Secret Santa questions, your gift-receivers are bound to get everything on their wishlist this year.
Where Do You Like to Shop?
This is the perfect opener for your Secret Santa investigation! Learning the recipient's favorite shopping haunts will give you plenty of insight into what their tastes are and help you choose a gift they're guaranteed to like.
What Are Your Favorite Colors?
This one's easy. It's essential to know which hues your recipient likes (and dislikes) so you can tailor whatever you choose to fit their preferred color palette.
What Kind of Books Do You Like to Read?
Fiction? Non-fiction? Novels? Audiobooks? Gain some insight into your recipient's book preferences, including author, genre and their preferred method of enjoying a good read. Perhaps they'd prefer a gift card for an audiobook over a paperback or vice versa.
What Are Your Hobbies?
Discovering your recipient's favorite pastimes will help inspire ideas for where they might like a gift card from or specialty item that reflects what they enjoy doing in their freetime, whether it's pickleball, knitting, running or other hobby.
What's the Best Gift You Ever Received?
Sure, you might not be able to compete with a new car or a diamond tennis bracelet, but learning what gift your Secret Santa recipient deems as "the best ever" will give you insight into what they value and why.
What Is Your Favorite Restaurant?
Not only does finding out someone's favorite restaurant provide you with a personalized gift card idea, it'll also reveal what kinds of food they like to eat and what their go-to is when they dine out. From there, the sky's the limit.
What Are Your Favorite Sports Teams?
It's helpful to know if your recipient is a hardcore face-painter for any given sports team. If so, you can use the information to purchase official gear or other gifts related to their sport of choice.
Do You Prefer to Stay In or Go Out?
Does your Secret Santa recipient love to paint the town red or would they rather spend Friday night parked on the couch? If they're typically out and about, perhaps a new pair of gloves is the move. If they love staying in, a cozy throw blanket is sure to be appreciated.
What's Your Favorite Candy?
Most people are very particular about their go-to treat. Whether your recipient is partial to a box of chocolates, a bag of mini candy bars, gummy bears or they actually prefer potato chips instead of sweets, this is a very helpful query.
Do You Have Any Pets?
Whether your recipient is crazy about cats or thinks they've got the most pawsome pup in the world, get some intel on their preferred pet of choice. Knowing more about their furry companion (or companions), opens the door for a variety of pet-themed gifts including tree ornaments, pet advent calendars and a host of other options.
What's Your Style of Home Decor?
If your Secret Santa is a fan of mid-century modern, then a farmhouse wall sign or set of country canisters might not hit the mark. Pose this question to discover your Secret Santa's taste, then choose a gift accordingly, rather than wing it and gift something that'll likely end up in a donation bin.
What’s Your Favorite Binge Watch?
Does your Secret Santa recipient have a favorite binge-watch? Gaining insight into what your person enjoys streaming is valuable knowledge when selecting a gift. If they enjoy cooking shows, then perhaps a cookbook or kitchen accessory is what they'd love. If “Law & Order” is more their speed, consider official merch like a coffee mug or other related present.
What's Your Favorite Thing to Do on Your Day Off?
How does your Secret Santa enjoy their leisure time? Find out with this helpful question that'll clue you in on what they enjoy doing during their free time. Use the information to customize their gift, whether it be a digital compass for the weekend hiker or a manicure for the spa enthusiast.
Do You Prefer Neutrals or Brights?
A cranberry sweater set is the perfect choice for someone that adores bright, bold hues. But for the receiver who loves nothing more than an off-white pullover, a red sweater may not be the ideal choice. Find out your Secret Santa's preference ahead of time to ensure you're on the same color page before you begin shopping.
What's Your Favorite Snack?
Find out what your receiver loves to snack on, then assemble a snack basket or purchase a gift card so they can stock up on their own treats. Or, be creative and find a unique gift that pays tribute to their favorite snack like an on-brand ornament, t-shirt or anything else you can think of.
Do You Prefer Homemade or Store-Bought?
As the saying goes, “To each his own,” and that includes the kind of gift people enjoy receiving. For some, your hand-knit potholders are everything they could have asked for. For others? Not so much. Do some homework on the receiver’s preference for homemade or fresh-from-the-retail-rack by posing this thoughtful question.
What Kind of Music Do You Listen To?
Does your Secret Santa love country music, pop, classical, rock or other genre? Use this question to find out their music preferences, favorite artist or band, then give them tickets to a concert, official merch or other gift tailored to their music taste.
Would You Rather Go to a Museum or Try a New Restaurant?
Gain some insight into whether your recipient is a fan of cultural experiences or culinary ones. Once you have the answer, choose a gift to match.
Pajamas or Sweaters?
For some people, a new set of flannel jammies tops their holiday wishlist, while others would love nothing more than a cozy sweater to add to their wardrobe.
Are There Any Charities or Causes You Support?
Instead of a gift, consider a donation to your Secret Santa's favorite cause or offer to join them in volunteering. In addition to being a thoughtful gesture, it'll also benefit more than just your recipient.
What’s Your Favorite Scent? Least Favorite?
Scent preferences are as unique as the person you are shopping for. Whether you’re thinking of a candle, perfume or other fragrant gift, find out their likes and dislikes first in case they have strong feelings one way or another.
What's Your Favorite Holiday?
If Christmas isn't their favorite time of year, what is? Perhaps their heart bleeds black and orange for Halloween or they love Valentine's Day. Learning the recipient's favorite holiday can provide just the inspiration you need to choose a gift that's right up their alley.
Coffee, Tea, Wine, Beer, Cocktail?
Java, tea, cocktails, mocktails, wine or beer ... whatever their drink of choice is, learning more about their beverage preference opens up a variety of gift choices. For the wine lover, there's new glasses or a fancy corkscrew. If they're more of a cocktail fan, consider a recipe book, speciality ice trays or other related gift.
What's One Thing on Your Bucket List?
You may not be able to spring for a trip to Japan, but if that's on their bucket list, consider gifting them a guide book, sushi accoutrements, wall art, sake or other nod to whatever it is they hope to one day accomplish, whether it be a travel destination or other aspiration.
What's a New Skill You'd Like to Learn?
Perhaps your Secret Santa recipient is planning to take up knitting in the new year or just signed up for pilates. Whatever endeavor they have on their wishlist, show your support with a like-minded gift.
What’s One Thing You Could Really Use?
Sometimes it’s the simple things that we don’t buy for ourselves. Find out if there’s something your Secret Santa would like but, for whatever reason, hasn’t purchased. Whether it’s a useful item or an indulgence, get it for them this year. If it's out of your budget, make a contribution instead.
Do You Prefer to Cook or Order In?
For the person who has never cooked a day in their life, a new set of pans probably isn’t the ideal gift. Conversely, weekend chefs may not have much use for food delivery gift cards. It’s best to find out ahead of time, so you can choose wisely.
Do You Have Any Allergies?
If this year's gift-reciever isn't someone you know well, it's a good idea to find out if they're allergic to anything. From food allergies to skin conditions, knowing what kind of gift not to give can be very helpful.
Describe Your Favorite Piece of Jewelry
Like many other personal items, jewelry can be tricky. Do they like gold, silver or gemstones? Do they love a solid statement piece or prefer something subtle and understated instead? By having your recipient describe their favorite piece of jewelry and what makes it special will help fill in the blanks.
Where's Your Favorite Place to Vacation?
Perhaps they spend every summer on the shore or love visiting theme parks. Knowing someone's vacation preference opens the door to a variety of options including apparel, travel accessories, tickets and other gifts tailored to their favorite vacation destination.
