Kids find the whole concept of Secret Santa irresistible. Not only do they get the important job of choosing the perfect gift, they also have the fun of watching the recipient’s face as they open it. Oh, and keeping the secret as the recipient tries to find out who sent it...
If your children are taking part in a Secret Santa this year, perhaps amongst a group of classmates or with their cousins, we’ve discovered some great kids’ gifts certain to deliver laughs and hugs. They’re all priced at £5 and under, and available from familiar high street and online stores.
1
Christmas self-inking stamps, £3.75
Baker Ross
Crafty kids will appreciate this set of festive stamps with built-in ink pads in classic green and blue. Plenty of creative fun for rainy days.
2
Mr Grasshead, £4.99
Mulberry Bush
Give Mr Grasshead a good soak with water every couple of days and watch him sprout a lush green head of grassy hair that you can trim like a hairdresser!
3
Bunny Nightlight, £4.95
Rigby & Mac
This sweet bunny nightlight is battery-operated so is perfect for taking on holiday or sleepovers - wherever he is needed!
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4
Ocean sticker book, £4.99
Natural History Museum
Young fans of Blue Planet will love this educational sticker book, with 100 different sea life stickers, plus puzzles, illustrations and games.
5
Cadbury Plush Toy Selection Box, £5
Wilko
For a really versatile gift that will suit both boys and girls, you can't go wrong with chocolate - and this Cadbury Dairy Milk Christmas Plush Toys selection box is just the ticket. This fab gift set includes a furry Freddo toy as well as a Cadbury Treatsize Fudge, Cadbury Dairy Milk Freddo, Cadbury Dairy Milk Treatsize Buttons and Cadbury Treatsize Curly Wurly. Yum!
6
Image Projector Torch, £5
John Lewis
Perfect for night owls, this torch doubles as a projector showing images of dinosaurs, sea creatures and wild animals. Simply insert an image disc, turn on the torch, twist the lens to focus, then rotate the disc to see the next image.
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7
Cactus Sweatshirt, from £5
George at ASDA
This Merry Cactus sweater from George at ASDA delivers a lot of prickle for your pound.
8
Paintbox, £5
John Lewis
For little artists, a great buy is this this water colours starter set containing 21 beautiful colours and a paintbrush.
9
Kids vs Adults Card Game, £4
Marks & Spencer
Who will be the boss? This game from Marks & Spencer pits parents against kids. Simply spin the wheel for either a kids’ or an adults’ question. Packed with over 150 cards covering every topic from toys to history, it’s suitable for ages 8+.
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10
Reindeer Novelty Slipper Socks, £4.99
British Heart Foundation
Super snuggly and oh so cute, these special Christmas slippers are available from the British Heart Foundation.
11
LEGO Harry Potter Fantastic Beasts Mini Figures, £2.99
LEGO
Each bag contains one mini figure to make from the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts' collection. Your child could give one each to their group of friends, or perhaps cousins, for hours of fun recreating and creating new scenes with Newt Scamander, Jacob Kowalski, Tina Goldstein, Queenie Goldstein and Credence Barebone.
12
Classic Jokes Hand Buzzer, £4.75
Hawkin's Bazaar
A classic trick for jokers, the Hand Buzzer is a simple wind-up mechanism secreted in the palm of a child’s hand to deliver a vibrating 'shock' to unsuspecting family and friends.
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13
Christmas Socks, £3.50
Next
If you want to be uber savvy with your money – and split one buy into three Secret Santa presents – these fun festive socks for little toes come in packs of three.
14
Reindeer Glasses, £4.99
New Look
These hilarious reindeer glasses come complete with a red nose from New Look.
15
Voice Changer, £5
Tiger
Tiger comes up trumps again with this tiny battery operated megaphone that can modify your voice with four different sounds.
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This Christmas, Cadbury wants to give everyone the chance to be a Secret Santa and secretly send Cadbury chocolate to their loved ones. Find your nearest Cadbury Secret Santa Postal Service and join the biggest Secret Santa ever.