Secret Santas are fun if you’re doing them for people you want to hang out with, but they’re a pain if you have to do them for someone you have a transactional relationship with. I enjoyed participating in Secret Santa with my college friend group because we didn’t have enough money to get great gifts for nine different people, so we spent $40 on one gift for each person, and it all worked out! We even used Elfster so we could list out the things we liked and wanted, so nobody got a dud gift. 

I’m also a fan of White Elephant gift exchanges. It’s fun to give and receive humorous and impractical gifts, even with coworkers and acquaintances. Most parties keep the budget for White Elephants low, so it’s an accessible way to give. There are circumstances where people may not want to give presents, and these are understandable.