Secret Santa budget calculator
$30Typical limit per gift
Pick a spending limit the whole group can live with. The ranges come from the limits real groups set for their own exchanges.
Spending limit per person
Half of the groups that name a dollar limit on secret.gift set it between $20 and $50. The one in the middle is $30.
Start a draw with a $30 limitWhat $30 buys
- An insulated mug or bottle
- A small board game
- A gourmet food box
- A book from their exact niche
Setting a limit nobody resents
- Set it for the person with the tightest month, not for the average. Nobody enjoys a game they had to stretch for.
- Say if it is a ceiling or a target. "Up to $30" and "around $30" lead to very different gifts on the same table.
- Round numbers work. $20, $30 and $50 are what groups actually choose, and they are easy to shop for.
- Bigger group, same limit. The limit is per gift, so twenty people do not need a smaller number than six.
- Add wishes. A limit tells people how much, a wish or two tells them what.
Where the numbers come from
No averages pulled out of thin air: each figure in the calculator comes from a named survey or from our own anonymised data.
- National Retail Federation / Prosper Insights & Analytics, 2025 — Holiday survey of 8,247 US adults, October 2025: $890.49 planned per person in total, $627.93 of it on gifts for family and friends.
- secret.gift, 2026 — The spending limits that gift exchange groups set on secret.gift since October 2025, anonymised: the middle value and the range half of the groups fall into.
Gift budget questions
How much should you spend on Secret Santa?
Most groups land between $20 and $50. Among exchanges that name a dollar limit on secret.gift, the middle one is $30. In the UK the usual office gift is cheaper: 48% of office workers spend £5 to £10 (Instantprint, 2024).
Is the Secret Santa limit a maximum or an exact amount?
By default a maximum: spend up to the limit, not a cent more. If your group wants gifts of equal value, say "around" and give a range, for example $25 to $30. Put it in the group description so everyone reads the same rule.
What is a good Secret Santa budget for the office?
One that the newest hire can afford without thinking about it. $20 to $30 covers a thoughtful gift and keeps the game light. See how to run Secret Santa at work for the rest of the rules.
What can you buy for $20 or $30?
More than it seems: good coffee, a desk plant, a card game, a paperback and a chocolate bar. We keep a list of Secret Santa gift ideas by budget sorted by price.
What if someone cannot afford the limit?
Lower it for everyone before the draw, quietly. A smaller limit costs the group nothing, and a public exception costs one person a lot. After the draw, a handmade or shared gift within the spirit of the game is fine.