While it may be true that the best presents are things that the recipient wouldn’t buy for themselves, this also an apt description of the worst presents.

And let’s be honest: bad secret Santa presents are a sub-category in their own right. Some 125,000 tonnes of plastic are thrown away at Christmas and that’s just packaging - it doesn’t include tat presents themselves.

It’s natural to avoid buying your allotted secret Santa present and leave it until the last minute - especially if it’s someone you don’t know very well. So if you’ve received the dreaded email reminding you that the exchange is happening tomorrow, don’t panic. Here are my suggestions for presents that are reasonably available last-minute and don’t cost the earth (in either sense). 

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Secret Santa gifts for teachers: For the coffee lover

It is the quality not quantity that counts here. If you have a decent coffee shop near you, then go for the best ground beans they sell for your budget. My insulated, and crucially non-spill, travel mug keeps my coffee hot all day and can handle being slung into my bag - and was under £10. Alternatively, you could nip out at lunchtime and grab a voucher for takeaway coffee at the place nearest to your college. 

For the food lover

Again, quality not quantity. Chocolate, panettone and such like are usually covered already at this time of year, so why not consider savoury options? Fancy smoked salmon, nice cheese and biscuits. What’s not to like?

For the stationery lover 

With a little bit of time, you can get amazing stationery online. My favourite are sticky notes that you can get in every shape or form - personalised, subject-themed, shaped in the skyline of NYC. A stapleless stapler is very handy and will fit in a pencil case. But if you really need something for tomorrow, then erasable pens and a divided notebook would at least be practical.

For the tipple lover 

If your secret Santee drinks red wine, then an aerator might be within your budget. What about a festive bottle stopper? If you are buying for a beer drinker, then quirky craft ales might be the answer to your last-minute dilemma. Craft gin often comes in cool little miniatures but if there’s no time for that, then gin in a tin is your last-minute option here.

For the book lover

We will all have a bit more time at home this Christmas and after this year, we all need to switch off from work. If you know your Santee enjoys reading then you could gift them a copy of your favourite book. The booker prize shortlist might provide some inspiration and a quick Google of best books of 2020 should cover every type of genre.

Rebecca Atherfold is a maths lecturer at Southwark College