The Best Secret Santa Ideas for Students for Xmas 2026

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Secret Santa - a fun way to buy gifts for your housemates and friends, or a stressful, panicky rush that ends up with something going straight in the bin? Hopefully with our help, it can be the first one!

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We’ve rounded up the best bargain student Christmas gifts for all your Secret Santa needs this year, giving you plenty of options to buy something cheap and cheerful for your housemates, coursemates, or just that stranger that you’ve been paired up with. 

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Fake plants 

Let’s face it, keeping plants alive is hard. You might have even won a plant at one of our student fairs across the UK this year. If so, you’ll know it’s easy to over-water them, under-water them, or accidentally water them with something that isn’t even water, and the amount of sunlight they need seems to change depending on their mood.  

The good thing about fake plants is that they don’t need any of that tender love and care. You can just pop them on your windowsill or place them around your living room, giving your student home a lovely wild feeling while tricking all your friends into thinking you’ve got green fingers. And the best news of all? They’re significantly cheaper than real plants.

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Photo frames  

Uni is a great time for taking photos, capturing all the nights out, the study sessions and the mates you make. The problem is sometimes these photos stay stuck on your phone, making it easy to forget all about them, especially if you change or lose your phone during your degree. 

Printing a few off and putting them in photo frames is a great way to keep the memories alive and can be a wonderful gift to the friend you made them with. 

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Fairy lights 

Sometimes a uni living space could do with a bit of brightening up, and there’s no better way to do it than with fairy lights. Placed around some bookshelves and hung around the walls with some command hooks, fairy lights can make anyone’s space look cosy and inviting - ideal for settling in and watching your favourite show on Netflix, or doing some coursework.  

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Sparkle cushions 

At £16, they may be at the pricier end for a student Secret Santa idea, but this is a cracking Christmas gift. Sparkle cushions let you turn any photo into a wonderful glittery creation, adding a touch of personalised fun to any bed or sofa. 

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Cocktail making kit 

Picture the scene - you turn up to a mate’s flat, they take your drink order, and mix you up a fantastic negroni using the cocktail making kit you got them for Christmas. It’s a gift that says, “Hey, I think you’re a bit classy,” while also saying, “I know you’re capable of being very unclassy.” It also gives a subtle nod to their excellent party hosting skills, and is ultimately a gift for you too.  

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Pick ‘n’ mix 

You thought pick ‘n’ mix was just for the cinema? Think again. You can make custom boxes of all your friend’s favourite sweets, packing them with tasty retro treats to give them all the energy they need to power through those late nights studying. Also, who doesn’t want a whole kilo of fried eggs? We think they'd make a cracking gift.

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Smoothie maker 

This student Christmas gift is a little spennier than the others, but it’s still a great price for a very good present. Seriously, if you get someone a smoothie maker for Xmas, they’re going to be your friend for life. A flavour-packed, super healthy start to the uni day, a smoothie maker could be the thing that sees your mate power through their degree, and avoid the dreaded freshers-flu each year.

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A surprise stocking 

Can’t think of one gift to get someone? Get them lots of little ones and wrap them all up inside a stocking of surprises. Think a chocolate Santa, a couple of packs of sweets, a fun new bauble, some nice socks. You get the drill. This option is great for someone you don’t know that well, as you can still treat them without risking getting something horribly wrong.  

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Their favourite tipple 

Is it creative? No. Will it make them delighted? Absolutely. Getting someone their favourite drink for Christmas isn’t going to win you any awards for imagination, but a bottle of something a bit special may well see you invited as a VIP to their next house party. Seriously, stick a bow on it and you're done.

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A proper cosy blanket 

Think soft, think fluffy, think ‘Maybe I’ll keep this for myself, actually’. Now we're approaching Winter, a lovely cosy blanket could be a dream come true for those late nights of studying. It’s also perfect for watching films with housemates, playing games, building a killer pillow fort or just having a nap between lectures. We won’t judge. 

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A coffee gift card 

We’ve all been there, needing that little caffeine kick to get us through the morning, or the afternoon, or generally our existence. But the good stuff doesn’t come cheap. A gift card could give your mate the extra oomph they need to attack the day after a particularly late night.

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Give yourself an early Christmas present?

Give yourself a stress-free Christmas, by getting next year's student home boxed off before heading home for the holidays. November is peak season for finding your next home - and we’ve got you covered. We showcase the best student housing each major UK uni town and city has to offer - and all with bills included. Start the search for your perfect home from home today.