Secret Santa
Informal Neutral
What it really means
A common workplace and friends' Christmas custom: everyone's name goes in a hat, you draw one, and you secretly buy that person a small gift up to an agreed budget (often five to ten pounds). Gifts are usually light-hearted. Stick to the budget so no one feels awkward.
Chinese explanation
职场和朋友间常见的圣诞习俗："神秘圣诞老人"：把大家的名字放进帽子里抽签，你抽到谁，就在约定预算内（常为 5–10 镑）悄悄给那人买份小礼物。礼物通常轻松搞笑。守住预算，免得有人尴尬。
Example conversation
A: The office is doing Secret Santa — ten pound limit.
B: Get something fun and small; you don't need to overthink it.
A：办公室要玩神秘圣诞老人——上限十镑。
B：买点又小又好玩的；别想太多。
What you could say back
Related phrases
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All Customs & Etiquette
Reviewed by the UK Decoded editorial team
· Last checked 24 July 2026 · Report a mistake