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Secret Santas are a fun way to get the office, your friends, team or club excited about Christmas.

If you’ve been assigned a sports fan as your Secret Santa recipient, then it’s understandable you may be unsure what gift to give. Secret Santa gifts are notorious for challenging givers to strike a balance between affordability and thoughtfulness. Have no fear, because that’s about to change.

From stocking stuffers like socks and cookbooks to more meaningful gifts like a donation to charity, we’ve put together a list of six Christmas gifts we believe are most suitable for sports fans as part of any Secret Santa.

1. Socks in Team Colours

Of all the sports-themed clothing on the market, socks are highly affordable gift options. It won’t be too difficult to find items in the colours of your lucky fan’s favourite sports team. Order online to save big and squeeze in an extra pair!

Secret Santa Gift Tip: If you plan ahead and order online you may be able to find socks sporting the logo of the team at a discount.

2. Miniature Sports Equipment

These gifts combine the sport your recipient loves with an activity they enjoy. For example, someone who loves to read about rugby would probably be delighted to find a football shaped bookmark when they open their secret santa gift.

You might like these stocking stuffers for your Christmas present:

Key rings
Plush stress balls
Novelty erasers
Patches for clothes
Lighters
Bookmarks

Secret Santa Gift Tip: If you’re strapped for time, or the decision to organise a Secret Santa came late, these Christmas gifts are relatively easy to find.

3. Sports Snack Hamper

Snack hampers make great gifts for the sports fan who loves to watch the game live or at home. Either way, there are some tried and tested staples sports lovers will expect to see as part of your Secret Santa hamper.

When putting together your gift, consider these tasty treats for your sports fan:

Nuts
Dried fruit
Cheeses
Crackers
Potato Chips
Pretzels
Mixed Chocolates

Secret Santa Gift Tip: Two or three of these snacks should suffice to set your sports fan up for their next game viewing. Choose packaged snacks that are easily portable so they can be bagged and taken to a live game, or a viewing at a friend’s house.

4. Barbecue Cookbook

Does your sports fan love to cook? Sport aside, cookbooks are generally welcomed as useful and thoughtful Secret Santa gifts. A barbecue-themed cookbook will have your recipient frying burgers, grilling halloumi and throwing together a spread to remember.

Secret Santa Gift Tip: Before purchasing a cookbook, find out if your assigned recipient has any particular dietary requirements or preferences. You don’t want to accidentally gift a barbecue cookbook to a vegan or vegetarian.

5. Sports Themed Cookie Cutters

Barbecuing isn’t the only talent among culinary minded sports fans. You can find cookie cutters in all shapes and sizes, particularly if you order online. These will be highly appreciated by sports fans who love to bake.

Secret Santa Gift Tip: If the recipient has children, you can match the cookie cutter to any sports they play. This will make your gift more meaningful, and encourage the recipient to bake as a family activity.

6. Donate a Gift To a Sporting Charity

Perhaps your sports fan doesn’t want or need any of the gifts we’ve suggested. You could donate your Secret Santa allowance to a sporting charity in the recipient’s name. There are many great sport-related causes that you could support.

Most charities offer a gift catalogue at Christmas time to make donating a more personal and simple experience. By choosing a charity gift, rather than simply donating, your recipient will be able to understand the impact that the gift will make to children, families and communities in need.

Secret Santa Gift Tip: However you donate, choose a charity that aligns with the sporting or philanthropic interests of your assigned recipient. If you are matched with a rugby or football fan, they would be more appreciative of your gift if it was donated to a charity that uses sport to benefit children.

Buy or Donate a Gift For Your Secret Santa

What’s most important to remember about Secret Santa and Christmas gifts is that it’s the thought that counts. However you choose to give to your recipient, make sure it’s a meaningful choice. They’ll be grateful that their Secret Santa took the time to give them a warm and memorable Christmas gift.

Want to find out more about donating to charity as a Christmas or Secret Santa gift? You can learn more about the Gifts For Good catalogue offered by ChildFund Australia and its work to give more vulnerable children and young people in Asia the chance to benefit from the power of sport.

It’s the annual ritual of every parent with school-age children: that last-minute dash to the shop to buy a gift for the person responsible for inspiring their child with a love of learning.

But this year, before you reach for those old-faithful gifts of scented candle, bubble bath or fancy choccies, think about giving your favourite teacher a gift that will give them those end-of-term warm and fuzzy feelings.

So instead of wrapping up another ‘World’s Best Teacher’ mug, we’ve got some gift ideas that will help you show your appreciation for your favourite teacher.

1. Caffeine

Teachers value caffeine, and with good reason: who wouldn’t need a cuppa after a day of wrangling a classroom full of whipper-snappers? There’s a few ways you can gift caffeine to your favourite teacher:

Buy the staffroom a new espresso machine
Organise for the local café to deliver a coffee-a-day for the first two weeks of the new school year
Give them a nice reusable coffee cup
Gift an assortment of flavoured coffee pods or packets for those mid-morning breaks.

They will thank you – a lot.

2. Stationery

While a new set of whiteboard markers or pencils might not be on the top of everyone’s Santa wish list, teachers actually love this stuff. Mainly because little fingers borrow what belongs to the teacher throughout the school year. They’re also not always good at returning them (not that their teacher minds too much).

Mainly because little fingers borrow what belongs to the teacher throughout the school year. They’re also not always good at returning them (not that their teacher minds too much).

Any of these stationary supplies will send your kid’s teacher off on their festive break with a real spring in their step:

Pens
Notebooks
Highlighters
Whiteboard markers
Chalk
Paperclips

Find a nice themed stationary set or even a designer stapler (yes, that’s a thing) if you want to give your teacher a little extra.

3. A treat voucher

The festive season is a time for teachers to kick up their heels and take some time out for themselves. The gift of a cinema, restaurant or a shopping centre voucher gives them the chance to relax and unwind after a long year. After 12 months of school canteen lunches, your teacher deserves some me-time – just make sure the voucher is for use at a location that’s not normally frequented by their students.

4. Pooled gifts

Let’s face it – it’s always better to get quality over quantity. Organise the other parents and buy a single, amazing gift for your teacher. You could also add a bottle of bubbly. It might even be worth having a quiet word with the teacher to find out what they really, really want. It’s a win-win for everyone: parents don’t need to spend as much, and your class teacher will have a gift shows them how much their class appreciates them.

5. Donate charity gifts on behalf of your teacher

Teachers are passionate about education. Of course they love teaching your child, but what motivates them every day is the positive impact they have on the lives of countless children.

Donating an educational charity gift from our Gifts for Good catalogue will give them the joy of knowing their gift has helped children around the world. You might wish to donate:

Library books to help children read and learn.
Scholarships to fund the education of a girl and improve gender equality in developing countries.
Desks for children to read, write and draw at.

When you donate a gift through ChildFund’s Gifts for Good program you also get a beautiful gift card that tells the recipient how their gift is making a difference. Add a personalised message to tell your teacher how much you appreciate their work, and you’ve got a gift that will be sure to knock their socks off (the socks bought for them by an unthinking parent).

Gifts for Good

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