12 Days of Christmas Secret Santa Gift Ideas & Sayings

Last updated: November 20, 2024

Give a family in need the 12 days of Christmas secret Santa this year. It’ll be easy with all the simple ideas I am sharing below. This is a great activity to do with your kids. They love to get involved and spread Christmas cheer.

It teaches them service and how to give a Christmas to someone. We have done this a couple of times at Christmas time. We should probably start making it a tradition. If you want the tags and sayings all nicely laid out for you, you can check out the 12 Days of Secret Santa in my shop. It has over 25 ideas so you can pick what works best for you!

What is the 12 Days of Christmas Secret Santa?

If you haven’t heard, the 12 days of Christmas secret Santa is a fun way of surprising a family with Christmas cheer. You can start at any time during the month of December, it just depends on when you want it to end. If you want to drop off your last gift on Christmas Day, then you need to start 12 days out which would be the 13th. Here are the rules:

1. Pick a family that is in need or that you want to love on this year.
2. Secretly drop off a gift on their porch with a note. The first note implies that you will be giving more gifts so they should be expecting something every day. You could reveal which day will be the last or keep it open.
3. Drop off a gift everyday for the next 12 days with a fun little note.
4. Reveal yourself on the last day.

You can start on any day in December. I like to start in the middle and drop off the last gift on or near Christmas Eve.

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12 Days of Christmas Secret Santa Ideas

It can be hard to come up with all the ideas for this fun activity. That’s why I’m here. I’m going to give you some awesome ideas and gifts that you can drop off for your secret family. All of these ideas are kid-friendly, so the kids can really get involved with this service activity.

I’ve also include some sayings that you can use with each gift. They are super cheesy, so feel free to come up with your own, but I feel like that’s part of the fun of it.

1 – Hot Cocoa

Who doesn’t love hot chocolate during the Christmas season? You could even do some different flavors of Hot Chocolate. The note could say:

“When it’s cold outside and the ground is all covered in snow, you can warm up by the fire with some hot coco!”

2 – Popcorn

You can do just a regular popcorn bag or your can do some gourmet popcorn. Some easy places to find it is at Ross or Tuesday Morning or Marshalls. I’m a sucker for gourmet popcorn, my favorite kind is Harry and David’s Moose Munch! SO GOOD! The note could say:

“We just wanted to POP over to give you a special treat.”

3 – Socks

Warm, fluffy socks for the holidays are so cozy. You could even make them holiday-themed if you want. The note could say:

“Stay nice and warm this winter with these soft and comfy socks, make sure you’re good for Santa, or all you’ll get is rocks!”

4 – Snack

Treat your friends or family to some festive Christmas snacks like homemade peppermint bark, reindeer pretzels, or Grinch-themed fruit kabobs. Add in some holiday-themed popcorn mix or snowman-decorated sugar cookies for a sweet surprise. These fun and delicious treats are perfect for spreading holiday cheer!

“When the season has you feeling out of whack, relax and munch on this tasty snack.”

5 – Candle

A holiday candle brings warmth and festive charm to any space with seasonal scents like cinnamon, pine, or vanilla. Its soft glow creates a cozy ambiance, making it perfect for holiday gatherings or quiet winter evenings. The note could say:

“I hope this candle brings all the Christmas smells, when you light it, you can hear the Christmas bells!”

6 – Wrapping Paper

You can never have too much wrapping paper. Plus, if it’s early enough in the season, you might have checked it off their list for them.

“Here’s some wrapping paper to assist, I hope it’s something you can now take off your list!”

7 – Book

A nice Christmas book for the kids or the family. Some of our favorites are Twas the Night Before Christmas and A Cookiesaurus Christmas.

“Enjoy the book given here, we hope it brings you joy for the rest of the year!”

8 – Movie

A good Christmas movie to curl up with. Some of our favorites are Elf, The Santa Claus, The Grinch, It’s a Wonderful Life, and White Christmas. The note could say:

“Oh the weather outside is so frightful, but a movie inside sounds so delightful!”

9 – Game

A fun game for the whole family to play. Some of our favorites (and our kid’s favorites) are Hoot Owl Hoot, Pie Face, Spot It!, Chutes and Ladders, and Jenga. The note could say:

“Here is a gift from us to you, a game we love and hope you will too!”

10 – Christmas Treat

Make some sugar cookies, gingerbread men, Christmas crack, or your favorite Christmas treat.

“We hope you enjoy this wonderful Christmas treat, it’ll make the end of your year super sweet!”

11 – Gingerbread House Making Kit

Give them a kit to make a Gingerbread house. The note could say:

“Making houses is so much fun, we thought you’d enjoy this a ton!”

12 – Sparkling Cider

Sparkling cider to celebrate the holidays! The note could say:

“Here’s a bubbly for you, and one the kids can drink too!”

13 – Christmas Lights

Personally, I think you can never have too many Christmas lights. The note could say:

“We hope your Christmas is full of LIGHT, we think your love is nice and bright!”

14 – Christmas Decoration

The note could say:

“Here’s something to decorate your cute house, on Christmas Eve be quiet like a mouse!”

15 – Toy

If you know the family has young kids, you could get them small toys or a nice toy to share. Again, a good place to look for this is at Ross or Tuesday Morning. The note could say:

“Santa is making a list and checking it twice, if you want more toys, you’ve got to be nice!”

16 – Christmas Chocolates

Add a touch of holiday cheer with assorted foil-wrapped chocolates shaped like Santa, snowmen, or Christmas trees! Also, peppermint is always a good choice.

“Here is a yummy treat because we think you are so sweet!”

17 – Blanket

A nice throw blanket to stay warm for the winter or to throw on their couch. The note could say:

“We hope this blanket will keep you nice and cozy, make sure to use it if your cheeks are rosy!”

18 – Christmas Cookie Cutters or Other Baking Accessories

A nice set of cookie cutters or Christmas spatula, a cookie scooper, or Christmas towel is a great gift. The note could say:

“Make lots of yummy treats this year, and I’ll be sure to stay nice and near.”

19 – Ornament

Make an ornament or have the kids pick out a cute ornament. The note could say:

“Here’s a gift for your beautiful tree, I hope every year it reminds you of me!”

20 – Homemade Gift

Make a homemade gift. You could do an ornament, picture frame, or anything that has to do with pictures or decorations.

“We made a homemade gift for you, we hope you treasure it like we treasure you!”

21 – Cards and Letters

Have your kids draw some pictures on a card or make their own cards to give to the family. Sometimes just a sweet note is the best gift.

“Christmas is almost here, hooray, I bet you can’t wait until the new Christmas day!”

22 – Jelly or Jams

Find a fun jelly or jam that is different or if you make your own that would be an awesome gift. The saying:

“Here’s some yummy Christmas jelly to fill your heart and belly.”

23 – Fruit

A basket of fresh fruit often goes underrated. My kids love fruit, so this would be an awesome gift. The note could say:

“We hope it is super clear, we are wishing you a Merry Christmas and a fruitful New Year.”

24 – Drinks

If you know the family loves a soda or certain type of drink, this could be a good gift. Or surprise them with something different.

“We hope this will quench your thirst, be careful not to shake it or it could burst.”

25 – Snowman Building Kit

This is such a cute gift if you live in a snowy area. The note could say:

“Build a Frosty the snowman, if we know anyone can, you can!”

26 – Mittens, Gloves, Beanie, or Scarf

A cute little set of gloves, mittens, beanies, or scarves for the family. Or something for them to share. The saying:

“We want you to stay nice a warm, use these to shelter from the storms.”

27 – Christmas Tissue Box

It’s simple, but it does brighten people’s day!

“It might be cold outside, but we hope you don’t get the sniffles. Use these tissues to keep from getting the whiffles.”

28 – Christmas Soap or Lotion

Bath and Body Works is your friend. I love their scented soaps and lotions. And they usually have a sale this time of year. The note could say:

“Christmas is the season of hope, enjoy the smell from this awesome soap.”

29 – Ugly Sweaters

A good idea would be to go to Goodwill and buy a bunch of ugly sweaters, wash them (of course), and drop them off to the family! You could also buy them, but Goodwill seems to have the ugliest! The note could say:

“You aren’t ugly, but these sweaters could be, take a picture with them under the tree.”

30 – Planner or Journal

Starting the year off with a nice journal or planner is nice to have. Check out Promptly journals to find a journal for every occasion, including a Christmas journal.

“Start of the next year right, we know that your future is sunny and bright.”

31 – Candy Canes

Candy canes are a must. You could also get the different flavors, which is fun. I saw an Oreo one the other day that I want to try.

“We know that your friendship can’t be beat, we hope you enjoy these sweet Christmas treats.”

32 – Christmas Paper Plates and Cups

Everyone eats more around the holidays. Make clean up easier with some disposable Christmas themed cups, plates, forks, napkins, etc. You can also find these at the Dollar store. The note could say:

“We hope you have good Christmas wishes, and these will help with doing less dishes.”

33 – Christmas Coloring Books

If the family has kids, get them a bunch of coloring books. There are a ton at the dollar store, and you could have the kids pick them out!

“Jingle, Jingle, here comes old Kris Kringle, color away before Christmas day.”

34 – Craft Supplies

I’m a crafter, so I have to add this one. A box of cute Christmas craft supplies for the kiddos.

“Wishing you a holiday of fun, take lots of pictures when you are done.”

Starter Note Sayings for 12 Days of Christmas

Here are a few ideas you could use to add to your “starter note” for the 12 days of Christmas secret Santa to let them know that there is more ahead.

1. “Christmas time is full of cheer, we hold you all so so dear, so expect gifts for the 12 days of Christmas from us to you, that will last you the whole season through.”
2. “We want to show you our love this year by bringing you some Christmas cheer, so expect the gifts to keep on coming cause we think you are all so stunning.”
3. “We want to give you the 12 days of Christmas this year, so we will be bringing you lots of cheer. For the next 12 days expect gifts from us, because friends like you are A-plus.”
4. “Christmas is our favorite season, and you all are the reason, we will be bringing Christmas cheer for the remainder of the year. Expect the gifts for the next 12 days and we’ll amaze you in so many ways!”

I hope these 12 days of Christmas secret Santa ideas help you come up with ideal gifts for the person or family you are gifting to!

This should get your secret Santa started for this Christmas season – good luck! And before you go, don’t forget your tags. These tags can also be edited digitally.

More Christmas gift and activity ideas you might be interested in:

• 33 FREE Christmas Printables for Kids and Toddlers
• The Ultimate Christmas Activity Bucket List for Kids
• Awesome & Cheap Stocking Stuffers for Kids Under $5