Secret Santa Unwrapped: Around one in eight colleague gifts unwanted, while around a quarter received could have been regifted!

Secret Santa Unwrapped: Around one in eight colleague gifts unwanted, while around a quarter received could have been regifted!

23% of presents that are regifted are passed on to colleagues

Around one in eight gifts from colleagues are unwanted by the receiver

Health and beauty products, alcohol and clothing among the most unwanted gifts

Around a quarter of regifted presents are handed on to colleagues according to a new study meaning that chances are, the Secret Santa present you’re about to unwrap may be holding an altogether different secret.

Yes, rather than a “secret” colleague, the gift you receive could well be from the colleagues friends, aunts, siblings or, if you get your hands on a snazzy new pair of socks, grandparents.

The study, commissioned by The Works, explores the trends behind regifting, uncovering that around 40% of us do indeed forward on our unwanted gifts.

Women are almost 20% more likely to regift, compared to men, while they’re also 6% more likely to regift to colleagues too, while it’s the over 45s you most want to look out for, with 30% of regifted items from them going to others in the office.

We’re most likely to receive unwanted gifts from friends, with around one in six coming from them, with colleagues second most likely at 13%, so in a large company, that’s a lot of unwanted gifts!

But what are among the most unwanted gifts that we should be avoiding when it comes to our Secret Santas?

Health and beauty products stand as the most unwanted gifts, with 14% of regifters likely to rewrap such items, while alcohol (12%) and clothing (9%) also commonly regifted. Elsewhere, books, candles and kitchenware are also passed on frequently.

You can view the full study at: https://www.theworks.co.uk/theworks-blog/christmas-ideas/the-season-for-regifting.html