Celebrating the holidays with a group of friends has become a staple of the holiday season. Scrolling through Instagram in late November, it is hard not to “like” everyone’s “Friendsgiving” posts, even if you see the same picture seven different times.
With the Thanksgiving season over and the Christmas season just beginning, a new method of celebrating with friends has been introduced: Secret Santa.

How Secret Santa works: you put a bunch of names in a hat and pick one. You must get a gift for whoever you choose and keep it a secret until the time of the gift exchange. Stuck on what to get for your friend? Here’s a foolproof guide to giving the perfect Secret Santa gift.

Make sure that you give a gift that suits your friend’s personality. Giving a meaningless gift makes the present less special. Quality is better than quantity.

If your friend…
Appreciates the little things in life: Target is the way to go. At the Target in Rio Washingtonian Center, they have kiosks full of stocking stuffers sure to make your friend happy. A pair of fuzzy socks or a face mask can go a long way.
Is a sentimental person: Because you always plan things far in advance, a more intricate handmade present may be the key to your friend’s heart. Printing out photos and making a frame is a timeless gift that can be hung up and be used as a dorm-warming gift if your friend is off to college in the fall. Michael’s in the Kentlands has an assortment of frames of all sizes, and they are bargains when you use coupons from their website.

Accessorizes religiously: Marilyn Monroe wasn’t wrong when she said that diamonds are a girl’s best friend. However, if you’re not willing to shell out for real diamonds, fake ones have a similar effect. If you go to Best Friend’s Closet in Traville Shopping Center, you’ll be sure to find an affordable and chic accessory for your BFF.

Is a devout foodie: If your friend happens to spend most of their time (and money) at Fallsgrove or Kentlands, getting them a gift card to their favorite restaurant would be appreciated. Sometimes, to get to a friend’s heart, you have to go through their stomach first.

Is a style icon: Checking out Nordstrom Rack in Gaithersburg or On Cloud 9 in Potomac is a surefire way to find trendy clothes at an affordable price. If you can’t find the perfect article of clothing, getting your friend a gift card will do the trick.

Julia Stern

Senior Reviews Editor