It has become an annual office ritual on a par with the Christmas party, but giving a colleague the wrong "secret santa" present could lead to an unwelcome legal hangover, lawyers have warned.

Sending risqué or tongue-in-cheek gifts could provide grounds for claims for harassment or sexual or religious discrimination, according to employment lawyers.

Jokes such as giving a colleague lacy underwear or a greying co-worker a bottle of hair dye as a joke are among gift ideas fraught with potential legal danger.

Even giving a female co-worker a cookbook or a kitchen gadget could be deemed sexist, solicitors have claimed.

Seemingly innocuous offerings, such as a festive bottle of wine could also cause offence to those who do not drink for religious reasons.

Giving anonymous gifts to colleagues whose names are picked at random has become a popular custom in Irish offices.

Last year a policeman in the UK, was forced to resign after giving a Muslim officer a packet of bacon and a bottle of wine as a secret Father Christmas present.

His colleague did not complain but the incident was reported to senior officers, leading to the PC’s resignation.

Neeta Laing, head of employment law at law firm Lewis Hymanson Small in the UK said: “Workers should think carefully before buying their colleague a present that could be viewed as offensive.

“Use your common sense, for example, don’t give religious colleagues alcohol or offensive magazines or female workers kitchen ware.”

She added: “If an employee does receive, for example, a pair of lacy knickers and finds the gift offensive and wishes to pursue a harassment case, this must be taken seriously.”

Telegraph.co.uk