Secret Santa causes a lot of stress for some people, according to research (Picture: Getty)

Someone in the office is about to draw the short straw and become the poor sap that has to organise the Secret Santa.

Now, most places put a cap on the amount you can spend – say £5 or £10 – on the gift you give to a random colleague.

However, that does not stop people from getting anxiety, according to a psychology lecturer at the University of Salford.

The anxiety is so bad that more than a third believe present-giving in the workplace – including for birthdays – should be scrapped altogether.


Dr Ashley Weinberg says that the limit should be strictly enforced to stop people from feeling like they are being viewed as being ‘stingy’.



He said: ‘If you’ve grown up in a world where social media is at your fingertips and those kinds of social judgements are being made fairly constantly, suddenly you’re even more aware of what others might be thinking.

Most workplaces have a spending limit and Dr Ashley Weinberg says it should be strictly enforced (Picture: Getty)

‘Naturally that’s going to spill over into all kinds of areas, particularly something that can be a social taboo when you think about maybe not giving, or maybe questioning why people are giving.

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‘I think there can be a bit of that and naturally it does lead to anxiety for a lot of people.’

He told the Telegraph that people also feared ‘humiliation’ if their present was not liked by the recipient.

A study by Jobsite found that younger people feel more judged for their level of expenditure and often spend more than they can afford.

One in four workers aged between 23 and 38 said they felt angry as a result of being asked to contribute towards a whip-round because their financial situation was not being considered.

Dr Weinberg’s suggests that people’s well-being should be prioritised ahead of giving presents in the office this Christmas.

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