The festive season is almost upon us, and with Secret Santa exchanges popping up, finding the perfect gift can feel daunting. How do you choose something thoughtful for a coworker you’ve only ever smiled at in the office kitchen while making a cuppa?
Enter eco-conscious gifts. They’re not just thoughtful, they’re a little way of showing you care (and maybe inspire your giftee to care too). Whether you know them well or barely at all, a sustainable gift is pretty much guaranteed to score points for being meaningful.
To help you ace your Secret Santa game, we’ve rounded up 15 of the best eco-conscious gifts you can find in the UAE. These picks are fun, functional, and sure to avoid the fate of being regifted or, worse, forgotten. So, get ready to spread joy, and a little sustainability, this holiday season.
Rose & Oud Aromatherapy Soy Wax Candle, AED 100
This hand-poured friendly candle combines the beautiful scent of rose with the bold allure of oud, creating a warm, aroma that’s perfect for the festive season. Crafted with 100 per cent natural soy wax and infused with premium essential oils, every candle is lovingly made in small batches to ensure top-notch quality and long-lasting burn time. Perfect for cosy nights in this Christmas.
Love and Peace Arabic Bamboo Socks, AED 100
Featuring the words ‘Love’ and ‘Peace’ in both English and Arabic, these socks are a stylish and meaningful Secret Santa gift. Made from eco-friendly bamboo fibers, they’re silky-smooth, breathable, and naturally moisture-wicking, keeping your office friend’s feet fresh and happy all day long.
Energy Clearing Bundle, SEVA, AED 96
This aromatic bundle includes Turkish sage, sustainably sourced Palo Santo, and sandalwood incense, perfect for clearing energy and creating a peaceful atmosphere. Whether for unwinding during the festive season or creating a serene space in the home, this gift offers grounding and calming properties to those who love a little spiritual renewal.
Watermelon Wallet, Sharjah Art Shop, AED 95
The Watermelon Wallet designed by Disarming Design is a cross-stitch coin purse handcrafted by skilled women in Gaza and designed by Gaza-based architect Ibrahim Muhtadi. This wallet features intricate traditional Palestinian embroidery, also known as tatreez, and the watermelon, which in Palestinian culture, represents solidarity and connection to the land.
Jupiter Natural Mineral Soap Dish, Snow Fox, AED 60
Crafted from Diatomaceous Earth, this beautiful, fast-drying bathroom dish keeps your Shampoo and Conditioner Bars dry and hygienic when not in use. Lightweight and practical, it’s eco-friendly, naturally antimicrobial, plastic-free, and ocean-friendly.
Metal bookmark ‘The Great Wave’, Louvre Abu Dhabi AED 60
Perfect for your cultured colleagues, this metal bookmark featuring ‘The Great Wave off Kanagawa’ by Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai is one of the most recognisable and celebrated works of Japanese art, created during the Edo period around 1831. The Great Wave is more than a beautiful design, it represents the power of nature, resilience, and the balance between beauty and chaos, making it a meaningful Secret Santa gift.
Dr PawPaw Balms Collection, AED 57.75
Dr. PAWPAW’s Multipurpose Balms are a beauty must-have that everyone will love. Made from natural ingredients like pawpaw fruit, aloe vera, and olive oil, this award-winning balm hydrates lips, soothes dry skin, tames brows, and even doubles as a cuticle cream. Its compact size makes it perfect for on-the-go use, and its eco-friendly, cruelty-free formula means guilt-free gifting. Affordable and thoughtful, this multitasker is sure to earn you Secret Santa star status!
Handmade Festive Soap Duo, Unwrapped, AED 80
This beautifully boxed duo soap set features the fresh, forest-scented Christmas Tree Soap and the comforting Cinnamon Latte Soap. Each soap is vegan and handmade in the UAE without harsh chemicals like SLS, parabens, or sulfates. With no synthetic fragrances and absolutely no animal testing, it’s a Secret Santa gift you can feel good about giving.
Merry Kissmas lip scrub, Lush, AED 65
This lip scrub is not just a pretty gift, it is scented with sweet blackcurrant and fruity davana oil and made with organic jojoba oil, so it smells great and it is also eco-friendly. Glass pots at Lush are fully recyclable and reusable, just remove the label and recycle the lid separately.
Fermented Chili Hot Sauce, Tabchilli, AED 95
Give a gift that’s as good for the taste buds as it is for the gut. Tabchilli’s locally handmade Fermented Chili Paste is fermented over three months and topped with extra virgin olive oil to preserve its probiotic profile and enhance the flavour of any dish. Whether it’s for a health-conscious colleague or a spice lover, this blend of Thai bird chili, capsicum, and a touch of salt is sure to go down a treat.
Peace Lily Plant, Flowwow, AED 99
The Peace Lily is a beautiful plant with glossy, dark green leaves that purifies the air and helps reduce stress. It’s an easy-to-care-for, low-maintenance plant that makes the perfect Secret Santa gift for your office buddy that likes plants but struggles to keep them alive. Get yours online from Flowwow, and if you’ve left it to the last minute – Flowwow has two-hour delivery slots. Result!
Healthy Brunch Gift Voucher, The Hundred Wellness Centre 99 AED
For the foodies, why not treat someone to a voucher for brunch at The Hundred, worth 99 AED. The Hundred is a holistic lifestyle destination with a warm, welcoming atmosphere and a strong sense of community. Brunch aside, this spot brings together a range of health and wellbeing experts, offering everything from classes and therapies to organic markets and a fantastic café.
Art Jameel Tote Bag, Art Jameel, AED 60
Shop local this Christmas and help your office friends ditch plastic bags with a chic, durable tote bag. Perfect for work, grocery shopping or a day at the beach. With trendy art designs at affordable prices, they make the perfect sustainable gift and an excuse to wander or browse on-line.
Pet Water Bottle Recycled Pencil Case, Citron, AED 49
Let your colleague stay organised and sustainable with this pencil case made from PET recycled plastic bottles. Featuring an easy-to-use zipper, it pairs beautifully with some of Citron’s adult bag designs. Great for male or female Secret Santa gifts as it comes in two designs: Thunder Black and Thunder Yellow.
Eco-Friendly Beeswax Wraps, AED 83
Made from organic cotton, ethically harvested beeswax, jojoba oil, and tree resin, these wraps are the sustainable swap your foodie colleagues didn’t know they needed. Perfect for wrapping up office lunch sandwiches and snacks (and for covering leftovers at home), these keep food fresh without a single piece of plastic in sight. Perfect for those who love their food and the planet.
Choco Bites, House of Pops AED 42
For the sweet tooth lover, House of Pops Choco Bites are a must-try. These tubs come with 12 plant-based, chocolate-dipped ice cream bites in three delicious flavours: creamy chocolate and fruity strawberry, to name a few. While it’s not your typical gift, At 42 AED, it’s an affordable and thoughtful treat that’ll be loved by whoever’s receiving your Secret Santa gift.
