It’s the time of year where a select few of you will be drawing names in the hopes of selecting someone who is easy to shop for, someone who you like and you know will smile when they find out you are their Secret Santa.

Ah, if life were only so perfect.

Colleagues come in all shapes, sizes and personalities. All the months leading up to Christmas are your chance to get to know them well enough to figure out what they are into and what they will want for Christmas. Truth is, you might just get the one person who never seems to like anything and you’ll have to come up with something safe, affordable and that will give you a tiny sense of accomplishment.

Here are a few suggestions for the different personality types you may pull out of that Secret Santa drawing:

1. Plain Jane

She’s the one who pulls her hair back but never curls it. She wears zero to no make up (usually none) and doesn’t like spicy food. What do you get someone who seems picky?

•  You can probably give her a make up set, the kind that come with everything a person needs to say, get started on learning to use mineral make up. However, you should only do that if you know for sure they are open to the idea. Something like this, for example:
  

  At only $20, this is a great Mineral Makeup Starter Kit from EyesLipsFace.com

• Don’t judge your Plain Jain too harshly. Chances are she loves to party while the kids are out of the house. If so, she may enjoy a bottle of dessert wine. Moscato and Stella Rosa are SUPER popular, but I’m personally a fan of Cardinale which is rich, red, and sweet. You can ordern these very affordable wines from SanAntonioWinery.com.

2. Comic Book Elitist

This is a tough one. Whether male or female, this one is going to make you feel bad if you get something that reveals that you’re just not comic book savvy. Look, as long as you know the difference between comic books and graphic novels, you might be able to score at least one point on their board. Play it safe anyway and check out a site like Archie McPhee for items like:

3. YOUR BOSS!

Other great ways to win at Secret Santa are:

• Gift sets from Sephora where you can find items for both men and women. The mascara sets are like samplers for your hungry lashes. You can also treat a guy to some fancy shaving lotions that will nourish their pretty faces.
• Liquor gift boxes that come with two free glasses. Khalua and Patron Tequila boxes can be found at CVS stores.
• BevMo.com is a great place to find stand out beers such as Maredsous, Three Philosphers, and a tasty Lambic like Melbourne Bros. Strawberry Beer.
•  An okay last resort is the ever impersonal gift card. However, the way you present it can make it more unique than just shoving it into a card. Bury it in a jar filled with chocolates or make it part of a tiny gift bag with little bottles of rum.

I may have made far too many alcoholic suggestions, but last I checked I’ve never had to return a good bottle of tequila because it wasn’t in my size.