How to survive your office Secret Santa this year

Best to avoid pranking your co-workers this Christmas. Photo / 123rf

Ever torn the wrapping off a Secret Santa present from a co-worker, only to be horrified by what's inside? You're not alone.

Secret Santa is meant to be a secret gift giving event just before Christmas, but it can at times be offensive and distressing.

Some employees have landed themselves in court of have had to face civil and administrative tribunals, all because they bought an insensitive gift for their colleague.

HR expert from the Deakin Business School, John Molineux, said people should only give co-workers gifts they would give their mother, so think hand soaps and chocolates.

There are many examples of Secret Santa going horribly wrong, with some gift recipients complaining about workplace bullying.

In one office, one worker gifted a colleague a bag of flour, but it was common knowledge the recipient had Coeliac Disease.

In a marketing agency, the director was given a copy of a book called Marketing for Dummies, implying the boss needed to improve at work.

A woman received a Ken doll that looked like her boss, which she found highly embarrassing.

A man was distressed during his work Secret Santa when he was given a foot care kit, as he thought it was a subtle hint about his feet and general cleanliness.

Don't be a Grinch. Rather don't participate in Secret Santa if you don't want to. Photo / File

A Muslim who didn't drink was given a carton of beer and an employee was given a crystal knick knack with a hole in the bottom - I'll leave that one to your imagination.

But one man had sleepless nights and even quit his job because of a Secret Santa present he received in 2012.

Ngoc Luan Ho Trieu was a public servant, working as an economic modeller for the Finance Department in Canberra.

He opened his Secret Santa present, which was a plastic reindeer that deposited chocolates from its rear end. A note attached said "Luan's Modelling Kit".

Ngoc was horrified and Wise Workplace reported he believed the present implied his work resembled animal poo.

Ngoc never found out who gave him the gift, despite trying to find out from colleagues.

There were rumours a boss had given it to him.

Wise Workplace reported just weeks after the Secret Santa, he quit his job because he was so distressed and was suffering through sleepless nights.

Last year the Australian Public Service responded to the Secret Santa gone wrong and put out a message to employees in a newsletter.

"In keeping with the spirit of happiness and goodwill, APS employees are reminded to exercise care and good judgment as some elements of the APS Code of Conduct apply to activities 'in connection with' APS employment," it said.

Employees were discouraged from pranking their colleagues.

Dr Molineux said people should only participate in Secret Santa if they wanted to and should never spend too much money.

"First of all, I would suggest keeping the whole process as simple as possible," Dr Molineux said.

"The price limit should be low - say, $5 or $10 - so there's less pressure on people and they don't feel obliged to buy an outrageously expensive gift.

"Also, make it very clear to the group that participation in the Secret Santa is completely optional and, just like in a Melbourne Cup sweep, people aren't required to join in if they don't want to."