Anxious millennials fear being called 'stingy' secret santas

A leading psychologist has called on employers to implement strict spending limits for Secret Santa . Ashley Weinberg, a psychology lecturer at the University of Salford , said offices should bring in spending limits for the ritual, which sees gifts exchanged anonymously between colleagues.

The academic explained that the game has become an increasing source of anxiety for young people who fear they will be labelled “stingy” by their colleagues.

Weinberg’s remarks follow a survey that found more than a third of millennials (35%) wanted to see the festive tradition banned for good. The study, commissioned by Jobsite, showed that young office workers (26%) typically give more than they can afford on presents for co-workers, while some (17%) feel judged on the level of their expenditure.

“The spirit of giving is something we’d hope can be expressed in many ways and it’s worth remembering that where this involves financial contributions, not all colleagues have the same disposable income,” Weinberg said.

“This can mean that an individual’s contribution or lack of one is labelled ‘stingy’ where actually they may not be in a position to contribute. Clearly this is unfair and creates stigma,” she said.

Weinberg added that millennials are more likely to react sensitively to criticism of their gifts, with social media partly to blame. “I think organisations can play a role in just saying look, here are some healthy parameters, don’t feel you have to be giving X amount – maybe you don’t have to give at all,” Weinberg said.

According to the Jobsite survey, the financial strain of contributing to activities such as Secret Santa can be so severe that 26% of younger workers have either dipped into their savings or gone into their overdraft to contribute. However, despite the financial and emotional pressures, the majority (61%) of UK office workers think that games like Secret Santa are good for morale.

“A budget range can be agreed from the offset to avoid awkwardness,” said Alexandra Sydney , marketing director at Jobsite.