Workplaces urged to ditch the Christmas gifts, as nearly two thirds of workers admit they don’t like secret santa
Jukebox Marketing has released its latest wellness report ahead of Christmas 2025, revealing employee attitudes toward Secret Santa gifts, booze in the office, socialising with coworkers and festive romance.
As December rolls in, so does the workplace ritual of secret Santa, the £5 or £10 gift challenge that somehow causes more stress than it’s worth. The new wellness report, by Jukebox Marketing, found that 60 per cent of Brits dislike this yearly ritual leading this anti Secret Santa pack are workers aged 55 plus, with a massive 72 per cent wanting out. But the younger generation, Gen Z (18-27) appeared more enthusiastic, with 51 per cent ready to gift, giggle, and get involved.
The report also reveals clear employee preferences when it comes to festive rewards. While some businesses might offer their staff a Christmas social this year, the report found a large percentage of Brits (78 per cent) would prefer a financial reward over a work party or gift. More specifically, Gen X (44-59) scored highest with 82 per cent preferring a financial incentive, perhaps due to this age group being the most likely to be providing for a family or due to the financial pressures.
On top of this, half of employees (50 per cent) would rather not socialise with coworkers during the Christmas season, a trend driven by the 55 plus group, where 60 per cent say they are not fans of work socials at Christmas. Gen Z stands out again with 57 per cent happy to join in a seasonal celebration with coworkers.
With office Christmas parties a festive staple – and alcohol often at the centre -Jukebox was curious about drinking at work events. Nearly half of employees (48 per cent) agreed that alcohol is a standard feature of their workplace celebrations. The 18-34 age group led the way, with 53 per cent in agreement, while Gen X was only slightly behind at 46 per cent, showing that festive sips are enjoyed by everyone.
Regionally, the results get even more interesting. Cardiff ranked the highest, with 68 per cent of workers appearing to enjoy alcohol at workplace events. Meanwhile, Norwich is keeping it modest, with only 27 per cent saying the same.
Other cities include: London 48% – Brighton 59% – Nottingham 49% – Leeds 45% – Edinburgh 54%
The festive season seems to spark romance all around. Among Gen X workers, 18 per cent have been caught under the mistletoe during workplace festivities. Meanwhile, 23 per cent of Gen Z workers have also been involved in office romance with a kiss.
Stephen Jury, Managing Director at Jukebox.Marketing, says the report offers valuable insight for business owners looking to create celebrations that genuinely support their staff during the festive season.
“As a business owner, it can be hard to know what staff will genuinely appreciate at Christmas. What our report makes clear is that many employees are feeling the financial strain and would value a financial reward over a traditional office party. At the same time, a significant number don’t simply want to socialise with colleagues, which could be because they’d rather spend their limited time with family.
“All of the above suggest the usual approach to festive celebration may no longer fit. This year is the perfect time to simply ask your staff what they want, so you can give them something they genuinely appreciate.”
The report also revealed that the strain of the season extends beyond the workplace. As 41 per cent of people feel as though they don’t get enough time with their families over the festive season. In terms of finance, 34 per cent of Brits find it hard to manage their finances during the Christmas period, a challenge likely intensified by rising living costs.
You can read the full Jukebox report for Christmas by Clicking Here
Jukebox Marketing is a marketing communication agency based in Buckinghamshire. They specialise in running PR campaigns for online consumer businesses across property, automotive and finance sectors. Launched by experienced marketer Stephen Jury (ex Emoov, Motors.co.uk and Plentific) in 2018, they have had clients including John Lewis, MyBuilder, Gymbox, AnyVan, ChooseMyCar and many more.
Research conducted by Opinium for Jukebox Marketing via survey of 2,000 people. Data used for Opinium is an award-winning strategic insight agency and has one of the biggest and most reputable survey panels in the UK.
