Celebrity Christmas at School: What Famous Parents Have Shared, and Secret Santa Ideas for Kids

How do famous families do Christmas gifts?

Start with the most formal family of all. The British royal family open their presents on Christmas Eve at Sandringham, and the tradition is gag gifts, the sillier the better, as PEOPLE reported. In his 2023 memoir Spare, Prince Harry described a long table with white name cards and a mound of presents at each place, and recalled his great-aunt Princess Margaret giving him a biro with a tiny rubber fish wrapped around it. A fish pen. From a princess. If that is the bar, your child's Secret Santa gift is going to be fine.

Then there's the "one gift" school of thought. Mila Kunis told Entertainment Tonight in 2017 that she and Ashton Kutcher had asked their own parents to stop showering the children with piles of presents. "We're begging you, if you have to give her something, pick one gift," she said, according to PEOPLE. Otherwise, she said, they'd prefer a charitable donation.

What about Bollywood Christmas?

Closer home, Bollywood families share their own Christmas moments. In December 2025, Soha Ali Khan shared pictures from the family's Christmas preparations: Kareena Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan beside a big tree decorated with lights, bells and balloons, and a visiting Santa, as Hindustan Times reported. The children were in the photos too, but Soha covered their faces with red heart emojis.

We love that detail. Even on the most shared day of the year, a parent chose the celebration over the children's faces. It is a gentle reminder for the school party too: the moment matters more than the photo, and a child's name on a gift tag is plenty. No surname, no phone number.

A fish pen from a princess, one gift instead of a pile, a tree with the children's faces hidden behind hearts. Famous Christmases are smaller than we imagine.

What do you give in a school Secret Santa?

Borrow the spirit of all three families: small, personal, a bit of fun. The class budget is the rule, so don't go over it, even if you can. A child who receives a much bigger gift than the one they brought can feel awkward in front of friends.

A few things that work across ages:

• Something to use every day. A fun pencil, an eraser, a small notebook or a sticker sheet.
• Something to read. A thin Christmas picture book for the younger classes.
• Something silly. In the royal spirit, a funny pen or a joke eraser will make a seven-year-old laugh all day.
• Something to make. A colouring set or a small craft kit for the holidays.

We've rounded up full gift lists by age and budget in our Secret Santa gift ideas for kids, so we won't repeat them here.

How do I help my child wrap and label a Secret Santa gift?

Let them do it, even if the corners are wonky. Wrapping the gift is half the fun, and it's the part your child will remember. Use paper, not plastic, and a ribbon or a sticker instead of too much tape.

Then the label. At the party, thirty red parcels under one tree look exactly alike. Write the receiver's first name and class clearly on the tag, and "From your Secret Santa" if it's meant to be a surprise. A short message like "Happy holidays, hope you like it" is plenty.

Almost missed this Before you add a chocolate or a sweet to the gift, check with the class teacher about food allergies in the class. A two-line note saves a lot of worry on party day.

How we can help

December is busy enough without a midnight hunt for gift tags. If you'd like the Secret Santa parcel to look cared for, our stickers and labels include personalised gift tag stickers that seal paper wrapping without tape. Personalised items take 8 to 12 working days, so aim to order by the first week of December if you want them before the school party.