Workplace Kris Kringle policy template

One page, plain English, free to copy. Sets an upper and a lower spend limit, lets people opt out without explaining themselves, and is clear about what not to give.

Word version PDF version

No sign up, no email address, no attribution needed.

Why bother writing this down

Most Kris Kringles are fine. The ones that are not tend to go wrong in the same way: a gift meant as a joke reads as a comment about someone, and the organiser has nothing written down to point at.

One documented Australian example is from the Department of Finance in 2012, where an employee received fake animal droppings labelled as a reference to his work. He later resigned. After it was reported, the Australian Public Service Commissioner used a newsletter in 2015 to tell staff to be mindful about buying gifts on the assumption that everyone shares the same sense of humour.

There is also a straightforward reason to have something in writing. The Australian Human Rights Commission says work-related sexual harassment can happen at staff social functions, whether in the workplace or elsewhere, and that doing nothing or only responding to reports of sexual harassment is not enough. Most organisations also have a positive duty to take reasonable and proportionate steps, scaled to their size and resources. Sending a one-page note before the draw is our suggestion for how to do that cheaply, not something the Commission has said.

The one line worth keeping whatever else you change: say that your usual standards of behaviour apply at the event, and how far they extend. Your policies already apply at the function itself, because it is a work event. What tends to be argued about afterwards is everything that happens once the official part ends.

The template

Replace anything in [brackets]

Template, edit before use

Kris Kringle guidelines

Organisation:
[your organisation]
Applies to:
[everyone at the [site or team] Christmas gathering]
Organiser:
[name, contact]
Dates:
names drawn [date], gifts exchanged [date]

1. Taking part is optional

Nobody has to join in. You do not need to give a reason, and you will not be asked for one. Tell the organiser by [date] and that is the end of it.

Your decision will not be shared with anyone else, and it will not affect anything at work.

Not everyone marks Christmas, and money is tighter for some people than others. Both are perfectly good reasons and neither is anyone else’s business.

If you would rather join in without spending anything, [describe your alternative, for example a shared morning tea or a handwritten card].

2. What to spend

Spend between [$10] and [$30]. There is a lower limit as well as an upper one, so nobody feels shown up by a much more expensive gift.

Please do not go over the limit to be generous. It puts pressure on everyone else.

3. Drawing names

Names are drawn at random and only you will know who you have. The organiser does not see the full list either, so they can take part properly.

If there is someone you cannot buy for, tell the organiser before the draw and they will set it up so you are not matched.

4. What makes a good gift

  • Something the person could actually use, eat or drink
  • Something that would be fine to open in front of the whole team
  • Something that would be fine if their family saw it that evening

If you are not sure, that hesitation is usually the answer.

5. What is not on

The same standards of behaviour that apply at work apply here. In particular, do not give:

  • Anything sexual, or anything that is a joke about sex
  • Anything about somebody’s body, weight, age, or how they look
  • Anything that plays on someone’s gender, sexuality, race, religion or disability
  • Anything aimed at how someone does their job, however lightly it is meant
  • Anything you would not put your own name to

A gift that is meant kindly can still land badly. What matters is not just what you meant, but how it lands.

6. Alcohol

Please do not give alcohol. Some people do not drink, for reasons they may not want to explain, and some are under 18. A gift nobody has to decline is easier for everyone.

7. If something goes wrong

If a gift makes you uncomfortable, or you see one that makes someone else uncomfortable, speak to [name, role] or [alternative contact]. You can raise it privately and you will be taken seriously.

You do not have to have been the target of it to say something.

Download the Word version PDF

Before you send it

This is a plain-language template, not legal advice, and we are not lawyers. Check it against your own conduct, bullying and harassment policies before it goes out, and have someone qualified look at it if you are unsure. Requirements differ between states, and some of this area is still changing.

We have deliberately kept the legal reasoning out of the template itself. It is written to be handed to a team, not to be argued over, so it sets expectations in plain words and leaves the rest to your own policies.

Common questions

Is this policy template free to use?
Yes. Download it, change it, put your own logo on it and send it to your team. There is no sign up, no email required and no attribution needed.
Can we make Kris Kringle compulsory at work?
It is far safer not to. Requiring people to take part can disadvantage those who do not celebrate Christmas, and it puts anyone who cannot spare the money in an awkward position. There is no real upside to compelling it. Make it optional, offer no-cost alternatives, and the question does not arise.
What should the spend limit be?
Most of the workplace policies we see set something between $10 and $30. There is no rule and no legal figure. Setting a lower limit as well as an upper one is the part people forget, and it stops anyone being embarrassed by a much more expensive gift.
Does the $300 tax threshold apply to Secret Santa?
Usually not. The $300 figure is the fringe benefits tax minor benefits threshold. It is a two-part test rather than a simple cap, and it generally only arises where the employer is providing or paying for the gifts. In a normal Kris Kringle where staff buy for each other out of their own pockets, it does not come into play at all. Check with your accountant if your organisation is paying.
Do our workplace policies apply at the Christmas party?
They apply at the function itself, because it is a work event. The harder question is what happens after it finishes. In a well known Fair Work Commission unfair dismissal case about a work Christmas party, the Commission would not treat conduct at an unofficial gathering afterwards as a valid reason for dismissal. It noted the employer’s policies said nothing about applying to that sort of gathering, and that no such expectation had been communicated to staff. The practical step is to say in writing, beforehand, what standards apply and how far they extend.
Why does a gift exchange need a policy at all?
The Australian Human Rights Commission says work-related sexual harassment can happen at staff social functions, whether in the workplace or elsewhere, and that doing nothing or only responding to reports is not enough. Most organisations also have a positive duty to take reasonable and proportionate steps, with what is expected depending on their size and resources. A short written note before the draw is our suggestion for a low-effort step, not something the Commission has said anything about.

Now draw the names

Our free generator keeps couples apart, sets the spend limit, and tells each person privately so you can take part too. No account needed.

Open the free name drawer

Related reading

Writing about workplace gifting? This template is free to quote and link to.