How does Secret Santa work?

The short version

Secret Santa is a group gift swap with the names hidden.

1. Agree a budget. One number everyone can afford.
2. Draw one name each. Your name is the only one you see.
3. Buy one gift. For your person only, inside the budget.
4. Swap on the day. Wrapped, labeled with their name, never yours.

That is the whole game. The secret is the fun part.

The rules most groups use

At least three people. Two is just a trade.

No one draws their own name. If it happens, draw again.

Label the gift with their name only.

Stay secret until the swap. Guessing is half the party.

Run it with this site

The draw runs in your browser. Nothing is sent to a server.

1. Name your group. Pick a gift budget.
2. Add every name. Add what each person likes.
3. Mark pairs to keep apart. Only if some must not draw each other.
4. Tap Draw the names. Each person gets one private link.
5. Send each link to its person only. The link shows just their match.

Each person also gets six gift ideas that fit the budget.

How the online draw works

Ways groups change the rules

Keep some pairs apart. Couples and close family often sit the draw out for each other. Mark the pairs before you draw.

Add someone late. Draw the whole group again and the seal stays whole. Or a volunteer gives up their match, and the site names the price out loud: the volunteer tells the organizer their match. Both ways, in full.

White elephant is a cousin, not the same game. There, gifts are swapped and stolen in the open. Secret Santa is one secret match, bought for one person.

Reveal games. End the swap with a guessing game. See all eight reveal games.

Common questions

How many people do we need?

At least three. Three is the smallest group that works.

Can the organizer peek at the matches?

No. The organizer screen shows names and links only.

Each match lives inside its private link.

What budget is normal?

Any one number the whole group can afford.

Most groups land between $10 and $30. Say the number before the draw.

What if someone forgets their person?

Their link still works. Links stay saved on the organizer device too.

The organizer can send the same link again.

Ready when you are

Start your draw