How to organize a Secret Santa that everyone enjoys
A Secret Santa works when three things are clear from the start: who is in, how much to spend, and when the gifts change hands. Enter those in the form above and the draw is done in a minute. The rest of this page covers the choices that make the difference between a pleasant exchange and an awkward one.
Pick a budget people are comfortable with
Set the budget for the person with the least to spend, not the most. A small budget with thoughtful gifts beats a large one that leaves someone stretching. If you are unsure, ask two or three people privately before you create the group. Everyone sees the budget on their own page, so nobody has to guess.
Use exclusions sparingly
Exclusions stop two people from drawing each other. They are meant for couples, for people who already exchange gifts, and for the occasional pair who should not be matched. Each exclusion narrows the draw, so add only the ones you need. If the exclusions make a draw impossible, the form tells you who has no one left and you can remove one.
"No mutual pairs" is on by default. It prevents two people from drawing each other, which keeps the exchange from splitting into closed pairs.
Ask for wishlists early
The most useful thing a participant can do is fill in a wishlist. It takes a minute on their private page, and the person who drew them sees it straight away, along with gift ideas that match the budget. Send a friendly nudge a few days after the draw; people who skipped it the first time usually fill it in then.
Links or email, whichever suits your group
Every participant gets a private link. Share it however your group already talks: a chat message, a text, in person. If you add email addresses, we send the links for you and a single reminder five days before the event. Either way, nobody needs an account.
What you can and cannot see
As the organizer you see who has opened their link, so you know whom to remind. You never see who drew whom. That is deliberate: organizers usually take part, and the surprise should be yours too. Until the first person opens their link you can draw again; after that the pairs are fixed.
What happens to the data
Names, wishlists and email addresses are used only to run your exchange. Everything is deleted automatically 30 days after the event date, and you can delete the group yourself at any time from your organizer page.