At work and in the office
The classic office gift exchange: coworkers draw names, agree on a budget and swap presents at the holiday party.
Free, no sign-up and no participant emails
Secret Santa generator: draw names online in one minute
This Secret Santa name generator assigns everyone a person to buy for, and never assigns anyone to themselves. All it needs is a list of names. The draw runs here, and every participant gets a private link to open.
Step 1
0 participants
Enter one name per line or separate them with commas. You can paste the whole list at once.
Step 2
Exclusions (optional)
You need at least three participants to play.
How it works
How to organise Secret Santa in three steps
No sign-up, no participant emails. This Secret Santa website works like an ordinary randomizer: a list of names in, finished pairs out.
1
Add the names
Type the participants in or paste a ready list. If it repeats a name, the site offers to collapse it.
2
Mark exclusions
Say who should not draw whom, for example a couple or close relatives. The step is optional and can be skipped.
3
Hand out the links
The draw creates a separate link for everyone. Send them privately and each person sees who they buy for.
Who it is for
Secret Santa for friends, coworkers and family
In class and at school
A game for kids and teens: a class, a club or a student group. Names are assigned fairly, so nobody is left without a gift.
Among friends
In a big group, buying a gift for everyone gets expensive. The draw brings it down to one gift per person, with no repeats.
In the family
A family gift exchange under the tree, including when relatives live in different cities or countries.
The game works at a distance too. The link opens on any phone, and a gift can travel by post.
Rules of the game
How to play Secret Santa
What the game is
Secret Santa is a Christmas tradition of anonymous gift exchange in a group of people. Each participant buys for one person and keeps it secret until the presents are handed over. Instead of buying for everyone, each person gives one gift and receives one.
How many people you need
Three at least. With two the draw is pointless: both know the answer straight away. There is no upper limit, so a class or a whole department works from one list.
Agree on a budget first
A shared limit keeps the game comfortable. Common ranges are $20, $25 or $50. Say the number before the draw, together with the date of the exchange.
When to run the draw
Two or three weeks before the party is the easy window. There is still time to choose and order a gift. The exchange itself usually happens at the office party or on Christmas Eve.
Frequently asked
Secret Santa questions
Short answers about the rules, the draw and the private links.
What is Secret Santa?
Secret Santa is a Christmas tradition of anonymous gift exchange in a group. Each participant draws one name and buys a gift for that person only. Who gives to whom stays secret until the exchange.
How many people do you need for Secret Santa?
Secret Santa needs at least three participants. With two the draw is pointless: both know the answer straight away. There is no upper limit.
Do I need to sign up to draw names?
No, no account is needed. A Secret Santa draw here only needs the list of names. Neither the organiser nor the participants register.
Is there a Secret Santa generator with no email?
Yes, this one. This Secret Santa organizer never asks for participant emails and sends no messages. The organiser hands out the finished links personally, in any messenger.
How much does the Secret Santa generator cost?
The Secret Santa draw is free. There is no limit on the number of participants and no paid features.
How do participants find out who they buy for?
After the draw every participant gets a separate link. Opening theirs shows one name: the person they buy for. Other people's pairs cannot be read from a link.
What are exclusions in a Secret Santa draw?
An exclusion stops two people from drawing each other. It is normally used for couples, partners and close relatives who exchange gifts separately. The step is optional.
How do I run Secret Santa in the office or a classroom?
Secret Santa at work or at school runs the same way as at home. Add the names of coworkers or classmates and drop the links into the chat. No emails to collect, and the page opens on an ordinary phone.
What do people give for Secret Santa?
Secret Santa gift ideas stay small and inside the agreed budget: sweets, books, candles, warm socks, board games. Funny gifts are common, because the surprise matters more than the price.
How much should a Secret Santa gift cost?
Most groups settle on $20, $25 or $50 per gift. A shared limit keeps the game comfortable for everyone. Agree the amount before the draw.
When should you draw Secret Santa names?
Secret Santa names are usually drawn two or three weeks before the exchange. That leaves time to choose and order a gift. The exchange itself is often at the office party or on Christmas Eve.
Secret Santa and Kris Kringle: what is the difference?
There is no difference: they are two names for the same game. English speakers also call it Kris Kringle or a gift exchange, and a Ukrainian group would say Π’Π°ΡΠΌΠ½ΠΈΠΉ Π‘Π°Π½ΡΠ°.
Not only for Christmas
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