The fastest way to run a Secret Santa
A Secret Santa (also called a Kris Kringle or a gift exchange) is a game where everyone in a group is secretly assigned one other person to buy a gift for. Each person gives one gift and receives one gift, usually within an agreed budget, and the fun is that nobody knows who drew them until the gifts are opened.
This generator does the drawing for you so no one has to write names on paper, and — unlike drawing from a hat — the organiser can join in without seeing anyone's match. Here's the whole flow:
- Type every participant's name, one per line.
- Add exclusions if some pairs shouldn't be matched — partners, siblings, or two people who always get each other. One pair per line.
- Optionally set an event name, budget and date so those details show up on each person's reveal page.
- Optionally add a gift hint after a colon on any name line (for example
Mia: loves tea & sci-fi books). Only the person who draws Mia sees Mia's hint on their reveal page — a light, spoiler-free wishlist so people buy something the recipient actually wants. - Press "Draw names." You get one private link per person.
- Send each person their own link — by text, DM, or email. When they open it, they see only who they are buying for.
Why nothing is stored
There's no account, no database, and no email step. Each person's assignment is encoded directly inside their reveal link, and the draw only ever exists in the links you copy. That means the tool can't leak your group's matches, but it also means you should keep the links until gift day — if someone loses theirs, just run the draw again and resend everyone's new links.
Handling couples and exclusions
The most common request is "make sure my partner and I don't get each other." Add a line like Alex, Sam in the exclusions box and the draw will never match those two in either direction. You can add as many exclusion lines as you like — for two couples, that's just two lines. If your exclusions get so tight that no valid draw is possible, the tool will tell you instead of silently giving up.
Quick group-size guide
| Group size | Works well? | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 3–5 | Yes | Great for small families and teams. Heavy exclusions can be impossible at this size (e.g. 3 people who all exclude each other). |
| 6–20 | Ideal | The classic office / friend-group range. Plenty of room for a couple of exclusions. |
| 20–100+ | Yes | Works fine; just send the links in batches so you don't lose track. |
Frequently asked questions
Is this really free, with no sign-up?
Yes. There's no account, no email required, and no ads gate. Type names, draw, and share the links.
Can the organiser be in the draw?
Yes — that's the main advantage over a paper draw. Your own reveal link hides your match just like everyone else's, so you can take part fairly. Just don't peek at other people's links.
Will anyone get themselves?
Never. The draw guarantees everyone is assigned someone else, and it respects every exclusion pair you add.
Can people add a gift wishlist?
Yes — add a short hint after a colon on a name line, like Mia: loves tea & sci-fi books. That hint is hidden inside Mia's giver's reveal link only, so it stays spoiler-free but helps their Santa pick something they'll love. It's completely optional.
Do the links expire?
No — because nothing is stored server-side, a reveal link keeps working as long as this site is online. Keep them until gift day.
Can two people accidentally buy for the same person?
No. Every draw is a proper one-to-one assignment: each person gives to exactly one person and receives from exactly one person.
What if someone loses their link?
Just run the draw again and send everyone the fresh links. Since matches are random each time, re-drawing is the simplest fix.