Secret Santa

Secret Santa generator: draw names, send private links

Type the names, set a budget and press draw. Everyone gets their own private link, by WhatsApp, text or any chat, that shows only the one person they're buying for. No accounts, no email addresses, and not even you, the organiser, can see who drew whom.

Draw the names

No sign-up, no emails
Couples never draw each other
Even the organiser can't peek

1Your group

Group nameYour name (the organiser)

Shown on everyone's ticket. If you're taking part, add yourself to the list below too.

2Who's taking part?

No names yet. Paste a list or type them in.

Names: one per line, or separated by commas

0 people

Add a short questionnaireSize, favourite colour, what they love and what to avoid. The answers go on the ticket of whoever draws them.

3Budget, date and rules

Budget

Gift exchange dayOptional. Everyone can add it to their calendar from their ticket.

Couples who shouldn't draw each other

Optional. They'll never draw each other, in either direction.

and

No couples set.

Only you see this list. It's never shown to anyone and stays on this device.

Note or house rules0/400

Ticket style

One circleEveryone in a single loop (Anna → Ben → Chloe → … → Anna), so gifts can be handed over one after another.

4Draw the names

How it works

1
Name your group and add everyone who's taking part. You can paste a list straight from your group chat. If you're joining in, add yourself too.
2
Optional: mark couples who shouldn't draw each other, set a spending limit and the exchange day, and add each person's wishes or a quick questionnaire (size, favourite colour, things to avoid).
3
Press draw. The names are matched in your browser, and each person gets a short private link. The list you see shows names and links, never the pairs.
4
Send every link with one tap: WhatsApp, text, your phone's share sheet, or copy and paste. Tick people off as you go.
5
Each person opens their ticket, confirms it's really them, and sees who they're buying for, with that person's wishes, the budget and the date. You can check who has opened theirs, never what they saw.

Fair, and secret even from you

The draw runs in your browser with a cryptographic random number generator. Nobody draws themselves, couples you mark never draw each other, and every fair outcome is equally likely. If your rules make a fair draw impossible, for example too many couples in a small group, you'll be told before a single link is made.

Each ticket holds just one pair: whose ticket it is, and who they give to. Your list shows names and links, never results, so you can take part in your own draw without spoiling it. The couples list never leaves your device.

A ticket asks “Are you Anna?” before it reveals anything, so a link posted in the wrong chat doesn't give the game away, and link previews in WhatsApp or Slack never show a name. Names and wishes are deleted 30 days after the exchange day, and at the latest on January 31. Ticket pages carry no ads and no trackers.

Secret Santa rules that keep everyone happy

Agree on these before you draw. Paste them into the note on the tickets, or tap “Use the usual rules” and edit them.

One spending limit for everyone, and everyone sticks to it. In UK offices most people spend £5–£10; in the US, $20–$25 is a common limit; families often go a little higher.
Choose the exchange day before the draw, so it can go on every ticket and into everyone's calendar.
Keep it secret until the exchange: no hints in the group chat, no asking around.
Write the recipient's name on the tag, not yours. Revealing who had whom afterwards is optional; agree on it in advance.
Match the gift to the setting. At work, nothing too personal and nothing that could embarrass anyone.
Check the wishes and the questionnaire on your ticket first, especially allergies and things to avoid.
Odd numbers are fine: everyone gives one gift and receives one.

Secret Santa gift ideas by budget

Starting points that work for colleagues, friends and family. The wishes on the ticket always beat any list.

Up to $10 / £5–£10

A good hot chocolate or tea sampler
Warm socks or a pair of soft gloves
A small houseplant or succulent
A pocket notebook with a nice pen
Local honey, jam or chocolate

$20–$25 / £15–£20

A paperback by an author they love, with a note saying why
A two-player card game or a jigsaw puzzle
A scented candle or bath set (check the questionnaire first)
A reusable coffee cup or insulated bottle
A cookbook for their favourite cuisine

Up to $50 / £30–£40

Cinema, museum or workshop tickets
A cosy blanket or a good scarf
A plant in a handsome pot
A wireless charging stand
A small experience: a tasting, a climbing session or a class

Tips for every kind of group

Office and remote teams

Put the exchange day in the note. If your team is remote, ask people to post gifts to each other or send them to the office. Links work in any chat app, and nobody needs an email address.

Families with children

Make a link for each child and open it together, or send a child's link to a parent's phone. The questionnaire is handy for clothing sizes and favourite colours.

Big groups

Up to 50 people per draw. Paste the whole list from your group chat; repeated names are flagged, so you can add an initial and everyone can tell their link apart.

One gift circle

Turn on “One circle” for a single chain: Anna gives to Ben, Ben to Chloe, and so on back to Anna. On the day, each person hands over their gift in turn, and the next one follows.

Questions

Is this Secret Santa generator free?

Yes. Drawing names, the private links, and the wishes, budget and date on each ticket are all free. There's no sign-up and nobody needs an email address.

As the organiser, can I see who drew whom?

No, and that's on purpose. The names are matched in your browser, and each link reveals only its own pair to the person who opens it. Your list shows names, links and whether each ticket has been opened, never the result. That's also why you can take part in your own draw.

How do I stop couples drawing each other?

Add them under “Couples who shouldn't draw each other”. They'll never draw each other, in either direction. If you add so many couples that no fair draw exists, you'll see a message before anything is sent.

What if a link goes to the wrong person?

Every ticket first asks “Are you …?” and shows nothing until that person confirms. Anyone else is asked to close it and tell you. Link previews in chat apps never show a name.

Someone lost their link. What now?

Your list stays in the browser you used, so you can send the link again from there. Save the list as a .txt file as well, in case you change phones or clear your browser.

Someone dropped out after the draw. Can I redraw one person?

Not yet. The cleanest fix is a new draw with the updated list. Tell everyone that the new links replace the old ones.

How long are names and wishes kept?

Only for the season. Tickets are deleted 30 days after the exchange day you set, and at the latest on January 31. Ticket pages have no ads and no tracking.

Does it work with an odd number of people?

Yes. Everyone gives exactly one gift and receives exactly one, whether you're 3 people or 50.