Secret Santa generator
Who's in?
Add names, keep couples apart, draw. Everyone gets their own private link and unwraps their name on their phone. Nobody draws themselves and even you won't know who has whom.
How it works
Names drawn in three steps
Add names
Type and press Enter, or paste the whole list from your group chat. Add a budget, a date and any couples if you like.
Draw
One tap and everyone is matched. Nobody draws themselves and couples won't draw each other.
Send the links
Each person gets their own link via WhatsApp, iMessage, Signal or text. Opening it unwraps their name.
Why this one?
Secret Santa the way it should be: easy
Nobody has to sign up anywhere and nobody hands over their email address. All you need is first names and your group chat.
Free
Drawing names and sending links costs nothing. No ads, no small print.
No account
No password, no sign-up. Open the page, add names, done.
No app
Each draw opens in the browser on any phone. Even Grandma can join in.
No email addresses
You send the links yourself, the way you already message each other. Nobody ends up on a mailing list.
Keep couples apart
So partners, siblings or roommates don't draw each other. One way only works too.
For any group
Family, office, friends, club or roommates. From 3 to 50 people and you're in automatically.
Quick explainer
What is Secret Santa?
In Secret Santa, everyone secretly draws a name and buys a gift for exactly that person. There's usually a budget so nobody overspends. At the gift exchange, everyone unwraps their present and tries to guess who their Secret Santa was.
In Australia it's often called Kris Kringle. The classic way is pulling names out of a hat, which only works if everyone is in the same room and nobody picks their own name. For groups that can't meet, see online Secret Santa.
Gift swap after dinner, wrap it nicely!
Variations
More fun than one gift each
A classic draw is where it starts. If your group wants a bit more chaos, try one of these.
White Elephant
Also known as Yankee Swap. Everyone brings one wrapped gift, then people take turns picking a new one or stealing one that's already open. No draw needed.
Gift exchange dice game
All the gifts go in the middle and you roll the dice in turns. Depending on the rules, a six lets you take or swap a gift. Great for office parties, along with these Christmas party games.
Dice game rules →Secret Santa gift ideas
Got your name and no clue what to buy? Ideas for small budgets, for coworkers and for people who already have everything.
Secret Santa gift ideas →
Questions
Secret Santa generator FAQ
How does this Secret Santa generator work?
Add everyone's names and tap “Draw names”. Each person gets their own link, which you send via WhatsApp, iMessage, Signal or text. When they open it, they unwrap a little present and see who they're buying for. Or pick “Everyone signs up”: you send one link to your group and everyone adds their own name and wish. Once everyone's in, you draw the names.
Can everyone sign up themselves and add a wish list?
Yes. Pick “Everyone signs up” at the top. You get one sign-up link for your group. There, each person adds their name, their wish and, if they like, a “No thanks”. Only the person who draws them sees their wish. After the draw, everyone sees who they're buying for through their own link.
Is it really free?
Yes. Drawing names and sending the links is free. There's no account, no app and you don't need anyone's email address.
Can the organizer see who got whom?
No. You only see “Link for Anna”, “Link for Max” and so on, so the surprise stays a surprise for you too. One thing to know: the name sits inside the link itself, so whoever opens it sees it. Send each link only to the right person and don't open other people's links yourself. If everyone signs up, the organizer view shows only names, no wishes and no matches.
Can I keep couples from drawing each other?
Yes. In the “Exclusions” step, tap two names who shouldn't draw each other. It works both ways, or one way only if you prefer. If the draw can't work with all your exclusions, we'll tell you why.
Can I take part myself?
Yes, you're in automatically. Add your name at the top and you're part of the group. With “I'll add everyone”, you get your own draw like everyone else. If everyone signs up, you add your wish in the organizer view afterwards. Only want to draw names? Tap “I'm only drawing names, not taking part”.
Where are our names stored?
That depends on how you run it. With “I'll add everyone”, the draw happens right in your browser. The group is saved only on your device and each person's draw lives in their link after the #, a part of the address that's never sent to our server. With “Everyone signs up”, names, wishes and the draw are stored on our server in the EU. The group is deleted automatically 30 days after the gift exchange, or after 120 days if there's no date. The organizer never sees wishes or matches there.
What if someone loses their link?
With “I'll add everyone”, you'll find the group under “My Secret Santa groups” on the same device and can simply send the link again. If everyone signs up, each person gets a personal link when they join and should save it. If it's lost before the draw, remove the person in the organizer view and they can sign up again.
How many people can join?
At least 3. If you add everyone yourself, up to 50 people. If everyone signs up, up to 100. That works for family, friends, roommates and the whole office.
Still need a day for the holiday party? Create a group poll →