Using the draw
Click Create your party!, give your party a name, add a budget and date if you like, then enter everyone's names. Press Draw names and you'll get one private link per person to send out. That's it. Our step-by-step guide covers the planning side.
At least 3. Two people could only ever draw each other, which isn't much of a secret. There's no hard upper limit, and groups of 50 or more work fine. For very large groups, consider splitting into teams or departments so the gifts feel more personal.
Never. The draw guarantees that every person gives exactly one gift, receives exactly one gift, and is never matched with themselves.
Exclusions are pairs of people who shouldn't draw each other, such as partners who'd buy for each other anyway, or two people who were matched last year. An exclusion works in both directions. If you add so many exclusions that no valid draw exists, we'll tell you so you can loosen them.
An optional short note for each participant, such as “loves tea, size M, no more mugs please!” It's shown only to the person who draws them, right under their name on the reveal page. Ask your group for their hints before you run the draw.
Before you close the window, click Edit & redraw to adjust names or settings and draw again. A redraw creates brand-new links, so make sure you only send out the final set. After you close the window the results are gone, because we never store them.
Reveal links
Every participant gets their own link. Opening it shows a short greeting and a present to tap, which then reveals the name they're buying for, plus the budget, date, wishlist hints and your message.
Use Copy link and paste it into any chat app or text message, or, if you entered an email address, click Email to open a ready-written message in your own email program. The email is sent from your account, not ours.
Yes. The results screen only shows whose link is whose, never who they drew. As long as you don't open anyone else's link, your own match is as much a surprise as everyone else's. If you want to be completely hands-off, ask someone outside the group to run the draw.
Because we don't store anything, we can't resend it. Ask the person to search their email or chat history for it. If it's truly gone, the organizer will need to redraw and send everyone new links.
The link was probably cut off while being copied. Some apps break long links across lines. Ask the organizer to send it again, ideally using the Copy link button.
Privacy & cost
Yes. No paid plans, no hidden fees and no account.
No. The draw runs on your device. Each person's match is encoded inside the part of their link after the
#, which browsers don't send to the server. Read our privacy policy for the details.No cookies and no tracking. See our cookie policy.
About Secret Santa
A gift exchange where each participant is randomly assigned one other person to buy for. Givers stay anonymous until the exchange, and sometimes forever.
Between €15 and €30 suits most groups. Offices often go lower (€10–20) so nobody feels pressured. Families sometimes go higher. What matters most is that everyone agrees. Browse gift ideas by budget for inspiration.
Essentially, yes. It's the name used in places like Australia and Ireland. Read more on our Kris Kringle page.
In White Elephant, nobody draws names. Everyone brings one gift, and players take turns unwrapping or stealing. See our White Elephant rules.
Ready to draw names?
Set up your Secret Santa in a couple of minutes. Free, and no account needed.
Create your party!