Secret Santa Generator
Draw names for your group in under a minute. One link, no signup, no email addresses — and not even you can see who got who.
One name per line. At least 3 people.
Keep people apart
Stop couples or siblings drawing each other. Works both ways.
Details optional
No signup. No email addresses needed.
How it works
- 1Add everyone's namesOne per line. Three people minimum — there's no upper limit worth worrying about.
- 2Set any rulesKeep couples apart, add a budget, and set the date you're exchanging gifts.
- 3Share one linkPaste it into the group chat. Everyone taps their own name and sees only their own match.
Why draw names online instead of from a hat
The hat has two problems. Somebody always draws their own name and has to redo it in front of everyone, and it only works if the whole group is in the same room at the same time — which, for most families and nearly every workplace, is no longer true.
Drawing online fixes both. Nobody can draw themselves because the matching runs before anyone opens anything, and the group can be spread across three time zones and still take part from a phone. Keep-apart rules also handle the thing a hat never could: making sure couples who live together don't end up buying for each other.
The one rule worth agreeing up front is the budget. Secret Santa goes wrong far more often from mismatched spending than from bad matching — one person turning up with a £60 gift when everyone else spent £15 makes the whole thing awkward. Set the number when you create the draw and everyone sees it on their reveal page.
Common questions
- Do we need to sign up or give email addresses?
- No. You enter names, get one link, and share it with your group. Nobody creates an account and no email addresses are collected — which is exactly why it takes about a minute.
- How does everyone find out who they got?
- You share a single link. Each person opens it, taps their own name, and sees who they're gifting. Once a name has been opened it locks, so two people can't take the same one.
- Can the organiser see who got who?
- No, and that's deliberate. The organiser page only shows who has opened their name, never the pairings. It means you can run the draw and still take part without spoiling your own surprise.
- Can I stop couples from drawing each other?
- Yes. Add a keep-apart rule for any two people and the draw will never pair them in either direction. Add as many rules as you need — you'll be told if they become impossible to satisfy.
- Can people add a wishlist?
- Yes. After opening their name, anyone can add a short wishlist, and whoever drew them will see it on their own reveal page. They can come back and update it any time.
- What if someone taps the wrong name?
- The organiser can reset that name from their organiser page, which frees it up for the right person to open. Nobody sees any pairings during the reset.
- How long does the draw stay available?
- Around five months, which covers a full gifting season. After that it's deleted automatically. Bookmark your link if you want to come back to it.
Secret Santa guides
- QuestionnaireA printable form so your Santa knows what to buy.
- Secret Santa RulesHow to play, budgets, timing and the variations worth knowing.
- Office Secret SantaBudgets, etiquette, inclusivity and what to buy a colleague you barely know.
- Secret Santa Gift IdeasIdeas by budget, plus the gifts that reliably disappoint.
- Virtual Secret SantaShipping deadlines, digital gifts, time zones and the video-call reveal.