How the Secret Santa generator works
- Add everyone's name, one per line.
- Add any exclusions, like "Sam can't draw Alex", or pair couples so partners don't draw each other.
- Optionally add a budget, exchange date and a short note.
- Press Draw names, then choose how people find out: private links, pass the phone, or printed cards.
Every person gives exactly one gift and receives exactly one, nobody draws themselves, and every exclusion is respected. The draw uses your browser's cryptographic random number generator, and every valid arrangement can come up. If your exclusions make a fair draw impossible, the tool names the people involved so you know which rule to relax. Matches are never shown on the organizer's screen, so you can take part in your own draw.
Running an office Secret Santa
Agree a clear spending limit and an exchange date before the holidays start, and keep gifts suitable for work. Private links are ideal for remote or hybrid teams: send each person their link by chat or email. Taking part should always be optional, and a short note in the event details is a good place to say so.
Running a family Secret Santa
Pair couples so partners, who usually buy for each other anyway, draw someone else. You can also add last year's pairings as exclusions so everyone gets someone new. At a family gathering, pass the phone around and let everyone spin the wheel. Printed cards work well for children and for relatives who don't use phones much.
Budget ideas by group type
- Colleagues: about $10–$25 keeps it fun without pressure.
- Friends: around $20–$40 is typical.
- Adult family: $25–$50, or less for a big family where everyone takes part.
- Kids and classrooms: $5–$10, or a homemade-gift rule.
Whatever you choose, put it in the budget box so it appears next to every match.
Your privacy
Everything happens in your browser. Names, exclusions and matches are never sent to a server. The participant list and rules are saved on this device so you can come back to them; the draw results are only saved if you tick Keep results on this device. A private link carries one match inside the link itself, scrambled so the name can't be read at a glance. That stops people peeking by accident, but it isn't encryption.
Frequently asked questions
Can the organizer take part?
Yes. Matches aren't displayed on the organizer's screen. Use private links or pass the phone, and only open your own link.
Why does it say the draw is impossible?
Some exclusions leave a group of people with too few possible matches, for example a couple in a group of three. The message names those people; remove or relax one of their rules and draw again.
Someone lost their link. What now?
If you ticked "Keep results on this device", reopen this page on the same device and copy their link again. Otherwise, redraw and send everyone new links.
Is the draw really random?
Yes. It uses crypto.getRandomValues, your browser's cryptographically secure random number generator, and every valid set of matches has an equal chance whenever the rules allow it.