About Secret Santa

This site helps groups run a gift exchange without the spreadsheet, the hat, or the one person who knows who drew whom.

What it does

An organizer creates an exchange, sets the rules (budget, favourite stores, a theme, the date), and shares one link, QR code or short pass code. People sign up themselves and confirm their email address. When the organizer closes sign-up, the site draws names at random and emails each person who they're buying for.

Built so the secret stays secret

• The organizer can see who has signed up and whether each email was delivered, but never who drew whom.
• Nobody creates an account or a password. Everyone gets a private link that only they hold.
• Every guest is asked whether they want to take part, and is only included in the draw if they say yes. They can opt out until names are drawn.
• Organizers can delete an exchange, and everyone in it, with one button, and old exchanges are cleared automatically after the event.

The details are in the privacy page.

What it doesn't do

It assigns a secret recipient to each person, which is how Secret Santa and Kris Kringle work. It doesn't run a White Elephant game, where there are no assigned recipients. Our White Elephant guide explains how to run one by hand, and how to choose between the two.

Guides

We also publish practical guides on rules, budgets, office and remote exchanges, themes and etiquette, written to be useful whether or not you ever use this site.

Who runs it

Secret Santa is run by the team behind it. Questions, feedback or a problem with an exchange? Please get in touch.