Secret Santa

Set up

Two to four weeks before the exchange, agree on three things: a spending limit, the date, and whether givers are revealed. Then draw names. Write every participant’s name on a slip, fold the slips into a bowl, and have each person draw one in private. Anyone who draws their own name puts it back and draws again.

For a group that cannot meet for the draw, one organizer who is not taking part can do it and tell each person their name privately.

How to play

1. Each person buys or makes one gift for the name they drew, within the spending limit.
2. Gifts are wrapped and labeled with the recipient’s name only. The giver does not sign the tag.
3. On the day, put all the gifts in one place.
4. Hand them out one at a time, or let people find their own.
5. Each person opens their gift in front of the group.
6. If you agreed to a reveal, the recipient guesses who gave it before the giver owns up.

Making it go smoothly

• Ask for a short wish list. Three ideas per person, collected by the organizer, save the people who drew someone they barely know.
• Set the budget low and make it firm. A modest limit keeps things fair and makes people more inventive.
• Keep a private record of the draw. If someone drops out, the organizer can fix the chain without redoing everything.
• Have one spare gift. A neutral extra present covers a forgotten gift or a last-minute guest.

Ways to change it

• Clue week: in an office or classroom, givers leave small anonymous notes or treats in the days before, each with a hint.
• Themed gifts: everything must be handmade, a book, something edible, or something for the desk.
• Guess the giver: after opening, each person gets one guess. A correct guess wins a small prize.
• Family version with children: adults draw for the children as well, so every child both gives and receives one present.
• Steal round: after all gifts are open, allow one round of swaps, as in White Elephant.

Who it suits, and who it doesn’t

Secret Santa suits any group that would otherwise buy for everyone: offices, classes, clubs and large families. It needs planning time, so it cannot be decided on the day. It works from about age six if an adult helps with shopping. Make taking part optional at work, and set the limit with the person on the tightest budget in mind.