Secret Santa Rules: How to Organise a Secret Santa
Secret Santa doesn't have official rules the way football does, but most groups land on roughly the same setup. Here's how it works, and how to run one without it turning into a whole ordeal.
What is Secret Santa?
Everyone taking part is randomly paired with one other person to buy a gift for. Nobody knows who's got them until the gifts are opened, which is the whole point. It works for families, workplaces, friend groups, pretty much anyone who wants to swap gifts without everyone buying for everyone.
Choosing who takes part
Anyone willing to join in and spend a bit on a gift. You'll want at least three people for the draw to make sense (fewer than that, and it's a bit obvious who's got who). Beyond that, there's no upper limit beyond what your budget and patience allow.
Setting a budget
Agree a figure before anyone starts shopping. It's the single biggest source of Secret Santa awkwardness when people don't. Some groups go for a strict limit, others prefer "around" a figure so nobody's stressing over being 50p over. Either works, just agree it up front and make sure everyone actually knows what it is.
Drawing names
Traditionally this means names in a hat. These days it's usually done online, mostly so nobody can "accidentally" see who they've drawn, and so you don't need everyone in the same room at once. Whatever method you use, the important bit is that the result stays genuinely secret, including from whoever ran the draw.
Using exclusions
Exclusions stop certain people being matched with each other, couples who already buy for one another, siblings, or anyone else where the pairing would be a bit pointless. Set these before you draw, not after.
Picking a good gift
Stick to the budget, and think about the person rather than grabbing the first thing that fits the price. A thoughtful £10 gift beats a lazy £20 one most years.
Arranging the exchange
Pick a date everyone can make, whether that's a work do, a family get-together, or just everyone turning up with a wrapped gift on the day. If some of the group's remote, gifts can be posted instead, just build in enough time for delivery.
Common mistakes to avoid
No agreed budget. No exclusions for the one couple who obviously needed one. Someone running the draw manually and accidentally seeing a pairing. Leaving it so late that gifts don't arrive in time. All avoidable with a bit of planning up front.
Running yours online
Super Simple Secret Santa handles the bits above for you: add everyone taking part, set an optional budget (an amount, a currency, and how strict you want it to be, anywhere from a rough guide to an exact figure), add any exclusions, then draw. Everyone gets their match by email, and nobody, including you, can see the pairings again once it's drawn.