Secret Santa generator
Add the names, draw the pairs and send each person a private link that reveals only their own match. It handles 3 to 200 people and suits any gift exchange, not only Christmas.
Who should not draw whom (optional)
One group per line, names separated by commas. People on the same line never draw each other, which is handy for couples or families.
Gift details (optional)
Paste each link into a private chat with that person. In a group chat everyone could open everyone's link.
Show all pairs (organizer only)
You are the Secret Santa for
Your match is stored only in this link. It is not sent to any server.
How to use it
- Type the names under "People taking part (one per line)". Commas and semicolons also separate names, and a draw needs 3 to 200 people.
- If some people should not draw each other, open "Who should not draw whom (optional)" and write one group per line, with the names separated by commas, such as "Anna, Ben". Under "Gift details (optional)" you can add a "Budget", an "Exchange date" and a "Note for everyone".
- Under "How people see their match", choose "A private link each" or "One phone, passed around", then click "Draw names".
- With private links, click "Copy link" next to each name (or "Share" on phones that offer it) and send it in a private chat. "Copy all links" gives you a "Name: link" list for sending them one by one.
- With one phone, pass it around. Each person taps their own name, confirms it is them, reads their match and taps "Hide and pass on".
What it does
A private link for each person
Every name gets its own link. It opens a card that greets the person by name and shows their match after a tap, along with the budget, date and note if you set them.
One phone, passed around
For a group in one room, every name becomes a button. Each person taps their name, confirms it is them and reads their match, and names that have been seen get marked.
Couples and families kept apart
People on the same exclusion line never draw each other, in either direction. It suits couples, families and people who live together.
No simple gift swaps
The tool first tries to build one closed gift chain, so that no two people just swap gifts with each other. If your exclusions make that impossible, it makes any valid draw instead.
Event, budget, date and note
Name the event (left empty, it becomes "Secret Santa" plus the year), then add a budget as free text, an exchange date and a note of up to 200 characters. All of it appears on each person's card.
Tools for the organizer
A "sent" mark shows who already has a link, and "Copy all links" gathers every link in one list. Your last draw stays on this device, so you can come back later and send links again.
Good to know
Secret Santa is a gift exchange in which everyone gives one present and receives one, and the giver stays secret until the exchange. The same game goes by other names, such as secret friend, and it suits office parties, classes and birthdays as much as Christmas. Every draw here follows the same rules: each person gives exactly one gift and receives exactly one, nobody draws themselves, and excluded pairs never draw each other. If the rules leave no valid draw, the tool says so. The shuffle uses your browser's cryptographic random number generator, so the pairs cannot be predicted.
A little planning makes the exchange smoother. Agree the budget and date first, then enter them so they appear on every card, and put couples or housemates on a single exclusion line. Draw once the list is final, because adding or removing a name afterwards means drawing again. Then send each link privately and watch the "sent" marks until everyone has theirs. The page is free because the site shows ads, and it needs no sign-up.
Questions and answers
Is the draw private?
Each match travels inside its own link, after the "#" sign, and browsers do not send that part of an address to any server. No email addresses, accounts or apps are needed. The organizer's last draw, with names and pairs, is kept only in that browser's storage on that device.
How do I stop partners or family members drawing each other?
Open "Who should not draw whom (optional)" and write one group per line, with the names separated by commas. People on the same line never draw each other, in either direction. The names must match the list of people.
What if two people have the same name?
The same name twice is refused, and letters are compared without case, so "ann" and "Ann" count as one name. Give each person something that tells them apart, such as an initial, and draw again.
Can the organizer avoid seeing who got whom?
The list of pairs is folded away under "Show all pairs (organizer only)", and you see it only if you open it. Anyone who opens a link sees that link's match, so open only your own link if you want to keep your surprise.
What happens when I click Draw again?
You get new pairs, and links sent before no longer match, so send the new ones. If you only need to resend a link, your last draw is still saved on this device.
What are the limits of the tool?
A link cannot be taken back once it is sent, and whoever has it can read that match, so send links privately and not in a group chat. The tool sends no emails or reminders and has no wish lists.