Free · No sign-up · Nothing stored
Secret Santa Generator
Drawn in seconds, kept secret till the day.
Add everyone in the group, set who can’t draw whom, and seal the draw. Each person opens only their own envelope, so the surprise stays a surprise.
- 3–100
- people per draw
- 0
- self-matches, ever
- 1 click
- to redraw
The draw · Not drawn yet
Sealed envelopes
Pass the screen around, or send each person their private link. Open an envelope only when it’s yours.
Add at least 3 names and press Draw names. Envelopes appear here.
How it works
Three steps to a fair name draw
- 01
Add your group
Type names one at a time, or paste a whole list from a spreadsheet or chat. You only need first names, no email addresses.
- 02
Set the rules
Block couples, housemates or last year’s pairs. Add the budget and exchange date so every slip includes them.
- 03
Draw and reveal
Press draw, then open envelopes on one screen, print fold-over slips, or send each person a private link.
Why use this generator
A Secret Santa organizer with no email and no sign-up
Most gift exchange sites ask for everyone’s email before you can draw names. This one doesn’t. Your list stays in your browser, and each person can still see their match privately.
Exclusion rules
Keep partners, siblings or last year’s pairs from drawing each other.
No self-matches
Every person gives one gift and receives one gift. Nobody draws their own name.
Private reveal
Sealed envelopes and one-person links keep each match hidden, even from the organizer.
Budget and date included
The spending limit and exchange day travel with every assignment, so nobody has to ask twice.
Works on any device
Run the draw on a phone at the dinner table or a laptop in a team meeting.
Free, no sign-up
No accounts, no emails collected, no app to install. Names never leave your browser.
Made for every group
Secret Santa for work, family and friends
Office Secret Santa
Set a modest budget, add the whole team, and send private links over Slack or email. Exclude managers and their direct reports if your team prefers.
Family Christmas
One gift each instead of gifts for everyone. Block couples and households so presents cross family branches.
Friends’ gift swap
Draw at the party itself and pass the phone around. Everyone opens only their own envelope.
Remote and hybrid teams
A virtual Secret Santa needs no meeting. Share links, ship gifts to each other, and unwrap together on a video call.
Classrooms
Teachers can run the draw on the classroom screen and hand out names one by one, with a small, fair budget for everyone.
Clubs and communities
Book clubs, sports teams and online groups can draw in one place and keep the matches hidden until exchange day.
Plan ahead
A simple Secret Santa timeline
New to organizing? Read the full guide on how to do Secret Santa, or start with what Secret Santa is.
- 4 weeks before
Invite the group
Ask who’s in, agree on a budget and pick the exchange date.
- 3 weeks before
Draw names
Add everyone here, set exclusions, and send each person their private link.
- 2 weeks before
Share wish lists
Encourage a few gift ideas, sizes or hobbies so givers aren’t guessing.
- Exchange day
Unwrap and reveal
Open gifts together, then guess who your Secret Santa was.
Stuck on what to buy?
Secret Santa gift ideas by budget
Under $10
- Hot chocolate or tea sampler
- Fun socks
- Pocket notebook and nice pen
- Scented candle
- Desk plant or succulent
$10 – $25
- Card or party game
- Cozy throw blanket
- Insulated travel mug
- Jigsaw puzzle
- Local coffee beans
$25 – $50
- Wireless phone charger
- Cookbook with a spice set
- Board game
- Bluetooth speaker
- Gift card to a favorite shop
Gifts that aren’t things
- Movie or concert tickets
- A class or workshop
- Streaming or app subscription
- Donation in their name
- Homemade baked goods
Secret Santa rules and etiquette
Agree on these before you draw names and the exchange runs itself.
-
Keep it secret
Don’t tell anyone who you drew until the reveal.
-
Stick to the budget
Going far over can make others feel awkward.
-
Respect the deadline
Ship early if gifts are being mailed.
-
Keep it inclusive
At work, skip gag gifts that could offend.
-
Share a wish list
A few hints help your Santa get it right.
-
Have a backup
The organizer keeps a spare gift in case someone drops out.
The online Secret Santa name picker that keeps it secret
Pulling names from a hat works when everyone is in the same room. Once the group is remote, or there are couples who shouldn’t match, it gets harder. This Secret Santa generator does the hat’s job and handles the awkward parts for you: nobody draws themselves, exclusions are always respected, and nobody, not even the organizer, sees the full list unless they choose to.
Use it as a Secret Santa list maker for the office, a gift exchange generator for family Christmas, or a quick virtual Secret Santa for friends in different cities. Need to pull a single name instead? Try draw names from a hat. Want better gifts? Have everyone make a Secret Santa wish list and send it to their Santa.
Secret Santa generator FAQ
Is the draw really random?
Yes. Names are shuffled in your browser using the Web Crypto random number generator, and the draw follows every rule you set. Press Redraw any time for a fresh result.
Do you store our names?
No. Everything happens on your device. Private links carry each person’s result inside the link itself, so there is no server copy of your draw.
What if the rules make a draw impossible?
You’ll see a message asking you to remove a rule or add a person. Nothing is drawn halfway.
Can I run it for a remote team?
Copy the private links and send each one by chat or email. Each link opens just one envelope.
How many people do I need?
At least three. With only two, each person would know exactly who drew them. The generator handles up to 100 names.
How do exclusions work?
An exclusion blocks two people in both directions: neither can draw the other. Add as many as you need, as long as a valid draw is still possible.
What’s a good Secret Santa budget?
Pick an amount everyone in the group is comfortable with. Offices often keep it small; close friends and families may go higher. The key is that everyone agrees before the draw.
Can I do Secret Santa without email addresses?
Yes. You only need names. Reveal on one shared screen, or send the private links through any messaging app.
Secret Santa vs. White Elephant: what’s the difference?
In Secret Santa you buy for one assigned person. In a White Elephant or Yankee Swap, everyone brings a gift to a shared pile and people pick or steal in turns.
Someone joined late. Do I have to redraw?
Adding a person after the draw needs a fresh draw so everyone stays matched. If links were already sent, redraw and send the new links.
Do I need a Secret Santa app?
No. This Secret Santa generator runs in any browser on phones, tablets and laptops, so nobody in your group has to download an app or create an account.
Is this the same as a gift exchange generator?
Yes. Mystery Santa, Sneaky Santa, Kris Kringle and Kris Kindle are all the same idea, so you can use this tool as a gift exchange name picker for any of them.
Secret Santa toolkit