How does Secret Santa work?

Each participant is randomly assigned someone else to give a gift to. Nobody knows who has them, making the gift exchange a surprise!

Exclusions prevent certain people from being assigned each other. For example, you can prevent partners from gifting each other.

Can I print the assignments?

Yes! After generating, you can print individual slips to hand out to each participant privately.

What if it says it can’t generate assignments?

That usually means there are too many exclusions for the group size. Remove a few exclusions or add more participants, then try again.

Do I need an account?

No. This tool runs without sign-up. Names are used to generate assignments in your browser so you can run a quick gift exchange.

Secret Santa Generator (Name Draw + Exclusions)

How to Use

Add all participants, optionally set exclusions to prevent certain pairings, then generate. Each person can reveal their assignment privately by clicking their name.

How Exclusions Work

Exclusions are optional “don’t match these two people” rules. Common examples:

Partners/spouses shouldn’t draw each other.
Roommates shouldn’t draw each other.
Manager/direct report pairings should be avoided.

If you add too many exclusions in a small group, a valid draw may not exist. When that happens, remove a few exclusions and try again.

Make Your Gift Exchange Smooth

Set a budget: e.g., $10–$25 keeps it fair.
Set a deadline: choose the exchange date before you generate.
Add wishlists: optional, but it reduces awkward gifts.
Keep it secret: have each person click their own name to reveal privately.

Try These Next

Gift Idea Generator if you need quick gift inspiration.
Thank You Message Generator for a thoughtful note after the exchange.
Party Theme Generator to turn Secret Santa into a full holiday party.

Privacy & Trust

This tool is designed for quick, low-friction exchanges—no sign-up required. For details on cookies and analytics, see our Privacy Policy.

FAQs

How does Secret Santa work?: Each participant is randomly assigned someone else to give a gift to. Nobody knows who has them, making the gift exchange a surprise!
What are exclusions?: Exclusions prevent certain people from being assigned each other. For example, you can prevent partners from gifting each other.
Can I print the assignments?: Yes! After generating, you can print individual slips to hand out to each participant privately.
What if it says it can’t generate assignments?: That usually means there are too many exclusions for the group size. Remove a few exclusions or add more participants, then try again.
Do I need an account?: No. This tool runs without sign-up. Names are used to generate assignments in your browser so you can run a quick gift exchange.

Organize Your Secret Santa!