Secret Santa Generator

Drawing names from a hat only works when everyone is in the same room – and someone always pulls their own name. This Secret Santa generator does the draw for you online. Enter the names, add any pairs who shouldn't get each other, and every participant gets a private link. When they open it, they see only who they are buying for, plus the budget, date and any note you added. You don't need anyone's email address and nobody has to create an account, so it works for families, friend groups, classrooms and office gift exchanges, in person or remote.

After the draw, each person's match is packed into their own link. Nothing is stored on our server, which is why no sign-up or email address is needed. Send each link only to the person whose name is next to it.

Opening a link shows a short greeting first and asks the person to tap a reveal button, so the name doesn't flash up if someone is looking over their shoulder. People can keep their link and open it again any time before the exchange to check the name or the budget.

In family draws, partners usually buy for each other anyway, so most groups exclude them. Add one pair per line, for example "Anna, Ben". The exclusion works both ways: Anna won't get Ben and Ben won't get Anna.

You can add several pairs. If the exclusions make a fair draw impossible – for example in a very small group where everyone is excluded from almost everyone – the generator tells you, and you can remove one exclusion and draw again.

Agree on a budget before the draw and put it in the budget field so everyone sees the same number. Add the date and place of the exchange to the note.

If you're playing too, don't open the organizer view that lists all matches – just copy the links and send them. If someone loses their link, you can find it in the list you copied, or simply redraw for everyone before anyone has bought a gift.

Popular twists include a theme (something handmade, a book, something under a fixed amount), a white elephant round after the reveal, or a wish list: ask everyone to add one or two gift ideas to the group chat before the draw. For office parties, keep the budget modest and gifts work-appropriate.