Secret Santa Generator
Organise your Secret Santa online in a few minutes, with a wish list for everyone who takes part. It works for friends, family or colleagues, and it's completely free.
- 100% free for everyone
- Add all participants in seconds
- Everyone gets notified by email
- Set a budget for the exchange
How it works
Add participants
All you need is everyone's name and email address.
Draw names
We draw the names at random and give everyone one person to buy for.
Everyone is notified
Each participant gets an email saying who they're buying for. Participants don't see anyone else's pick.
Great for
Learn more about organising a Secret Santa
What is Secret Santa?
Secret Santa is a festive gift exchange where everyone in a group secretly draws the name of one other person and buys a single gift for them. On the day of the exchange the gifts are handed over, and everyone can guess who picked whom. It's a popular tradition in offices, friend groups and families during the holidays because it keeps things simple, with one present each instead of a gift for everyone. With Happy Giftlist you can organise the whole thing online in a few minutes, without paper slips or a hat.
How do you organise a Secret Santa?
Start by adding each participant with their name and email address. Set a budget that works for everyone, and exclude any pairs who shouldn't be matched, for example couples or siblings who already buy for each other. Then start the draw. Happy Giftlist runs the name picker, gives everyone their secret recipient and emails each person their match privately. The organiser needs a free account; participants only need an email address to take part. The whole draw happens online and takes a few minutes.
What's a good Secret Santa budget?
Among friends and colleagues a typical Secret Santa budget is about the price of a good book or a bottle of wine, while families often go a little higher. Pick an amount everyone in the group is comfortable with, so nobody feels they have to overspend, and stick to it when you buy your gift. If your recipient has linked a wishlist, you'll see what they'd like within that price range.
Works for remote and online groups too
Since everything is handled by email, the Secret Santa generator works just as well for groups spread across different cities or countries, like families who live far apart, colleagues working from home or friends abroad who can't meet up. Gifts can be sent straight to each recipient's address from any online shop, so nobody misses out on the exchange.
What it looks like
Here's what a gift draw looks like for your group.
You drew:
Emma
Box of Chocolates
25 $
Novel
18 $
Scented Candle
30 $
Secret Santa gift ideas under any budget
Secret Santa gift ideas at different price levels, from small surprises to something a bit more special.
Batch Coffee Gift Subscription
Discover Britain's finest speciality coffee subscription gift package with handpicked beans from independent UK roasters.
batchcoffee.co.uk
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LifeAround2Angels Bath Bombs Gift Set 12 USA made Fizzies
LifeAround2Angels Bath Bombs Gift Set 12 USA made Fizzies, Shea & Coco Butter Dry Skin Moisturize, Perfect for Bubble Spa Bath. Handmade Birthday Mothers day Gifts idea For Her/Him, wife, girlfriend
amazon.com
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RIIQIICHY Head Scarf
RIIQIICHY Head Scarf for Women Like Silk Scarf Hair Scarf Printed Square Scarf Bandanas for Women 35 Inches
amazon.com
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USAOPOLY Flip 7, The Ultimate Blend of Press Your Luck &…
USAOPOLY Flip 7, The Ultimate Blend of Press Your Luck & Strategy, Fast-Paced Addictive Card Game,Quick to Learn & Easy to Teach,Perfect for Game Nights, 3+ Players, Ages 8 & Up, 20 Minutes Play Time
amazon.com
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Oxford Spiral Notebook 6 Pack
Oxford Spiral Notebook 6 Pack, 1 Subject, College Ruled Paper, 8 x 10-1/2 Inch, Color Assortment Design May Vary (65007)
amazon.com
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Nulaxy Full Aluminum Dual Folding Cell Phone Stand
Nulaxy Full Aluminum Dual Folding Cell Phone Stand for Desk, Black
amazon.com
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Ferrero Rocher Gourmet Hazelnut Milk Chocolate Gift Box
Ferrero Rocher Gourmet Hazelnut Milk Chocolate Gift Box, 24 Individually Wrapped Chocolates, 10.6 oz
amazon.com
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Pixlora Puzzles for Adults 1000 Pieces
Pixlora Puzzles for Adults 1000 Pieces, 2 Pack Unique 1000 Piece Lake and Night View Jigsaw Puzzles, Premium Scenic Landscape Puzzles & Nature Theme for Challenging Game Night
amazon.com
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Der Rose 2 Pack Fake Plants Small Plants
Der Rose 2 Pack Fake Plants Small Plants for Bathroom Office Decor
amazon.com
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Women’s Cashmere Socks
Luxurious women's cashmere socks, made in Scotland. Soft, warm and gift-boxed, the perfect cosy gift for her.
sockgeeks.co.uk
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Not a Morning Person Black mug
A gothic black mug with witchcraft vibes for night owls and morning haters who love dark, enchanting style.
koolthings.co.uk
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Bath & Body Works Mahogany Teakwood Intense 3-Wick Candle
Bath & Body Works Mahogany Teakwood Intense 3-Wick Candle - Scented Candle for At-Home Use - Long-Lasting, Room-Filling Fragrance - High Fragrance Oil Concentration - Soy Wax Blend
amazon.com
View productMore on Happy Giftlist
A Secret Santa website and organizer for any group
Happy Giftlist is a Secret Santa generator and a Secret Santa website with wishlist sharing built in, and there's a Secret Santa app for iPhone and Android too. At the office, the Secret Santa tool emails every colleague the name they drew. In a family, you draw names Secret Santa style without a hat or paper slips, and nobody knows in advance who will draw your name. One person acts as the Secret Santa organizer. You set it up in a few minutes, and everyone can join the Secret Santa online from wherever they are, without a spreadsheet or a chaotic group chat.
A Secret Santa generator with wish list sharing
What makes it different from a basic Secret Santa list or a random Secret Santa name generator is the wishlist link. Once the names are drawn, every participant can attach their own Secret Santa wishlist, so the person who drew them knows what they'd like. With a wishlist Secret Santa the giver doesn't have to guess, and it's far less likely that someone ends up with a gift they already have, or the same thing they were given last year.
Frequently asked questions about Secret Santa
Add all participants by name and email, set a budget and exclude any pairs if needed. Everyone then gets a private email with the name of the person they're buying for. It takes a few minutes, and nobody has to pull names out of a hat.
In Secret Santa, everyone draws a name in secret and buys a gift for that person. Nobody knows who got who until the gifts are handed out.
Yes, it's completely free. The organiser needs a free account and participants only need an email address. There's no limit on the size of your group.
At least 3 people. There's no upper limit, and it works just as well for a small family as for a big office party.
Among friends or at work, most groups settle on about the price of a good book or a bottle of wine, and families often go a little higher. Pick an amount everyone's comfortable with.
Yes. Each participant can add a wishlist, so their Secret Santa doesn't have to guess and is more likely to pick something they actually like. A Secret Santa with wishlist links also means fewer duplicate gifts.
Think of things you'd enjoy but don't really need. A short wishlist helps your Secret Santa choose without guessing. Popular picks are a nice candle, a book, a food hamper, a small gadget or something for a hobby.
Something that feels personal but works for anyone: a quality consumable (nice coffee, chocolates, candles), something fun to use at work or home, or a small experience. Stick to the agreed budget and check the recipient's wishlist if they have one.
Yes. The organiser can look up who each participant drew on the settings page, and nobody else can. Participants only see their own match, and it stays private until the day of the gift exchange.
Ask them to check their spam folder first, because emails sometimes end up there. You can also send the invitation again with the 'Remind to join' button on the settings page of your draw.
The draw can't be redone, but you can put someone else in their place. On the settings page, change that participant's name and email to the new person's. The new person gets the invitation, and whoever drew the old participant now buys for the new one.
Yes. Since everything runs by email, it works just as well for a family Secret Santa or a remote team spread across different cities or countries.