Family Secret Santa for Christmas
In a big family, gifts for everyone add up fast and often end in things nobody needs. Secret Santa means one gift, chosen with care, for one person.
Why it works for families
Everyone buys a single gift, so they can put more thought into it. And opening the gifts becomes a game: everyone guesses who had whom.
Exclusions for couples and siblings
Partners give each other gifts anyway, so you usually don't want them drawing each other. In the exclusions step you tick the pairs that mustn't match, and the draw respects it.
Kids and grandparents
- Young kids can be in the draw, with a parent helping them open their link and pick a gift.
- For grandparents who don't use a phone, open their link on your phone and look away while they read it.
- If you'd rather the little ones still get gifts from everyone, leave them out and run Secret Santa among the adults.
Relatives in other cities
Send everyone their private link on WhatsApp. Anyone who can't make Christmas dinner can post their gift or bring it on their next visit.
Not like last year
If you used Secret Santa last year, press “Last year” in the Participants step and pick the saved group or paste the old links. The new draw won't repeat the pairs, and you never see them.
A few family rules
- Agree the budget together and set it on the group.
- Everyone fills in their wishlist early.
- Open gifts one at a time, and the recipient guesses who their Santa was.
FAQ
Can I keep couples apart in the draw?
Yes. In the exclusions step you choose who mustn't match whom, such as partners or siblings. The draw respects every exclusion; if there are so many that no draw is possible, you're told.
How do I send the links to relatives?
From the results screen you can copy each link or use the WhatsApp kit, with a ready-made message and a QR code. Each link is private and shows only the person its owner drew.
What happens to my family's data?
In offline mode, names live only in the links and your browser. In live mode, data is deleted automatically 60 days after the exchange date, and the organiser can delete the group any time from the dashboard.
Set up Secret Santa for your family
Exclusions for couples, wishlists and private links, free and with no account.
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