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Guide · remote teams

Virtual Secret Santa for remote teams

When the team is spread across cities or works from home, pulling names from a hat doesn't work. The whole exchange can happen online: the draw, the wishlists, the addresses and even the unwrapping.

Nº 01

Step by step

  1. Step 1: Announce the date and budget

    Pick a date for the online get-together and a small, fixed budget that includes delivery. Post both in the team channel at least three weeks ahead.

  2. Step 2: Collect participants

    Ask who wants to join. Then paste the list into Secret Santa, one name per line, straight from Slack or Teams.

  3. Step 3: Draw names online

    Add exclusions if you need them and press Draw. You get one private link per colleague.

  4. Step 4: Send links privately

    Send each person their own link in a direct message, not in the shared channel. In live mode you can see who has opened theirs.

  5. Step 5: Ask for wishlists and addresses

    Everyone writes a few wishes and, if they like, a delivery address. Only their Secret Santa sees them.

  6. Step 6: Unwrap on video

    On the day, take turns opening gifts on camera, then let everyone guess who their Santa was.

Nº 02

Delivery: agree the rule up front

Delivery is the hardest part of a remote Secret Santa. Decide whether the budget includes shipping and when parcels must arrive. Order early: couriers are busy in December.

For colleagues abroad, a digital gift (an e-book, a subscription, a gift card) can be easier than a parcel.

Nº 03

Addresses stay private

Don't collect home addresses in the shared channel. In Secret Santa, each person can add an address on their own page and only their Santa can see it. It's encrypted on the device, so neither the organiser nor the server can read it.

Nº 04

Ideas for the video call

  • Everyone guesses their Santa before the reveal.
  • A shared festive background for the call.
  • Open gifts in draw order, like a chain.
  • Across time zones, swap short unboxing videos instead of a live call.

Nº 05

FAQ

How do you do Secret Santa when you can't meet?

Draw names online, send gifts by courier or digitally, and open them together on a video call. The private links work on any phone or laptop, with no account.

Do we have to give our addresses to the organiser?

No. Each person adds their address on their own private page and only their Secret Santa sees it.

Does it work with Slack or Teams?

Yes. The links are plain web addresses: send them by direct message on Slack, Teams, WhatsApp or email.

What about colleagues in another country?

Choose a digital gift or order from a shop that delivers to their country. Agree in advance whether the budget covers shipping.

Start your team's Secret Santa

Paste your colleagues' names, draw, and send the private links on Slack, Teams or WhatsApp.

Organise now