Secret Santa Twist
Secret Santa articles
Ideas and advice on one question at a time: what to buy, what to write, and how to run the exchange for your kind of group.
Organising
- Secret Santa timeline: when to start and what to do each weekA week-by-week plan from the first message to the party, with a checklist.
- Secret Santa invitation wording: messages to copyInvitation and reminder messages for the office, friends and family.
- How much to spend on Secret SantaHow to pick a budget that suits everyone, and what to do about postage and overspending.
- Secret Santa themes: 15 ideas for a different exchangeThemes and twists that change how people choose a gift, from one colour to handmade only.
- Secret Santa reveal ideas: how to end the game wellWays to open the gifts and reveal the Santas, in a room or on a call.
- Secret Santa, White Elephant or Yankee Swap: which one to chooseHow the three gift exchanges differ, and which suits your group.
Gifts and ideas
- What to put on a Secret Santa wishlistHow to write a wishlist that helps your Santa and still leaves room for a surprise.
- Secret Santa questionnaire: 40 questions to askQuestions that help a Santa choose a gift, for colleagues, friends and family.
- Gift ideas by colour: what to buy for a one-colour Secret SantaIdeas for all twelve colours, from red to gold, and how to wrap them.
- Secret Santa challenge ideas: adjectives and functions to borrowLists of adjectives and functions for Your Challenge, with gifts that would meet them.
- Secret Santa gifts for someone you barely knowHow to choose when you drew the new colleague or a friend of a friend.
- Last-minute Secret Santa gifts that do not look last-minuteWhat to buy the day before, and how to make it look planned.
- What to write in a Secret Santa cardShort messages for colleagues, friends and family, and how to sign without giving yourself away.
For your group
- Office Secret Santa: a guide for work teamsKeep it optional, keep it modest, and include the people who work remotely.
- Family Secret Santa: one gift each instead of tenFewer presents and less spending, with children, couples and grandparents all included.
- Remote Secret Santa: how to run one at a distanceAddresses, postage dates and a reveal on a video call, for friends and teams far apart.
- Secret Santa for small groups: 3, 4 or 5 peopleWhat still works with a handful of people, and how to keep the secret.
Start with the guides
- How to organise a Secret SantaStep by step, from the guest list to the reveal at the party.
- Secret Santa rules and etiquetteBudgets, wishlists, keeping the secret, and what to do when someone drops out.
- Secret Santa gift ideas by budget and by twistIdeas for small to generous budgets, plus one-colour and challenge gifts.
- Secret Santa for the office, the family and friends far apartHow to adapt the rules for a team at work, a family across generations, or friends in different cities.
- How the online Secret Santa draw worksNobody sees the pairs, couples never draw each other, and no repeats from last year.
- Secret Santa FAQShort answers about the app, the draw, privacy and costs.
Run your Secret Santa here
It's free. Sign in with Google, create a group and share one link. The app does the draw and keeps it secret until the party.