Secret Santa questionnaire: 40 questions to ask

How to use a questionnaire

• Send it before the draw, to everyone, and share all the answers with the whole group. Then reading one set of answers gives nothing away.
• Keep it short. Five to ten questions get answered; thirty do not.
• Make every question optional.
• Ask about tastes, not about things. "What do you do on a free Sunday?" helps more than "What do you want?".

Favourites

• What is your favourite snack or sweet?
• Coffee, tea, hot chocolate or none of them?
• What is your favourite colour? And one you cannot stand?
• Which smell do you love: pine, citrus, vanilla, fresh bread?
• What is the best thing you ate this year?
• What kind of music is usually on in your headphones?
• A film or series you could watch again and again?
• Sweet or salty?

Free time

• What do you do on a free Sunday?
• What was the last book you enjoyed?
• Which hobby would you like to try next year?
• Do you cook? What is your best dish?
• Board games, card games, video games or no games?
• Do you have plants, pets or neither?
• Mountains, seaside or city break?
• What do you collect, if anything?

At work

• What is always on your desk?
• What is missing from your desk?
• How do you get to work?
• What do you drink during the working day?
• Notebook and pen, or everything on screen?
• What would make your Monday morning better?
• Headphones on or off while you work?
• What is your lunch habit: packed, canteen or out?

Useful details

• Is there anything you do not eat or drink?
• Any allergies, to food, scents or materials?
• Do you drink alcohol?
• What do you already have too many of?
• T-shirt and sock size, if you are happy to share them?
• Is there a shop you like to browse?
• Would you rather get something useful or something fun?
• Is there anything you would rather not receive?

Just for fun

• What did you want most as a child and never get?
• If you had a free afternoon and 100 RON, what would you do?
• Which small thing makes you unreasonably happy?
• What would you never buy for yourself, but love to have?
• Describe your ideal evening in three words.
• Which season are you?
• What was the best gift you ever received?
• What is your guilty pleasure?

Questionnaire, wishlist or challenge?

A questionnaire describes the person and leaves the gift to the Santa. A wishlist names a few things to choose from. A challenge sets rules the gift has to meet. All three solve the same problem, which is a Santa who does not know where to start.

In Secret Santa Twist the Classic format has an optional wishlist, and Your Challenge asks everyone for two adjectives and a function. If your group prefers a questionnaire, send it in the group chat before the draw and use the app for the draw and the reveal.