The idea in one minute
Instead of everyone buying for everyone, each person buys one gift for one person. It keeps costs down, makes the gift more thoughtful and adds a mystery: nobody knows who bought for them until the reveal.
It works for families, friends, offices, clubs, classrooms and online groups alike. Three people is the minimum; there's no real maximum.
Step by step
The classic way uses names in a hat. The easy way does it online, so nobody draws themselves, nobody loses their slip and remote people can join in.
- Create your group: Type a group name, the date of your swap and the budget. You get a join link and your group's own 15% code straight away.
- Invite everyone: Share the link in WhatsApp, Slack or Teams, show the QR code, or paste email addresses. People join with a name and email. No passwords.
- Set exclusions: Keep couples, housemates or teams apart. We check the draw can work before you press the button, and tell you who's stuck if it can't.
- Draw names: Press Draw names, or pick a date and we draw automatically with everyone who has joined. Each person sees only their own person.
- Shop and swap: Your person's wishlist, likes and sizes sit next to gifts that fit your budget, each with its arrival date. Your code takes 15% off.
- Reveal and thank: On the evening of the swap, everyone finds out who their Santa was and can say thank you in one tap.
Picking a budget
Agree one budget for everyone, so no gift outshines another. £10 to £20 is the usual range for offices and friends in the UK; families often go to £25 or £30. Under £5 or £10 works brilliantly for big groups and funny gifts.
Set it once on your group and every Santa sees gifts that fit it, with your group's code taking a further 15% off.
Keeping it secret
With slips of paper, someone always guesses. Online, each person sees only their own person, and the organiser can't see the pairs unless the whole group agrees before the draw.
Questions for your person? Ask them through their wishlist hints, or ask a mutual friend to find out sizes on the quiet.
Secret Santa questions
Straight answers. Anything else? Email hello@nextdaygifts.co.uk.
More on Secret Santa
What is the minimum number of people for Secret Santa?
Three. With two people, each would simply know who has them. From four people, our draw also avoids two people buying for each other.
When should we draw names?
Two to four weeks before the swap gives everyone time to shop and for gifts to arrive. You can set a draw date and we draw automatically with everyone who has joined.
Do you reveal who the Secret Santa was?
Many groups do, on the day or straight after. Our reveal opens on the evening of the swap, and each person can thank their Santa in one tap. You can switch it off.
What if someone can't come on the day?
Their Santa can post the gift to them, or hand it over later. For remote people, run the swap on a video call and open the presents together.