Secret Santa Generator
Add names, press Draw, send each person their own link. No sign-up.
Rules: who can't draw whom (optional)
One pair per line, e.g. Anna - Ben (couples, roommates).
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How it works
- Enter at least 3 names.
- Add couples who shouldn't draw each other.
- Press Draw and send each person their link. Each person gets their own link showing only who they give to. No sign-up, nothing stored on our servers.
Behind the scenes the page shuffles the list with your browser's built-in random number generator, checks that nobody got themselves or an excluded partner, and shuffles again if needed. For every person it then builds a separate link. The match inside the link is encrypted, and the key travels in the part of the address after the # sign, which browsers do not send to the server when the page loads.
When a participant opens their link, this same page decrypts it on their device and greets them with the name of the person they give a gift to, plus the budget and date if you added them. The page that created the draw does not show the matches at any point.
Step-by-step for organizers
- Collect the names. Type one name per field. Use first names plus an initial if two people share a name, because names must be unique.
- Add the rules. Open the optional rules panel and list pairs who should not draw each other, such as partners, roommates or people who swapped gifts last year.
- Set the details. Add a spending limit and the exchange date so everyone sees them next to their match.
- Draw. Press Draw names. A new button appears for every person.
- Send the links. Press the copy button next to a name and paste the link into a private message to that person. Repeat for everyone. Do not open the links yourself.
Tips for a smooth gift exchange
- Agree on the budget before the draw, so nobody feels awkward about spending too much or too little.
- Send links in private messages, not in a group chat, otherwise everyone can open everyone's link.
- Ask each person to write a short wish list or a few hints and share it with the group.
- Pick an exchange date that works for the whole group and add it to the draw.
- For remote teams or families in different places, agree on a shipping deadline and open the gifts together on a video call.
Questions
Can the organizer see the pairs?
No, the organizer cannot see the pairs. After the draw the page only lists each person's name with a button to copy their link; the matches themselves are never shown. Each link is encrypted and contains only one person's own match. The one way to find out is to open someone else's link, so as the organizer, copy each link and send it without opening it.
Is anything stored on a server?
No. The draw runs in your browser and nothing is stored on a server. Each person gets their own link; the part after the # is not sent to servers when the link is opened.
What if someone draws themselves?
They can't: the draw never assigns a person to themselves or to an excluded pair.
Do participants need an account or an email address?
No. Nobody signs up and nobody enters an email address. You share the links yourself through any chat app, text message or email you already use.
Can the organizer take part in the draw?
Yes. Add your own name to the list like everyone else. Copy your own link last and open only that one, so you see only your own match.
What happens if I lose a link or close the page?
The links exist only in the browser tab where you made the draw, because nothing is saved on a server. If you close the tab before sending them, run the draw again and send the new links. Links that were already sent keep working.
How do exclusions work?
Write one pair per line in the format Name - Name, using names exactly as they appear in the list. The two people in each pair will not draw each other, in either direction. If the rules make a draw impossible, the page tells you so and asks you to remove a rule.
Why do I get the message “No valid draw with these rules”?
Too many exclusions leave no way to match everyone. This happens most often in small groups. Remove one or two rules and press Draw again.
Is the budget shown to everyone?
If you fill in a budget or an exchange date, it is included in every person's link and shown next to their match. Both fields are optional.
Can I redo the draw?
Yes. Press Draw names again to get a new random result and new links. Tell everyone to ignore any old links, because the old and new draws do not match each other.