Secret Santa generator
Type the names, tap draw. Everyone gets their own private link that shows only one thing: who they give a gift to. No sign-up, no emails, nothing stored.
- Free
- No sign-up
- Nothing stored
- 3–100 people
Tip: sending each link in a private chat keeps it a real secret. Use “Copy all” only for groups you trust to open just their own link.
How it works
Add names
Type everyone who is joining. Add a budget, date or rules if you like.
Draw
One tap makes a fair, random draw. Nobody gets themselves, and your rules are respected.
Send links
Each person gets their own private link. Copy it into a chat, text or email.
Open & shop
They open the link, see who they give to, and the surprise stays a surprise.
Secret Santa rules & budget ideas
A Secret Santa goes smoothly when everyone agrees on the rules before the draw. Settle these in your group chat first, then put the budget, date and a short note into the form above so they show on every person’s link.
The basic rules
- Everyone draws one name and buys one gift, for that person only.
- Keep the name you drew to yourself until the exchange — or forever, if your group likes the mystery.
- Stay close to the budget. Going far over it makes other people feel awkward.
- Agree on a deadline and how gifts change hands: in person, by mail, or left on a desk.
- If someone drops out after the draw, make a new draw instead of swapping names by hand, so nobody ends up with two gifts or none.
Budget ideas
- Office or class: around $10–$25. Enough for a nice mug, a snack box or good socks, without pressure on anyone.
- Friends: around $20–$40. Room for a book, a card game or a small gadget.
- Family: around $25–$50, or one budget for adults and a smaller one when kids are drawing.
- Remote groups: decide whether shipping counts toward the budget, or agree on gifts that can be sent online, such as an e-book or a gift card.
Write the budget with its currency (for example “$25” or “£20”) so nobody has to guess.
Step by step
- Agree on a date and a budget with your group.
- Type every name above, one per line. If two people share a name, add a last initial.
- Add any exclusions (see below), then tap “Draw names & make private links”.
- Send each person their own link in a private message.
- Ask everyone to share a wish list in the group chat — the page they open has a box for that.
- Swap gifts and enjoy the guessing.
Secret Santa with exclusions (couples, families)
An exclusion is a rule that two people can’t draw each other. Use it for people who would buy each other a gift anyway, or to make sure everyone gets someone new.
When to add one
- Couples and partners — they’ll exchange gifts regardless.
- Parents and young children, or siblings who live together, in a family draw.
- Last year’s pairs, so the draw feels fresh.
- A manager and their own team member, if your workplace prefers to keep gifts between peers.
How to set it up
Open “Who can’t draw each other? (exclusions)” in the form, choose two names and tap “Add rule”. A rule works both ways: A won’t draw B, and B won’t draw A. Add as many rules as you need. If you fix a spelling later — “alex” to “Alex”, say — the rule follows the new spelling.
Example: a family of six — two parents, their two grown-up children and each child’s partner — needs three rules, one per couple. Everyone can still draw any of the four other people, so the draw always works and stays random. Adding last year’s pairs on top is usually fine too; the page will warn you if it ever isn’t.
The “Avoid swaps” box, on by default, also tries to stop two people from simply drawing each other, which tends to feel less like a surprise.
Too many rules?
Every rule takes options away. In a small group, a few rules can leave someone with nobody they’re allowed to draw. The page checks this before drawing and names the person who is stuck, so you know which rule to remove. A good habit is to leave everyone free to draw at least half of the group.
Why it’s really private
Most Secret Santa sites keep your group’s names on their servers and ask for everyone’s email. This one doesn’t have a server to keep them on.
Your browser does the draw, then locks each result with its own random key (AES-GCM encryption). The locked result and the key go into the part of the link after the # sign, which browsers never send to any website. Only the person holding the link can open it.
maeilyuyong.com/open/#1Xk9…locked-result…
The highlighted part stays on the phone that opens it.
Good to know
- Anyone who has a link can open it. Send each link only to its owner.
- We can’t recover lost links — we never had them. Use “Show those links again” on the same browser.
- If you organize and play, open only your own link (it’s marked “You”).
Questions
Is it really free? Do I need to sign up?
Yes, it’s free and there is no account, no email and no app to install. Open the page, type names, done.
Can the organizer see who got whom?
No. The organizer only sees which link belongs to which person, not what’s inside. If you are not playing, you can choose to show the full list — the page asks you to confirm first.
How do I stop couples from drawing each other?
Open “Who can’t draw each other?”, pick the two people and tap “Add rule”. They will never draw each other. If there are too many rules for a fair draw, the page tells you which rule to remove.
How does a Secret Santa generator work?
It randomly gives each person someone else to buy for, so everyone gives exactly one gift and gets exactly one. This one also follows your exclusions, avoids two people simply drawing each other when it can, and then locks each result inside its own private link. The draw runs in your browser, so the names never reach a server.
Can I do Secret Santa over text or WhatsApp?
Yes — that’s what the private links are for, and nobody has to be in the same room. After the draw, tap “Copy link” next to a name and paste it into a private chat with that person: text message, WhatsApp, Messenger, Slack or email all work. On a phone, “Send” opens your share menu directly.
Avoid dropping every link into the group chat unless you trust everyone to open only their own.
What’s a good Secret Santa budget?
Many groups use about $10–$25 at work, $20–$40 among friends and $25–$50 in families. The number matters less than agreeing on it before the draw. Put it in “Budget, date & a note” so it shows on every link.
Someone lost their link. What now?
On the same browser you used to draw, the page remembers your last draw — tap “Show those links again” and resend it. If you cleared your browser, start a new draw and resend all links.
Is my data stored anywhere?
No names are uploaded. The draw happens on your device and each result is locked inside its own link. We use no cookies, no analytics and no ads. Read the privacy page for details.
How many people can join?
From 3 up to 100 people in one draw. For bigger events, split into teams.