Draw names for Secret Santa without anyone peeking
Type the names, add the couples who shouldn't draw each other and press “Draw names and send.” Each person gets a private link by email, or you copy it and text it, and they scratch to see who they got. Nobody else sees the result, not even you, and nobody has to sign up to play.
By bemypresent · Updated
The example
You can change all of it before you send it. Free, no sign-up.
What a Secret Santa generator should do
Pulling names out of a hat works when everyone is in the same room and nobody draws their own name twice. The moment one person is in another city, someone has to draw for the whole group. That person then knows every pairing, and the secret is only as safe as their memory.
A good generator fixes three things: the draw happens on its own, each person sees only their own name, and the rules you care about (couples, last year's pairs) are respected. Most tools also ask everyone for an email address. That part is optional here: if your aunt only uses text messages, you send her link by text.
How to draw names online, step by step
- Open Secret Santa on bemypresent and give the draw a name, like “Miller family Secret Santa.” You set it up without an account.
- Under Participants, add 3 to 30 people. A name is enough; the email is optional. If you're playing too, leave “I'm taking part too” checked.
- In Exclusions, mark who can't draw whom: couples, siblings who always swap gifts anyway or last year's pairs. If the rules make a draw impossible, the editor tells you before you send anything.
- Add the spending limit, the exchange date and a note for everyone, up to 200 characters. That's where the shipping deadline goes.
- Press “Draw names and send” and confirm your email with a 6-digit code. Anyone with an email gets their link in their inbox. For the rest, use “Copy link” and send it by text or WhatsApp.
Each link opens a scratch-off card with the name they drew, the limit and the date. The links don't expire, so someone who forgets in two weeks can open theirs again. From your side you only see how many people have found out, like “7 of 9 have found out,” never who drew whom.
Rules worth setting before you draw
Couples can't draw each other
Otherwise one gift gets bought with shared money and the surprise is gone. Set it once per couple in Exclusions and the draw works around it.
A limit that people actually hit
$25 to $50 is the usual range for families and friends. Write the number in the draw so it shows up on every card, and nobody can say they didn't know.
A shipping date, not only an exchange date
For anyone out of town, the date that matters is when the box has to leave. Put it in the note so it appears right next to the name they drew.
One draw per group
If the cousins and the office both play, run two draws. Each one gets its own limit and date, and nobody ends up buying a gift for a coworker's dad.
Other ways to draw names, and when they're better
A generator with wish lists
Elfster and DrawNames let each player post what they'd like to get. If your group wants wish lists, use one of those: bemypresent doesn't have them.
Names in a hat at Thanksgiving
If everyone will be at the same table in November, draw then. It's quick and fun, and the only risk is someone drawing themselves.
A spreadsheet with a random formula
It works if one person runs it and doesn't mind knowing every pair. Fine for a team that doesn't care about the secret, not for a family that does.
Private links nobody else can see
That's what this one does: the draw is done by the system, each person scratches their own card and the organizer stays in the dark too. Use the long distance version if your group is spread across states.
Texts to send the group
Secret Santa is on. I'm sending each of you a private link tonight. Scratch it to see who you got. $40 max, and yes, that includes shipping.
Friendly reminder that the Denver crew has to ship by December 15. If your gift shows up in January, it's a New Year's gift and you'll never hear the end of it.
We open everything on Christmas Eve after dinner. Go around one at a time, guess who had you, then open it. Lost your link? Text me and I'll resend it.
How to make it with bemypresent
Pick how it opens
A birthday, an anniversary, Christmas, a memory album or a box with a surprise inside.
Make it yours
Add the names, your photos and a message. You see it exactly as they will, and it saves as you type.
Publish it
Confirm your email with a code, no passwords. We send you the link and its QR code, and you'll find it in your account on any device.
Share it
By text, on WhatsApp or with the QR code printed inside a card. They open it on their phone, no app needed.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free Secret Santa generator with no email?
Yes. Players only need a name. You can add an email so the link arrives by itself, or leave it blank and send the link by text. Only the organizer confirms an email, with a 6-digit code, to make the draw.
Can I set exclusions for couples?
Yes. In Exclusions you mark who can't draw whom. If the rules leave no possible draw, the editor warns you and asks you to remove one.
Does the organizer see who drew whom?
No. The result lives on the server and only shows up in each person's link. If you play too, you scratch your own card like everyone else.
What if someone loses their link?
Links don't expire and can be opened as many times as needed. The organizer can copy anyone's link again or resend the email.
How many people can join?
From 3 to 30. For a bigger group, split it into two draws.
You might also like
- How to run a Secret Santa when everyone lives somewhere else
How to run a long distance Secret Santa online: draw names, send everyone a private link, and let each person scratch to see who they got. No sign-up to join.