Secret Santa Generator

Add Participants

Exclusions (Optional)

Add pairs that should not be matched (e.g., couples, family members)

Results

Add at least 3 participants and click "Generate Secret Santa Pairings"

About the Secret Santa Generator

This free Secret Santa generator helps you organize gift exchanges for holidays, offices, families, or friend groups. Features include:

Random assignment of gift givers and recipients
Exclusion rules to prevent certain matches (e.g., spouses, family members)
Optional email fields for easy sharing of assignments
Copy or export results for your records
Complete privacy - all processing happens in your browser

Simply add all participants, set up any exclusions if needed, and click generate. The tool ensures everyone gives and receives exactly one gift, with no circular giving (A gives to B, B gives to A).

How to Use the Secret Santa Generator

Follow these steps to organize your holiday gift exchange:

Add Participants
Enter the names of all people participating in the Secret Santa exchange.

Example: John Smith, Mary Johnson, David Williams, Sarah Brown
Set Exclusion Rules (Optional)
Add restrictions for who shouldn't be assigned to whom (like spouses or family members).

Example: Exclude John Smith from being matched with Mary Johnson if they're married or siblings.
Configure Additional Options (Optional)
Add email addresses if you want to send the assignments directly to participants.

Example: Add john@example.com for John Smith to send his assignment via email.
Generate Assignments
Click the 'Generate Secret Santa Pairings' button to randomly pair gift givers and recipients.
View or Share Results
Review the assignments and share them privately with participants through email or by copying the results.

Example: Use the "Copy Results" button to paste assignments into a document or message.

Gift Exchange Tip:

Consider setting a spending limit (like $20-25) when organizing your Secret Santa to ensure everyone's gifts are in a similar price range. You can include this information in a note when sharing the assignments with participants.

Secret Santa Generator: Organize Holiday Gift Exchanges with Ease

Our free online Secret Santa generator simplifies the organization of gift exchanges for holiday parties, family gatherings, office events, or friend groups. This tool randomly assigns gift givers to recipients while respecting any custom exclusion rules you set.

Unlike traditional paper-and-hat methods that can be cumbersome to organize and may result in problematic pairings, our generator ensures everyone gives and receives exactly one gift, with no circular exchanges, while maintaining the surprise element that makes Secret Santa fun.

Perfect for All Types of Gift Exchanges

Family Gatherings

Create gift exchanges that avoid immediate family members having to buy for each other.

Office Parties

Organize department gift exchanges while ensuring fair and random assignments among colleagues.

Friend Groups

Set up gift exchanges among friends with complex exclusion rules for couples or roommates.

Distance Exchanges

Coordinate gift exchanges for groups who aren't physically together, with no need for in-person drawing.

Key Features of Our Secret Santa Generator

Custom Exclusion Rules - Prevent specific people from being matched with each other
Privacy Protection - All processing happens in your browser with no data stored on servers
Multiple Export Options - Copy results, export as CSV, or view all pairings at once
Email Integration - Add email addresses to easily share assignments with participants
Smart Matching Algorithm - Ensures everyone gives and receives exactly one gift without circular pairings

Whether you're organizing a small family gift exchange or a large office Secret Santa, our generator provides the perfect balance of randomness and control to make your holiday gift-giving tradition stress-free and enjoyable for everyone involved.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many participants can be included in the Secret Santa?

Our generator can handle up to 50 participants at once. For larger groups, we recommend splitting into smaller groups for easier management and more meaningful gift exchanges.

What are exclusions and why would I use them?

Exclusions prevent specific people from being assigned to each other. This is useful for couples, family members, or roommates who might already exchange gifts, or for situations where certain pairings would be inappropriate or less exciting.

Is the matching truly random?

Yes, our algorithm uses a cryptographically secure random selection process while respecting your exclusion rules. Each valid pairing has an equal chance of being selected, ensuring fairness in the gift exchange.

What if I need to add or remove people after generating assignments?

If your participant list changes, you'll need to regenerate the assignments. We recommend finalizing your list before sharing the assignments to avoid confusion.

Is my participant information stored or shared?

No, all processing happens entirely in your browser. We don't store any participant names, emails, or pairings on our servers, ensuring complete privacy for your gift exchange.

What happens if there's no valid way to match everyone with the exclusions I've set?

If your exclusion rules are too restrictive to allow everyone to be matched, the generator will notify you that it couldn't find a valid solution. You'll need to remove some exclusions to allow more possible pairings.