Exclusions that actually work
Stop partners, housemates or siblings drawing each other. If the rules make a draw impossible, you'll know before anyone is told.
Free Secret Santa generator
Draw names for Secret Santa in minutes.
Invite your group by email, link or QR code. Keep couples apart with exclusions, set a budget, and let everyone share a wish list so nobody ends up with another candle. Only the organiser needs an account.
- ✓ 100% free
- ✓ No sign-up for participants
- ✓ Works on any phone
Free forever
No subscription, no catch
Guest friendly
Only the organiser signs up
Fair draw
Exclusions you control
Wish lists
Hints built right in
How it works
Three steps. No hat required.
Set it up over a cup of tea. Giftwhale handles the invitations, the draw and the reminders, so you can get on with the mince pies.
-
Step 1
Create your exchange
Give it a name, pick the exchange day, set a spending limit in your currency and choose a festive theme.
-
Step 2
Invite your group
People join with just a name and email address. No passwords, no app to download. Add exclusions for anyone who shouldn't be paired.
-
Step 3
Draw names and reveal
One tap draws every match. Each person is emailed and privately reveals who they're buying for, with that person's wish list right there.
Everything the organiser needs
The fiddly bits, handled.
Being the organiser shouldn't mean chasing people on three different group chats.
Join without an account
Participants just add their name and email. Perfect for grandparents, new starters and that one friend who never remembers passwords.
Invite-only or open link
Keep a family exchange private, or let anyone with the link join for a big office or club swap.
Wish lists for every Santa
Everyone can share a wish list, so their Secret Santa buys something they'll love. Reserve the gift you pick and nobody else will buy it too.
Gentle nudges
Remind people who haven't joined yet, or nudge your match to add some gift ideas. All without revealing who you are.
Budgets in any currency
Set a spending limit in pounds, euros, dollars and more. It sits on everyone's page, so nobody overspends.
Keep the guest list private
For work swaps, hide the participant list so only the organiser can see who has joined.
Festive themes
Pick a style for your exchange page so it feels like an occasion, not a spreadsheet.
Organiser plays too
Join your own exchange. You'll only ever see your own match, just like everyone else.
Made for every group
Office, family or friends.
Secret Santa for work
Drop the link in Slack or Teams, or pin the QR code by the kettle. Colleagues join in seconds, the guest list can stay private, and a modest budget keeps it fair for everyone.
Family Secret Santa
Buy one great present instead of twelve so-so ones. Exclusions keep couples apart, and child accounts let the little ones join with their own wish list.
Friends, near or far
Scattered across the country? Everyone joins online, checks their match's wish list and sends a gift straight to their door. Save the reveal for your next video call.
Why go online?
Names in a hat vs Giftwhale
| 🎩 Names in a hat | 🐋 Giftwhale |
|---|---|
| Everyone has to be in the same room | Join from anywhere by email, link or QR code |
| Someone draws their own name. Again. | Nobody ever draws themselves |
| Couples end up buying for each other | Exclusions you set, respected every time |
| "What do they even want?" | Their wish list, right next to their name |
| Someone forgets who they drew | Your match is saved. Check it any time |
| The budget gets lost in the group chat | Budget and date on everyone's page |
Loved at Christmas
Organisers sleep better.
Giftwhale is rated 4.9 out of 5 across 92 reviews.
Love Giftwhale for birthdays and Christmas. We always use it for a small group of us for Secret Santa too. ❤️.
Matt
5 out of 5 stars
I have used Giftwhale for 3 years now, it’s really helped our Family & Friends around Birthdays & Christmas to avoid duplication of gifts but more importantly buy things that are wanted..
Jess
5 out of 5 stars
Best Website for Wishlist, tanks you!!! The system of secret santa is amazing !!.
Louise-Marie
5 out of 5 stars
Our whole family uses Gift Whale for birthdays, special occasions like Mother’s and Father’s Day, Christmas, etc. to know what we all really want. It’s such a perfect, simple way to be able to get the perfect gifts for your loved ones and to keep track of which items have already been purchased. It’s like an in-store gift registry but way less complicated! We love it and have used it for a few years now!.
Dawn
5 out of 5 stars
Giftwhale is so helpful for Christmas and birthday lists - easy to share and reserve gifts so I don't have to split my list up for different people myself!.
Lucy
5 out of 5 stars
its so easy and simple to use i use it for every birthday and christmas for 2 years now.
Elliana
5 out of 5 stars
Every review is from a real Giftwhale user. Profile pictures are replaced for privacy. Read all reviews
Secret Santa explained
What is Secret Santa?
Secret Santa, also known as Kris Kringle, is a gift exchange where everyone in a group draws one name at random and buys a present for that person, without telling them who it's from. Instead of buying for the whole family or office, you buy one thoughtful gift, and the mystery of who your Santa is becomes half the fun.
The name was popularised in the US by Larry Stewart, a Kansas City businessman who spent more than 25 years anonymously handing out gifts at Christmas as "Secret Santa". Today it's a festive staple for families, friends and workplaces, and a sensible way to keep Christmas spending in check.
How to organise a Secret Santa
-
1
Pick your group. Decide who's in: the office, your family, a group of friends or a club.
-
2
Agree a budget and a date. A clear spending limit stops anyone feeling out of pocket. Pick the day you'll swap gifts.
-
3
Draw names fairly. Use a Secret Santa generator so nobody draws themselves and exclusions are respected.
-
4
Share some hints. Ask everyone to add a few ideas to a wish list. It takes the guesswork out of buying.
-
5
Keep it secret. Don't tell anyone who you're buying for until the big reveal.
-
6
Swap and guess. Exchange gifts in person or over a video call, and see who can work out their Santa.
How much should you spend?
There's no right answer, but here's what most groups go for.
- £5 to £10
- Big office swaps and new teams
- £10 to £20
- Most workplaces and friend groups
- £20 to £30
- Close friends and family
- £30+
- Family swaps replacing lots of presents
From the blog
How to organise the perfect Secret Santa game
Read the guide
Run your Secret Santa from your iPhone
Create exchanges, check who's joined, draw names and reveal your match in the free Giftwhale app. Everything stays in sync with the web.
Secret Santa questions, answered
How does the Secret Santa generator work?
Create an exchange, add a date and an optional budget, then invite your group by email, link or QR code. Once everyone has joined, you press Draw names. Giftwhale randomly matches every person with someone to buy for, never themselves and never anyone you have excluded, and each person privately sees only their own match.
Is it really free?
Yes, and it always will be. Creating a Secret Santa, inviting people, adding exclusions and drawing names are all free, with no subscription and no paid tier.
Does everyone need to sign up?
No. Only the organiser needs a Giftwhale account. Everyone else can join with just their name and email address, then come back to see their match and their recipient's wish list.
Can I stop couples drawing each other?
Yes. Add exclusions for any participant and the draw will respect them, so partners, housemates or people who already swap gifts won't be matched. If your exclusions make a complete draw impossible, Giftwhale tells you before anything is sent.
Can the organiser take part too?
Yes. The organiser can join their own exchange as a participant. Everyone, including the organiser, only ever sees who they are buying for, so the secret stays secret.
How much should you spend on Secret Santa?
Most groups pick something between £10 and £30. Offices often go lower (£5 to £15) so nobody feels stretched, while family and close friends tend to go a little higher. Set a budget on your exchange and it appears on everyone's page, so there are no awkward guesses.
How do I run a Secret Santa for work?
Choose "Anyone with the link" when you create the exchange, then share the link in your team chat or print the QR code for the office kitchen. You can hide the participant list so only you see who has joined, set a modest budget, and nudge anyone who hasn't accepted yet.
Can we do Secret Santa if we live far apart?
Absolutely. Everything happens online, so people can join from anywhere. With your recipient's wish list in front of you, it's easy to order something and have it delivered straight to them.
How many people do I need?
You can draw names with two people, but three or more keeps the giver a genuine surprise. Everyone must accept their invitation before you draw, and once names are drawn the group is locked so the matches stay fair.
What are other names for Secret Santa?
Secret Santa is also known as Kris Kringle or Chris Kindle, Wichteln in Germany, Amigo Secreto in much of Latin America, Monito-Monita in the Philippines and Père Noël Secret in French-speaking countries. However you say it, the idea is the same: one gift each, given anonymously.
Your Secret Santa, sorted in five minutes.
Create your exchange, send the link and let Giftwhale do the drawing. It's free, and nobody else needs an account.
Comparing tools? See how Giftwhale compares with Elfster.