Secret Santa generator
Draw Kris Kringle names in about a minute. No account, no app, no card. Set a budget, keep couples apart, and let everyone find out privately.
Set up your draw
Tip: paste a whole list of names at once and we will split them into rows.
We will send you the organiser link so you can chase anyone who has not opened theirs. We still will not tell you who drew whom.
Free, and no account needed. We only use these addresses to send the matches, and never add anyone to a mailing list. You can delete the whole thing afterwards from the organiser page. See our privacy policy.
How it works
- 1
Add the names
Type them in or paste a whole list at once. Three people minimum, sixty at most.
- 2
Set your rules
Add a spend limit and keep couples or housemates from drawing each other.
- 3
Draw
We match everyone at random, checking your rules hold before anything is sent.
- 4
Tell everyone
Email each person privately, or copy a secret link for each of them.
The organiser can join in
Most people organise a Kris Kringle by pulling names out of a hat, which means somebody always ends up knowing more than they should. If you choose the email option here, each person is told their match directly and you are never shown the full list. You get a page showing who has opened their email, so you can chase the stragglers, and nothing else.
If your group is together in one room, the secret links option is quicker. Copy a link for each person, hand them out, and everyone taps their own. No email addresses change hands at all.
Common questions
- Is this Secret Santa generator really free?
- Yes. There is no charge, no account and no card. You can draw names, set a budget and email everyone their match without signing up for anything.
- Do I need to create an account?
- No. The draw works completely signed out. An account only becomes useful if you want everyone to add a wishlist so their Secret Santa knows what to buy.
- Can I take part in the draw myself?
- Yes, and that is the point of the email option. Each person gets their own match privately and the organiser is never shown who drew whom, so you can join in without spoiling it for yourself.
- How do I stop a couple from drawing each other?
- Open the section for keeping people apart and tick the pair. You can add as many pairs as you need. If the rules make a valid draw impossible we will tell you rather than quietly ignoring one.
- What if someone does not have an email address?
- Choose the secret links option instead. You get one link per person, which you can send by text or hand over in person. Nobody needs an email address at all.
- How many people can join one exchange?
- Up to 60, which covers most workplaces and extended families. For anything larger it usually works better as two separate exchanges.
- What is the difference between Secret Santa and Kris Kringle?
- Nothing, they are the same game. Kris Kringle is what most Australians call it, and Secret Santa is the more common name elsewhere. You can read more in our guide to what Kris Kringle is.
- Can I redraw if I make a mistake?
- Run the draw again with the corrected details. The old one stays where it is, so if you have already sent the links out, tell people to use the newest email or link.
Running a good exchange
- The ultimate Secret Santa guideRules, budgets and how to keep it fun.
- Workplace Secret Santa, without the HR headacheSetting a cap, opting out and what not to buy a colleague.
- What is Kris Kringle?Why Australians call it that, and how it differs from nothing at all.
- Kris Kringle gifts under $20Ideas that do not feel like a token effort.
- Secret Santa questions worth askingTwenty questions that make guessing far easier.
- Funny Secret Santa gifts that land wellJokes that stay funny after the wrapping comes off.
Stop guessing what people want
A free List of Wishes account lets everyone keep a wishlist, so their Secret Santa knows exactly what to buy. It works for birthdays and Christmas too.
Create a free wishlist