Secret Santa name drawer
Draw names for a gift exchange in your browser. Add the names, keep couples apart, then print slips or pass the phone. Nothing leaves this device.
Festidy's Christmas party plan puts the gift swap in your schedule, with an invitation, RSVPs and a shopping list.
Make my party planHow it works
- The draw: your browser shuffles the names with its own random numbers and checks the result. Nobody draws themselves or a partner you marked. If a draw fails the check, it shuffles again. If no draw can ever follow your rules, it tells you.
- Private: there is no server, no email and no account. The names are saved in this browser so a refresh doesn't lose them. The matches stay in this browser tab until you close it, so a refresh doesn't change the draw. Use "Clear the names" on a shared computer.
- Print slips: 8 slips to a page. Each slip says "Alex, you're buying for:", the budget and the date, and the name sits under a fold line. Cut along the dashed lines, then fold the bottom flap up over the name.
- Pass the phone: each person taps their own name, reads their match and taps Hide. It hides itself after 20 seconds. The full list of matches is never shown unless you tap "Show everyone's match" and agree to the warning.
- Pairs: a pair can't draw each other in either direction. You can add as many pairs as you need.
- White elephant: the rules card below uses the steal limit in Festidy's planner: a gift is safe after two steals. Other rules are the common house rules, and groups differ.
- How much to spend: $20 to $30 is a common range. That is a rule of thumb, not a survey. Whatever you pick, the limit should be the same for everyone.
Last updated October 21, 2026. Free, no sign-up.
White elephant rules card
Print this card for a white elephant gift swap, where gifts are opened and stolen instead of drawn in secret.
Tips for a good gift exchange
- Set the budget before you draw. Put the same limit on every slip, and count taxes and shipping in it.
- Draw 3 weeks before the swap. That leaves time to shop and to ship. It's a rule of thumb for most groups.
- Ask for a wish list. Each person writes three small ideas on a card, so a match never guesses blind. A note about allergies helps with edible gifts.
- Have a backup plan for no-shows. A spare gift from the host means a missing person still gets something.
- Keep the reveal fun. At the swap, guess who had who before the giver says it. Nothing needs to be spent on the game.
Questions
How does Secret Santa work?
Each person draws one name in secret and buys a gift for that person, within an agreed budget. Everyone gives their gift at the same time, at a party or on a set date. Nobody knows who their giver is until the reveal.
How do you draw names for Secret Santa online?
Type the names above, add any pairs who shouldn't draw each other, and press Draw names. Then print slips, or pass the phone so each person taps their name to see their match. The matches never leave your browser.
What is the difference between Secret Santa and White Elephant?
In Secret Santa you buy for one person you drew in secret. In White Elephant everyone brings one wrapped gift, and people take turns opening a gift or stealing one that was already opened. A gift is safe after two steals.
How much should you spend on Secret Santa?
$20 to $30 is a common range, but it is a rule of thumb. Pick one limit that suits the whole group, say it on every slip and count shipping and tax in it. A smaller group of close friends can go higher.
Can I stop couples from drawing each other?
Yes. Add a pair under the names and the drawer won't let either person draw the other. If the rules make a draw impossible, for example three people where two are a couple, it says so and you can remove a pair.
What are the White Elephant rules?
Everyone brings one wrapped gift under the same limit and draws a number. Number 1 opens a gift, and each person after chooses to open a new gift or steal one. A gift can be stolen twice, then it is safe. Print the card above.