Step-by-step instructions
Enter unique participant names
Use one distinct label per person. Similar names need initials or another unique identifier.
Agree on the exchange rules
Set the budget, deadline, and sharing method before drawing. Any exclusion requirements need a separate process.
Draw and share assignments privately
Select Draw gift pairings. Save the full result as organizer, then tell each giver only their own recipient.
Worked example
Five people take part in the example exchange. No extra placeholder participant is added.
One valid result is shown below. Your generated outcome will vary.
Example input
Alex Jamie Morgan Taylor Sam
Example result
1. Alex → Morgan 2. Jamie → Taylor 3. Morgan → Sam 4. Taylor → Alex 5. Sam → Jamie
Each of the five gives once and receives once. Secret Santa is an assignment problem, not a requirement to divide the group into two-person pairs.
Do not remove a person just to make the total even
With three participants, a valid self-free assignment forms a three-person cycle. With larger groups, the tool can produce more than one cycle, and reciprocal assignments are allowed. All recipients are visible to the organizer. Choose a different process if you need couple exclusions, a single cycle, or private organizer-blind reveals.
Settings and limits to check
The example has 5 retained entries. Each participant gives once and receives once, with no self-assignments. All assignments are visible on the organizer’s screen. The tool has no private reveal links, automatic emails, couple exclusions, or previous-year history. Reciprocal assignments are possible. It does not require an even number of people or force everyone into one single cycle.
Settings used in this example
Remove duplicate entries: Off
Keep a usable copy of the result
Use Copy to place the current result in your own notes, or Download to keep a text file. Keep the eligible input list with the result when you need to explain which entries took part. A new generation replaces the displayed result rather than adding to a saved history.
The tool runs in your browser and does not upload your input. Save the result before refreshing or leaving the page. If other people need to use the same outcome, share your saved copy rather than asking them to generate another independent result.
Frequently asked questions
Can three people do a self-free Secret Santa draw?
Yes. Each gives to another participant and receives from the remaining participant, forming a three-person cycle.
Are recipients hidden from the organizer?
No. The full list appears on screen. The organizer must share each assignment privately.
Can I exclude couples or last year’s recipient?
There are no exclusion settings. Use a different process if those constraints are required.
What should I check in the worked example?
Each of the five gives once and receives once. Secret Santa is an assignment problem, not a requirement to divide the group into two-person pairs.