Virtual Secret Santa: How to Run One Online
Published
To run a virtual Secret Santa, draw names online, send each person a private link, and agree a budget and a date. Gifts go by post or as e-gifts, then everyone opens them together on a video call.
Step by Step
First, collect everyone’s names and agree a budget and an exchange date. Allow at least two weeks if gifts go by post, and longer across borders.
Then draw names with the Secret Santa generator and send each person their link in a direct message. They spin to see who they drew, and there are no accounts or emails to set up.
Sending the Gifts
People won’t always want to share a home address. The organizer can collect addresses privately, or everyone can choose an e-gift, a gift card or a delivery sent by a store.
Add a wish for each person when you draw, so a buyer who has never met them in person still has something to go on.
Opening Them Together
Book 30 minutes on a video call, and spin a wheel of names to choose who opens next. Share your screen, so everyone sees whose turn it is. Finish with a guess-who round, where people guess who gave their gift.
Games to Fill the Call
If some gifts arrive late, the call still works. Open with a festive would you rather, and play a quick game of holiday trivia or charades on camera.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you do Secret Santa online for free?
Type the names into a free generator, draw, and send each person their private link. Ours needs no sign-up or emails.
What if people live in different countries?
Choose e-gifts or a store that delivers locally, and state the budget in one currency so everyone spends about the same.
Draw Names for Free
Type the names and each person gets a private link to spin and see who they’re buying for. No sign-up, no emails.
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