Secret Santa rules, budget tips and gift ideas

Rules for a gift exchange

1. Everyone gives one gift and gets one gift. Nobody draws their own name.
2. Keep your match secret until the day of the exchange.
3. Set one budget for all the gifts, and keep to it.
4. Set one date. Tell the group where and when you give the gifts.
5. Ask each person for a short wish list. It helps the giver and avoids a gift nobody wants.
6. Add a pair for couples, so partners do not buy for each other.
7. Wrap the gift and write only the name of the person who gets it.
8. If a person cannot come, give the gift to a friend of theirs or send it by post.

You can make the draw with the Secret Santa generator.

How to run the exchange

A few small steps make the exchange easy for everyone, also for a big group.

• Choose the organizer first. One person makes the draw and sends the links. Everyone else only opens their own link.
• Say how long people have to buy the gift. Two or three weeks is usual.
• Ask each person to write a wish list with three to five ideas, at different prices.
• If a gift is late, say so early. It is better to ask for more time than to buy in a hurry.
• Decide how to give the gifts: in person, in a pile under a tree, or by post for a group that lives far apart.
• For a group on a video call, each person can open their gift in turn, and the group can guess who gave it.

How to set the budget

• Ask what is fair for everyone. A low budget is kinder to people who have less money.
• Pick a round number, such as $20 or $30. Say if tax and wrapping are in the budget.
• For a big group, a low budget works best. A nice small gift is better than a costly one.
• For a work group, ask the team first. Some people do not want to spend money on colleagues.
• A budget range, such as $20 to $30, gives the giver some room.

Gift ideas by budget

Around $10

• A good pen, a small notebook or a set of stickers.
• A bar of good chocolate, a bag of coffee or a box of tea.
• A candle, a small plant or a pair of warm socks.
• A deck of cards or a small puzzle.

Around $25

• A mug with a bag of coffee or hot chocolate.
• A paperback book that you know the person will like.
• A board game for two players, or a card game for a group.
• A scarf, a hat or a pair of gloves.
• A kitchen tool, such as a good knife for bread or a spice set.

Around $50

• A soft blanket or a good pair of slippers.
• A gift card for a place the person loves.
• A small speaker, a set of headphones or a power bank.
• A cooking class, a movie night kit or a game for the family.
• A hand-made gift: a photo book, a cake or a jar of jam.

The best gift shows that you listened. Read the wish list of your match first. If there is no wish list, ask a friend of the person.