Secret Santa Generator

One tap, full fair draw. No self-pairs, no duplicates, with forbidden-pair rules.

When to use it

Office Secret Santa setup.
Family Christmas planning.
Friend-group gift draws.

When to use Secret Santa Generator

The 30-second window before phones come out at a house party.
Icebreaker for 4-8 people where you don't want the same person always suggesting.
Post-dinner-drinks when the group energy needs a nudge.

How the picker works

Secret Santa Generator runs entirely in your browser — no servers, no accounts, no data sent anywhere. Each pick uses your browser's built-in cryptographic random-number generator (window.crypto.getRandomValues), which is uniformly distributed across the option pool.

The pool for this picker: a curated shortlist. Every option has an equal probability of being selected on any given pick (about <1% per option).

Custom-input picks let you supply your own option pool; the picker returns one at uniform random.

If you want a deliberately weighted pick (favouring some options over others), the picker isn't the right tool — try structuring the choice as a wheel with duplicated entries, or split into two picks (category first, then item within category).

Related pickers + when to prefer each

Secret Santa Generator is one of several related pickers on the site. The rest of this cluster covers adjacent decisions:

Random Picker — the closest neighbour when this picker isn't quite the right fit.

Random Compliment Generator — the closest neighbour when this picker isn't quite the right fit.

Debate Topic Generator — the closest neighbour when this picker isn't quite the right fit.

All picks are independent — running one picker doesn't influence the others.

About this category

Party games decisions collapse without a picker. "What shall we play?" from 6 people at 10pm is a stalemate.

Icebreakers, drinking games, dares, truth-or-dare prompts, group challenges — the category is built for the 30-second window before someone reaches for their phone.

FAQ

Does it stop people drawing themselves?

Yes. The draw uses a proper derangement — every person gives to someone exactly once, every person receives exactly once, nobody is paired with themselves.

Can I stop couples drawing each other?

Yes. Under 'Forbidden pairs' type two names (e.g. 'Alice, Bob') and hit Add. That pair is excluded in both directions. Add as many forbidden pairs as the group constraints require.

How do I share the result with each person?

Each row has a 'Reveal' button. Tap it on each person's own device so only they see their giftee. Admin can tick 'Reveal all' to verify no self-pairs or forbidden pairs slipped through.

Can I save a group for next year?

Yes — up to 20 saved groups per browser. Load one in one click when it's Christmas prep time again.

What if my constraints are too tight?

If no valid assignment exists with your forbidden pairs, the picker tells you so. Remove one constraint, or add more people.