How do you draw Secret Santa names fairly?

Use the ring method or a digital draw. Both guarantee nobody draws themselves without a redraw.

What if someone draws themselves?

Redraw the whole group. Swapping two slips makes the draw predictable.

Can you exclude couples from drawing each other?

Yes. Set the exclusions before drawing and check the result against them.

Do you need a draw at all?

No. In the clue variant everyone adds a gift to the pile and writes an anonymous clue.

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Drawing names for Secret Santa

A good draw has to do three things: nobody draws themselves, nobody learns who got whom, and it has to work even when you're not in the same room. Here's how.

Three ways to draw

The hat: write names on slips and draw. Simple, but everyone must be present, and redraws leak information.
The ring method: shuffle the names, lay them in a circle and give to the next one along. Nobody draws themselves, but someone sees the whole list.
A digital draw: the generator draws for you, nobody sees the whole picture, and people can be anywhere.

Common pitfalls

Drawing yourself — solved by the ring method or a digital draw.
Couples drawing each other — set exclusions in advance.
The organiser seeing everything and losing the fun of guessing.
Late drop-outs — decide in advance that you simply redraw.

Do you even need a draw?

Not always. In the clue variant everyone buys a gift for the pile instead of a named person, so no draw is needed — the suspense is in guessing who wrote the clue.

Doing it digitally here

Julklappslek.com is built for the clue variant: the host creates a group, shares the code, and everyone writes their anonymous clue on their own phone. Clues stay hidden until the host unlocks them, and can be presented fullscreen on a TV.

Draw in four minutes

1List participantsDecide exactly who's in before you draw.
2Set exclusionsNote which pairs shouldn't draw each other.
3DrawUse the ring method or a digital draw so nobody draws themselves.
4Tell people privatelyEach person learns only their own recipient.

Frequently asked questions

Skip the hassle

Create a free group and collect everyone's anonymous clues — no draw needed.