BYTETOOLS

Secret Santa Generator

Draw Secret Santa names online with no signup or email. Nobody draws themselves, couples can be excluded, and each match stays hidden until it is tapped.

What is the Secret Santa Generator?

The Secret Santa Generator draws gift-giving pairs for your group in one click. Paste the list of names, add exclusions for couples, housemates or anyone who swapped last year, and the tool produces an assignment where nobody draws their own name and no exclusion is broken.

  • True derangement — nobody ever draws themselves
  • Exclusion pairs for couples, housemates and repeat matches
  • Tap-to-reveal cards that hide again straight away
  • Printable slips as a PNG sheet, plus a plain-text pairing list
  • Clear error when the exclusion rules make a draw impossible
  • No signup, no emails, no server — 100% in your browser

How to use the Secret Santa Generator

  1. 1

    Paste your participants into the box, one name per line.

  2. 2

    Add exclusions if needed — put two names on one line separated by a pipe so they never draw each other.

  3. 3

    Set an event name and gift budget for the printed slips.

  4. 4

    Press Draw names, then hand the device round so each person taps only their own card.

  5. 5

    Or download printable slips to fold and hand out, or the full pairing list.

About the Secret Santa Generator

The Secret Santa Generator draws gift-giving pairs for your group in one click. Paste the list of names, add exclusions for couples, housemates or anyone who swapped last year, and the tool produces an assignment where nobody draws their own name and no exclusion is broken.

It is designed to be used with everyone in the room. Each person's match stays hidden behind a card until they tap it, and tapping again hides it before you hand the device on. When people are not together, download the printable slips and cut them up, or save the pairing list if one organiser is happy to know everything.

There are no email addresses to collect, no accounts and no server — the draw happens in your browser using its cryptographic random source and is forgotten the moment you close the tab. Reload the page and the assignment is gone, so save or print before you leave.

Frequently asked questions

How does the Secret Santa draw avoid people getting themselves?

It shuffles the recipient list with an unbiased Fisher–Yates shuffle, then checks that nobody is paired with their own name and that no exclusion is violated. If the check fails it reshuffles, so the assignment you see is always a valid derangement.

Can I stop couples from drawing each other?

Yes. Put both names on one exclusion line separated by a pipe, like Alice | Bob. The rule works both ways, and you can list three or more names on a line to block a whole household.

Do I need everyone's email address?

No, and that is the point. Nothing is emailed and nothing is stored. Either pass the device around so each person reveals only their own card, or print the slips and hand them out.

What if the draw says no valid assignment exists?

That means the exclusions are too tight for the group — for example four people all excluded from each other. The message names the problem when one person has no legal recipient at all; otherwise remove an exclusion pair or add another participant.

How many people do I need for Secret Santa?

Three is the practical minimum. With only two people the draw is forced and both immediately know their match, so the tool asks for at least three names.

Can I see the results again later?

Only if you saved them. Nothing is stored, so reloading or closing the page clears the draw. Download the slips or the pairing list first if you need a record.

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