How to Organise a Secret Santa: Rules, Budget and Reveal

Secret Santa works best when people know the rules before they draw a name. You do not need a complicated app. You need a clear cap, a way to keep names private and enough time for gifts to arrive.

1. Ask who wants in

Make joining optional. Set the reveal date, then count back for shopping and delivery. For a mixed office or group, ask participants to share gift likes, dislikes and any food or accessibility needs they want their giver to know.

2. Agree the budget

Choose one maximum, not a target people must hit. Say whether postage and wrapping count. A £10 draw should not become £15 because someone "only went a bit over". If you choose an under-£30 draw, check whether everyone is comfortable spending near that amount; £30 is still a meaningful expense.

3. Draw names privately

Use paper slips or a private draw tool. Check no one draws themselves, and agree whether partners or managers should be excluded from drawing each other. Do not publish a list of who bought for whom before the reveal.

4. Set a kind-joke rule

Funny gifts are welcome; humiliating gifts are not. Avoid jokes about health, bodies, religion, money or anyone's private life. Ask people to use a wish list if they are unsure.

5. Plan the reveal

For a physical exchange, label gifts with the recipient's name but not the giver's. For remote teams, confirm postage or digital-gift rules early. Ask each person to open their gift and guess, then let the giver reveal themselves. Keep a way to take part quietly if someone does not want to perform for the group.

For a remote exchange, use the virtual Secret Santa guide to plan the draw and reveal.

If your cap is at least £29.99 and the group accepts digital gifts, a personalised WME Christmas video can be one option. It is not a fit for a £10 or £20 cap. For 10+ company videos, check the separate corporate offer rather than treating its £24.99 volume price as an individual price.

More ideas: Secret Santa gift ideas under £30, Christmas video greetings and corporate Christmas video messages.