The basic rules
- Everyone secretly draws exactly one other person.
- Nobody reveals whom they drew – until the gift exchange.
- Everyone sticks to the same budget.
- Gifts are exchanged on the agreed day, ideally anonymously.
Classic Secret Santa
A nice, thoughtful gift within the agreed budget. Wish lists help make sure it really fits.
Kitsch Secret Santa
The kitschier, the better: glitter, reindeer, blinking lights. Ideal for holiday parties because unwrapping guarantees laughs.
White elephant
Unloved things from home get passed on – from an ugly candle holder to an unread self-help book. It costs nothing and is often the funniest variant. Tip: still set a few limits so nothing broken gets gifted.
Homemade Secret Santa
Baked, crafted, knitted or painted: effort counts, not price. Popular choices are cookies in a tin, mulled wine spices in a jar or hand-dipped candles.
Experience and themed Secret Santa
Gift experiences instead of things – a cinema night or a day trip together. With a theme, all gifts match a topic, e.g. “cosy winter evening” or “everything red”.
What should the budget be?
€10 to €25 is common. At work rather €10 to €15, in families also €20 to €30. For white elephant: €0.