Q&A for How to Do a Secret Santa

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What are some homemade gifts you can make?

Community Answer

If you can sew, you could make a pillow or a blanket. You could learn to make homemade salt scrubs if your Secret Santa is female. If you can knit or crochet, your Secret Santa might like a scarf, hat, or sweater in their favorite sports team's colors.

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Should I tell my Secret Santa what I want?

Community Answer

You can, but you shouldn't know who your Secret Santa is.

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Question

What if I don't know what they like?

Community Answer

Have a conversation with them and drop subtle hints. Don't outright ask, "What do you want for Christmas?" Ask questions such as, "What are your hobbies?" to get something relevant to that. Ask them about their favorite movies/games/books/etc.

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Question

What is a reasonable price to set for the gifts?

Community Answer

It depends on how much you have budgeted. If this is a smaller thing that's mostly informal and just for fun, $5 is a good idea because you get to see people get creative with what they have. Do not exceed $20 for any gathering.

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Question

When do we give the presents out?

Community Answer

You give the presents out sometime near Christmas - usually around December 19.

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Question

How do I do a gift exchange so that the person doesn't know who the gift came from?

Community Answer

You could arrive early to school or work or wherever and place the gift at the person's desk or wherever they usually sit, or you could ask a mutual friend to give the person the gift, after they promise not to tell.

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Question

Do you write your name on the present for a secret Santa gift?

Community Answer

No. If you wrote your name on it, it wouldn't be a secret.

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Question

When people do secret Santa, do they still buy for other people too, or just buy for the person they have for Secret Santa?

Community Answer

Usually, the point of a group choosing to do Secret Santa is for each person to only have to buy the one gift, thus saving everyone money and time.

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Question

What are good presents to give my Secret Santa?

Community Answer

Tea, coffee, candles, lotion, a journal, a calendar, a nice pen, candy, a gift certificate to a favorite lunch haunt, or a gift card to favorite place to shop.

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Question

What are some good stores to shop at while doing a Secret Santa?

Community Answer

Go to dollar stores, such as 5 Below and Dollar Tree. They are inexpensive, and often sell things that look more expensive.

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Question

What if they know who gave it to them?

Community Answer

It's not the end of the world. Lots of people decide to tell one another who bought what at the end anyway.

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Question

Should I write the name of the person that I bought the gift for?

Community Answer

Yes, you can. This will ensure that the person who the gift is intended for actually receives it.

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Question

What if there is an uneven number of people for the secret Santa?

Community Answer

Names are drawn at random, not partnered. Odd numbers don't impact the result, each person participating is simply buying a gift for another participant.

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Question

Can I include myself in it?

Community Answer

Yes, you can organize the Secret Santa and still include yourself.

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Question

What is a good Secret Santa gift for high school students?

Community Answer

Popular books or movies are always a good choice for teenagers, or a gift card to a fast food restaurant or Starbucks.

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Question

Can the organizer or name assigner participate in the gift exchange/Secret Santa?

animaljam pal1022

Community Answer

Of course! Just make sure all the names are folded up and shake the hat or box containing the names before choosing.

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Question

Does the giver eventually tell the gift recipient their name?

Community Answer

You can, but it depends on the individual situation.

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Question

How do I organize a Secret Santa gift exchange when everyone lives far apart?

Community Answer

It's best to do this with people you can actually get together with. Otherwise, you'd have to mail gifts to each other.

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Question

What if I'm a child?

Community Answer

You could organize a Secret Santa exchange with your classmates! (You would need to make sure the school and your teacher would allow it though.) You could also ask your family members to participate in a Secret Santa exchange with you.

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Question

Do I write something about the gift so they can guess what it is?

Carole Brock

Community Answer

No. You should let them guess without clues -- it's more fun for both of you!

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Question

How do I reveal myself as the secret Santa?

Carole Brock

Community Answer

Give subtle hints throughout, or just tell them outright. It's your choice!

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Question

Do I put my name down in the inside of a Secret Santa gift so they only get to know their Secret Santa at the very end?

Community Answer

If you'd like to, you can. You could also leave clues as the event draws closer.

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Question

Won't they suspect something if you ask them random questions?

Community Answer

Maybe. Ask your friends to start a conversation and just drop questions in casually.

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Question

Do I put Santa on the gift or my name?

Carole Brock

Community Answer

You just put "Secret Santa." The point is for it to be a secret, and putting your name isn't very secretive.

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Question

In our group, we won't have time to open the gifts together. In this case, can we write our name on the present?

Community Answer

No. If you gave a gift, you cannot write your name on it.

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Question

What if I am broke and I don't like to make crafts?

Community Answer

Offer a service, like cutting the lawn or walking your Secret Santa's dogs.

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Question

If a person is absent on the day the secret Santa is set, can that person still participate?

Community Answer

Leave the gift out for him/her, and he/she can bring in the gift the next day.

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Question

Who will buy the Secret Santa gift for the last one if the headcount is an odd number?

Community Answer

Anyone can. Have two people discuss among themselves if anyone would be willing to buy two gifts. Happy gifting.

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Question

What should I do if we have an odd number of people playing?

Community Answer

That doesn't matter. You aren't "pairing up" to do the exchange -- you are drawing names. The number of participants is not relevant because there will be one name in the hat for each participant to draw.

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Question

What's a good present when doing a Secret Santa?

Community Answer

Candy, books, stationery, tea, dollar store stuff.

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