Secret Santa 2023 - How to Plan the Perfect Secret Santa
What Is Secret Santa?
Secret Santa refers to a Christmas tradition maintained by people in many countries - you are randomly giving players the names of other participants they need to get a gift for. It can be a perfect opportunity to get closer to your coworkers or come up with a present for a friend you have not seen for a long time - the unpredictability is what makes Secret Santa truly special.
You can invite your inner circle to play the game with you by talking to them or sending a text - this works if there are not too many of you and all participants know each other for a long time; otherwise, use a Secret Santa Gift Exchange Template to sign them up and provide the players with a list of items every person would enjoy.
How to Play Secret Santa?
Follow these steps to have a good time with your loved ones, your friends, and coworkers playing Secret Santa:
- Find out who wants to be a part of this tradition - customize a Secret Santa Sign-Up Sheet Template to include the names of players and get their opinions regarding a budget for the game.
- Conduct a draw - the simplest way to do it is to enter the names of participants on small scraps of paper and put them in the bag or bowl. Ask every player to draw one folded sheet and keep the name secret from others.
- Unless the participants explicitly declare what gift they would love to receive, you may have to learn that information on your own. Typical Secret Santa questions revolve around hobbies, favorite music genres and authors, and foods - in order to misdirect the gift recipient, ask about this anonymously or through someone else.
- During the party, all the gifts should be discreetly put under the Christmas tree or in the area where you are gathering together - players check the Secret Santa Gift Tags, open their presents, and attempt to guess who was their Secret Santa. Generally, you have three tries to figure out the Secret Santa clues and identify the gift giver.
Where to Play Secret Santa?
Secret Santa does not have to be a gift exchange you plan with your family members or roommates only - offer your coworkers to organize it a month before Christmas and fill out a Secret Santa Questionnaire, figure out how to get together with your friends and classmates during the festive period, or propose your hobby club plays Secret Santa to share gifts all of you will enjoy since you know each other well whether you are knitting, discussing books, or learning languages.
What to Put on a Secret Santa Wish List?
In case you believe the easiest way to receive the gift you want is to fill out a Secret Santa Wish List Template, here are some tips that will be useful for you:
- Comply with the budget - do not break one of the essential Secret Santa rules even if you are personally ready to spend more on the gift. Show respect to all the participants and do not allow financial restrictions to discourage you from the heart-warming gift-giving process - smaller and cheaper presents can be great too.
- Do not be too specific especially if you are arranging Secret Santa in early December - your friends and colleagues will not be able to shop for days to find the gift you will consider appropriate. It should be something they can easily purchase in a mall or order online - two or three weeks for delivery have to be taken into account. A book remains a popular gift; you may also ask for items useful in the kitchen or designed to fit any home decor, mention a gift card to a local store, or give your Secret Santa freedom of choice - maybe, they will surprise you with homemade cookies or a souvenir from their country of origin.
- It is possible the person whose task is to choose the gift for you is not close to you - they do not know your tastes and preferences and may feel uneasy thinking their present will not be to your liking. To ensure both parties are comfortable, include items most people like - candies, candles, chocolates, mugs, notebooks, and tea baskets - and funny Secret Santa gifts such as novelty socks and humorous certificates or awards. Alternatively, you may draft a Secret Santa form that records your favorite dishes, books, and sports teams and indicates what items you definitely do not need.
How to Do Secret Santa Virtually?
If you are spending a lot of time online, it is likely you have a group of friends you have never met offline and only talked to via chats, forums, and social media. Why not congratulate each other and send presents in addition to it? The same concept can be utilized by relatives and friends that do not have an opportunity to meet during the holidays - use an online picker to generate pairings, inform the participants about the budget and the deadline date, select the gifts for each other, attach Secret Santa Cards to them, and share the pictures of presents in your group chat or community thanking the secret gift-giver.
Note that if for any reason you and your friends are not comfortable sharing your physical address or other contact information with people you met online, one of the Secret Santa ideas is to prepare virtual gifts. Complete a Secret Santa Invitation Template to reach out to people you want to be a part of the gift exchange and wait for their response - whether you are purchasing an audiobook membership for someone, paying for a subscription service, or selecting a gift certificate that can be sent to your friend's e-mail, you can maintain your anonymity and respect the wishes of the gift recipient.
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