Tips for Holding a Secret Santa for Gift Giving

Many families and groups of friends are thinking of holding a Secret Santa with their gift giving this year. Secret Santas can be lots of fun, but they can also be stressful. When you change a big tradition like gift giving, you need clear rules and an understanding of what will take place. Most of all people need to agree on the terms so that everyone will be doing the same thing for the Secret Santa.

If you’ve never heard of a Secret Santa, it’s simple: people agree to spend a set limit on a gift for Christmas (say $20 or $50) and draw names from a hat. Some groups also give suggested gift ideas with the name you draw so you know what that person would like to receive – others don’t do anything about gift ideas and that is up to you. You choose a day to exchange gifts. Some groups reveal who was your Secret Santa, other groups keep that a secret forever. Again that is up to you.

One of the most important keys to a successful Secret Santa is agreeing on your rules. Whatever your rules may be. So making sure that everyone is satisfied with the set dollar amount and that they understand that they stick to it. Making sure that the deadline for getting gifts under the tree is an agreeable one. Every family or group is different and your rules need to compliment your specific needs. That’s the most important secret to success.

Many families and groups have found it very useful to include gift ideas with someone’s name, especially when a Secret Santa is buying a gift that costs more than $20. This means that the gift recipient will get something they are really hoping for. Instead of something that could be kind of a guess on the gift shopper’s part. Not every family or group member may be a close as others could be – so some may find it easier or harder to shop for Secret Santa. This is actually part of the fun.

Try to have an event where you pass out the gifts and open them. If this is not Christmas then serve cookies and hot cocoa one afternoon or evening to open gifts together. This is fun and also gives people a chance to thank their Secret Santa for the gifts.