Office Secret Santa without the awkward moments

How office Secret Santa works

First, everyone who wants to take part says yes. Then comes the draw: each person gets exactly one other person, their Wichtelkind (their giftee), and nobody draws themselves. Who drew whom stays secret until the reveal.

Before the agreed day, everyone gets a gift for their giftee. At the end the gifts are handed over, often at the Christmas dinner or on the last office day before the holidays. Some teams also reveal who gave what; others deliberately leave it open.

There are several ways to draw: names from a hat, a spreadsheet or an online tool. Names from a hat are simple but only work if everyone is in the same place, and whoever draws themselves has to draw again. With an online tool, each person receives their giftee by email or in an app, and nobody needs to know the pairs, not even the organiser.

Setting the budget

A fixed budget per gift is the most important Secret Santa rule. It means nobody feels under pressure and the gifts are comparable.

Common amounts are CHF 10, 20 or 30. Which one fits depends on the team: a lower amount makes it easy for everyone to join, a higher one leaves more room for something personal. What matters is less the amount than that it is fixed in advance and the same for everyone.

State the budget in francs rather than as «something small». A vague figure leads some people to spend 5 francs and others 40, and that is exactly what makes unwrapping awkward.

Five rules that avoid friction

Clear rules save discussions while unwrapping. Keep them short: five points are enough for most teams; anything else can be settled when questions come up.

Write these rules down briefly before the draw, for example in the invitation:

• The budget is a ceiling, not a target. Spending less is perfectly fine.
• No gifts that embarrass anyone: no jokes about looks, age or weight.
• Be mindful of allergies, alcohol and religion. When in doubt, choose something neutral.
• The draw stays secret. Whoever reveals their giftee spoils it for everyone else.
• A clear date for the handover, so nobody is left empty-handed.

When to draw and when to reveal

Hold the draw at the end of November so everyone has enough time to find a fitting gift. Two to three weeks of lead time is comfortable, especially if someone orders online.

For the handover, pick a time when as many people as possible are there: the Christmas dinner, a shared morning break or drinks on the last office day. Allow about half an hour so each gift gets a short moment of its own.

If you reveal at the Christmas dinner, collect the gifts in one place beforehand so nobody has to carry their parcel through the restaurant. Anyone who misses the evening gets their gift on the next office day, ideally with a short moment in the team rather than left quietly on the desk.

A date right before the holidays has one drawback: many people are already away. So check beforehand when most of the team will still be in the office.

If someone doesn't want to join

Taking part should always be voluntary. Not everyone celebrates Christmas, some people have little time or money in December, and others simply don't enjoy gift rituals.

So ask people to opt in rather than signing everyone up automatically. A decline needs no reason and should not be visible to the team. Anyone who doesn't take part is, of course, still welcome at the Christmas dinner.

A decline before the draw is no problem. Dropping out afterwards is trickier, because a giftee is then left without a gift. So decide in advance who steps in if that happens, for example the person organising it.

How Wichtli handles office Secret Santa

Wichtli invites your team by link, CSV or company email and reminds anyone who hasn't joined yet. The draw is random and follows your rules, such as not your own team and not the same pair as last year. HR never sees the pairs, and declines are reported to nobody.

Wichtli sets the budget limit and uses a questionnaire to show what the giftee likes. On the last office day you reveal everything together on the big screen.