Office Secret Santa: how to organize it

An office Secret Santa is an easy way to bring a team together before the holidays. A few clear agreements keep it relaxed.

Step by step

Make it optional: ask early who wants to join. Nobody should feel pressured.
Set a budget: a low limit is common at work so it suits everyone.
Pick a date: the holiday party or a regular team meeting works well.
Draw names: with Santalo you enter the names and get one link per person to send via Slack, Teams or chat. You don't need anyone's email address, and you can take part yourself.
Exchange gifts: open them together. Guessing who drew whom is part of the fun.

Keep gifts neutral: not everyone knows everyone well. An optional wish list helps, and you can turn it on in Santalo.
Remote teams: ship gifts directly or choose digital gifts. Collect addresses through the organizer.
Mix departments: in larger companies, drawing across teams helps people meet new colleagues.
White elephant is a fun alternative when you'd rather skip the budget. Here's how it works.