Secret Santa Generator

Enter names, generate assignments. Click each card to reveal who they got.

About this tool

Enter your group's names and this generator produces a valid Secret Santa assignment — everyone gives one gift, receives one gift, and no one draws themselves. Assignments appear as face-down cards you reveal one at a time, or all at once, so it works both for in-person reveals and for one organizer distributing pairings.

When to use it

Worked example

Six coworkers: add the names, click Generate Assignments, and six cards appear face-down. Run the reveal live in a meeting — each person clicks only their own card, sees "You got: Priya," and keeps it to themselves. Someone forgot to join? Reset, add them, and regenerate: a fresh derangement takes seconds. The organizer can use Show All privately if they need the full mapping to send out individually.

Frequently asked questions

Can someone be assigned themselves?

No. The generator only produces assignments where every giver is matched to a different person — mathematically, a derangement — so a self-draw is impossible, no matter how many times you regenerate.

Does the organizer have to see everyone's assignments?

Only if they choose to. Cards start hidden; in a live reveal each participant clicks just their own card. Show All exists for organizers who need the full list to distribute pairings privately.

Can two people end up giving to each other?

Yes — mutual pairs like Alice→Bob and Bob→Alice can occur, and they're a legitimate outcome. If your group prefers a single gift cycle with no mutual pairs, regenerate until the arrangement suits you.

Are the assignments saved anywhere?

No. Everything happens in your browser and vanishes when you close the tab, so regenerate only after everyone has noted their assignment — there's no way to recover a previous draw.