As remote work and long-distance gatherings become more common, many of us are looking for creative ways to celebrate the holidays with friends, family, or coworkers—no matter where they are.
One of the best ways to bring people together during the holidays is through a virtual Secret Santa exchange. Even though you can’t be in the same room, the excitement of giving and receiving gifts remains the same, and with the right tools, it’s easier than ever to organize.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through 7 steps on how to do Secret Santa virtually using our Secret Santa platform. With features like automatic name drawing, digital Gift Lists, and built-in event management tools, our platform ensures your virtual exchange is just as fun and stress-free as an in-person one.
Step 1: Set Up Your Virtual Event
The first step to hosting a successful virtual Secret Santa is setting up your event. Determine who will be participating in the gift exchange and decide on a budget. Once you’ve got your guest list ready, you can set up your event on our Secret Santa platform.
How to Do It:
- Choose a date for the virtual gift exchange, giving participants plenty of time to shop and send their gifts.
- Set a budget to ensure everyone is on the same page—this keeps the gift exchange fair and fun.
- Use our platform to create your event. Our easy-to-use Admin Dashboard lets you input details like the date, budget, and guest list.
Step 2: Send Invitations and Gather RSVPs
After setting up the event, you’ll need to invite participants and confirm their RSVPs. The great thing about our platform is that everything is done digitally, so there’s no need to chase people for responses or gather addresses manually.
How to Do It:
- Send digital invitations through the platform. Participants will receive an email invitation with all the event details and a link to join the exchange.
- Use the Admin Dashboard to track RSVPs and send reminders if needed.
Step 3: Automatically Draw Names
One of the trickiest parts of a traditional Secret Santa exchange is organizing the name draw. However, when you’re doing Secret Santa virtually, our platform simplifies this step with its automatic name-drawing feature. No more complicated spreadsheets or manual name-picking—our platform handles it all for you!
How to Do It:
- Once everyone has RSVP’d, use the platform to automatically assign Secret Santas. The platform will randomly pair up participants and notify them privately about the receiver of their gift.
- The name assignments are kept secret, ensuring the mystery and fun of the gift exchange.
Step 4: Encourage Participants to Create Gift Lists
With a virtual Secret Santa, it’s important to make sure everyone knows what their gift recipient would like. That’s where our Gift List feature comes in! Instead of asking questions or guessing, participants can create a digital Gift List that allows them to share the items they’d love to receive.
How to Do It:
- Ask each participant to build a Gift List through the platform. They can add specific items from any online store, ensuring their Secret Santa has a clear idea of what they want.
- Encourage participants to be specific, adding details like favorite colors, hobbies, or brands to make gift-giving easier.
- Gift givers can then browse their recipient’s Gift List and select the perfect item without any guesswork.
Step 5: Shop and Ship the Gifts
One of the challenges of a virtual Secret Santa is making sure the gifts arrive on time, especially if participants are spread across different locations. Thankfully, with Gift Lists linked to online stores, shopping for and shipping gifts is simple.
How to Do It:
- Once you’ve selected a gift from the Gift List, purchase the item online and have it shipped directly to the recipient’s address.
- Most online stores offer gift-wrapping services or allow you to include a personalized note, so your recipient gets a festive experience even from afar.
- Make sure to schedule the gift delivery so it arrives before the virtual reveal party!
Step 6: Plan a Virtual Reveal Party
Just because you’re doing Secret Santa virtually doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate together! Plan a virtual gift-opening party where everyone logs in via video chat to open their gifts and reveal their Secret Santas.
How to Do It:
- Use a video chat platform like Zoom, Google Meet, or Microsoft Teams to host the event. Share the meeting link with all participants ahead of time.
- On the day of the event, have everyone join the call with their gifts in hand.
- Each participant can take turns opening their gift on camera, guessing who their Secret Santa is, and revealing their identity afterward.
Step 7: Keep the Holiday Spirit Alive
The fun doesn’t have to end with the gift exchange! You can make the virtual event even more interactive by adding games, holiday trivia, or virtual Secret Santa clues to keep everyone engaged.
How to Do It:
- Add a fun twist to the reveal by incorporating a game, like guessing who bought which gift before revealing Secret Santas.
- Share holiday jokes or trivia questions between gift openings to keep the energy festive and light.
- You can also send out “Secret Santa clues” ahead of time, giving recipients a playful hint about their Santa’s identity.
How Our Secret Santa Platform Simplifies Virtual Exchanges
Organizing a virtual Secret Santa doesn’t have to be complicated. With our Secret Santa platform, every step of the process is simplified, from inviting participants to organizing the gift exchange and hosting the virtual event.
Here’s why our platform is perfect for virtual gift exchanges:
Digital Name Drawing: No need to worry about manually organizing the name draw. The platform does it for you, keeping things fair and anonymous.
Gift Lists: Participants can build personalized Gift Lists with items from any online store in the world, making it easy for their Secret Santa to choose the right gift.
Event Management: Track RSVPs, send reminders, and communicate with participants, all from one place.
Stress-Free Shopping: Gifts can be purchased directly from the recipient’s Gift List and shipped straight to their door, saving time and effort.
Whether you’re organizing a family gathering, a work event, or a holiday party with friends, our platform ensures your virtual Secret Santa exchange is easy, fun, and memorable.
Ready to Host a Virtual Secret Santa?
Doing Secret Santa virtually is the perfect way to bring people together, no matter where they are. With these 7 steps and our Secret Santa platform, you can organize a fun, stress-free gift exchange that everyone will enjoy.
Sign up today and start planning your virtual Secret Santa exchange, complete digital Gift Lists, automatic name drawings, and a festive virtual reveal party!
