Free Printable Secret Santa Questionnaire for a Fun Gift Exchange

Choosing a Secret Santa gift can be challenging, especially if you don’t know the recipient well. With a free printable Secret Santa form, you can make sure everyone gets the gift they love this Christmas.

Completing the free Secret Santa questionnaire

Secret Santa is a wonderful tradition that adds mystery and excitement to the gift-giving process. But what if you’re not quite sure what gift will make your family member or coworker happier this year? This is when using a questionnaire or a wishlist can help a lot and make the game more enjoyable for everyone. 

Why use a Secret Santa questionnaire for your gift exchange? 

A detailed Secret Santa questionnaire can ease your gift exchange and eliminate the guessing game. When you’re not sure what to give to your family member or coworker, you cannot ask them directly, because this will ruin the mystery. 

With a detailed Secret Santa form with questions about the person’s favorites (music, movies, color, games, and sports), preferences, and dislikes, you have a better chance of getting something they will truly enjoy. 

Free questionnaire for Secret Santa

This printable Secret Santa template is suitable for gift exchanges with family, friends, and coworkers. It has insightful questions about the player’s preferences, likes, and expectations, helping each Secret Santa to pick a great thoughtful present for their giftee. 

Free printable Secret Santa survey

How to use the questionnaire 

The Secret Santa questionnaire makes choosing gifts easier and faster for everyone. You can draw names using the filled-out forms. Here’s how it works: 

  1. Download the picture and print it on white or colored paper.
  2. Let participants fill out everything and write their names at the top of their questionnaire. 
  3. Fold each questionnaire and put them into a box. 
  4. Have players draw names. Thus, each participant will see the giftee’s name plus their gift preferences, which eliminates guessing. 
  5. Alternatively, you can write the names of players on pieces of paper and draw them from the hat or a Christmas stocking. After that, the game host distributes the questionnaires to each player.

Using questionnaires helps find out each player’s gift preferences. However, this method has its downsides. It isn’t convenient with many players, and if someone draws his own name, the draw starts over. Moreover, it’s not always convenient to gather players in one location to draw names from the hat. 

To make name-drawing easier for everyone, try an online Secret Santa generator. With an online organizer, you can draw names in seconds, specify gift preferences, and many more. 

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How to Do Secret Santa in The Office: A Complete Guide
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How to Do Secret Santa in The Office: A Complete Guide

Organize an online Secret Santa with wishlists 

If using paper questionnaires is not convenient for your group or you want to exchange presents remotely, try the MySanta online generator. You can invite players via the link or QR code. Each player can specify their gift preferences before joining the game to help their Santa choose a great personalized present. 

Tell about your ideal gift and what not to give before joining the game in the MySanta app

In the MySanta app, players can also create personalized wishlists. Here’s how it works. A player can add the link to any product to their wishlist, or pick gifts from suggestions. Your Secret Santa will see the wishlist and can pick the exact item you want for Christmas. 

Wishlist with links to specific items in the MySanta app

Here are the additional features you can enjoy with an online Secret Santa generator: 

  1. Unlimited players. An online generator can draw names for 10 or 100 participants, recording everything and keeping gift progress. 
  2. Set exceptions. Exclude one or several people from gifting to each other. 
  3. Secret chats. Each Secret Santa can talk to the giftee anonymously to find out more about their gift preferences, which adds another layer of mystery. 
Try our MySanta app
You can create wishlists, add exclusions, and communicate with your gifree secretly. Moreover, there is an option to track gifts and ensure that everyone buys a present on time.
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Try our MySanta app

Tips to organize a smooth Secret Santa exchange this year 

Make sure everyone knows the rules

Not everybody plays Secret Santa regularly, so ensure that all the participants know the game rules. The key is choosing a personalized present for one assigned player and keeping things secret until the exchange day! In case someone needs a reminder, here are the rules for playing Secret Santa in person and online

Set a gift budget 

Setting a limit for presents helps avoid frustration when someone gets expensive, nice presents, and someone ends up with a chocolate bar or a low-end shampoo. Set the budget for gifts, for example, $20, and encourage everyone to choose something around that amount.  

Choose a theme for gifts 

Assigning a gift theme encourages creativity, plus players will be looking forward to something specific, which increases excitement and anticipation. Set a theme that matches the interests of your group of friends and coworkers. 

10 Secret Santa gift themes 

1. Cozy and comfort gifts
2. Tech gifts and gadgets
3. Office essentials
4. Self-care day
5. Traveler’s essentials
6. Handmade/DIY gifts 
7. TikTok viral gifts
8. Coffee and tea lover items
9. 80s Retro nostalgia 
10. Home décor and accessories 

Host a fun gift exchange party 

Turn your gift exchange into an exciting experience by planning a reveal party! Put the wrapped gifts with the recipients’ names under the Christmas tree. Have everyone unwrap their present and guess the Santa. A lot of fun and surprises is guaranteed. 

Plan more traditional activities to liven up the party, such as Holiday Never Have I Ever, Pictionary game, Christmas trivia, or board games. Browse more fun activities in our article below. 

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14 Fun family Christmas party ideas and activities
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14 Fun family Christmas party ideas and activities

Organizing a Secret Santa is a great way to spread holiday cheer and celebrate the season. Using a printed questionnaire or online wishlist will help the participants choose an ideal present for the assigned player, even if it’s a distant friend or coworker. 

FAQs 

What should you avoid asking in a Secret Santa questionnaire?

Avoid including overly intrusive questions in your Secret Santa form. For example, questions about specific clothing sizes, exact salary ranges, or sensitive personal preferences are a big no-no. Instead, focus on broad interests, favorite colors/sports/movies, activities they engage in, and types of gifts they prefer.

Are there Secret Santa forms suitable for virtual gift exchanges?

For a virtual gift exchange, it is more convenient to use online forms and wishlists than printed questionnaires. For example, in the MySanta app players can specify the types of gifts they prefer or complete a shareable online wishlist to give specific gift ideas to their Secret Santa.

Is it better to use a printable or digital Secret Santa questionnaire?

The choice between a printable or digital Secret Santa questionnaire depends on your group's preferences and logistics. Printable questionnaires are perfect for in-person family gatherings and those less comfortable with technology. For larger and remote gift exchanges, digital forms are more convenient as they streamline distribution and organization.

What if someone doesn’t fill out the Secret Santa questionnaire?

If your giftee hasn't completed the printed Secret Santa questionnaire, try to gather information about their interests through casual conversation with mutual friends or family, or browse their social media profile. If you use a Secret Santa organizer, many of them (including MySanta) have anonymous chats where you can ask the recipient any questions to learn more about their preferences.