How to Set Up a Secret Santa For Hybrid Teams: 7 Essential Rules

Whether your teams work from office or have a hybrid schedule, Christmas is a great opportunity to bring colleagues together and celebrate. The Secret Santa game is exactly what's needed in this situation.

But how do you organize it so both office staff and remote teammates feel like a part of the same celebration, as if they were standing next to each other? In this article, you'll find several tips on how to unite hybrid teams at Christmas. Plus, we'll explain how the MySanta service helps easily synchronize the game for distributed participants.

The Challenges of Hybrid Secret Santa at Work

Planning Christmas in a hybrid team is not an easy task. You need to account for the interests of those in the office while also planning an event for remote employees. Some colleagues gather in person, while others only see it on video. As a result, remote workers might feel sidelined, and office staff may find a small in-person group a bit dull.

Under these circumstances, a traditional in-person Secret Santa format isn’t the best idea:

• Colleagues live in different cities or even countries — it’s hard to run an error-free draw.
• Not everyone can bring a gift in person — presents end up waiting around for the right moment.
• It’s difficult to agree on a single budget and deadlines — in the classic format everyone brings gifts to the office on one day, which isn’t possible for hybrid teams.
• It’s hard to keep the festive atmosphere — without a shared gathering, there’s no single moment of exchange, and a self-organized remote draw and delivery can easily reveal identities.

At this point, you might think organizing Secret Santa for a hybrid team is too complicated to be realistic. But the game was created to bring people together even when they’re far apart — and modern tools make it easy to fulfill.

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Using an Online Secret Santa Generator to Run the Exchange

The MySanta app eases organizing and planning Secret Santa in a hybrid team. It handles the draw, protects anonymity, lets participants communicate anonymously via chats, and helps with gift delivery. In the end, you have a ready-made plan for uniting the team and giving every employee a holiday without lengthy planning or extra hassle.

MySanta is a real find for anyone in charge of workplace holiday events. Many companies use a hybrid work format: some employees are in office, some work from home, and some alternate between the two.

Running a virtual Secret Santa online takes the burden off the organizer and solves the key tasks. Here's how the app can help with your hybrid Secret Santa game:

1. Automatic draw. The system randomly assigns Secret Santas in one click. No one draws their own name, and pairs are formed fairly, without mix-ups.
2. Wishlists and questionnaires. Each participant can fill out two small fields with likes and dislikes, and create a wishlist by adding items they like (with links).
3. Anonymous chats. Built-in chats let you ask your recipient or your Santa questions without revealing your identity, and you can also chat freely with all players without moving everyday discussions to other messengers.
4. Supports different delivery formats. Office-based colleagues can exchange gifts in person, while others can use postal or delivery services. Each person marks gift the status — “gift sent” or “received” — so everyone stays informed about their packages.
5. Notifications and reminders. The service reminds players when to buy and send gifts.

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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7 Tips for Organizing a Game for Hybrid Teams

Even with the MySanta service, game success depends on discussing the game details in advance. The budget, timing, exchange format, and gift themes — all of it can directly affect the atmosphere of a hybrid celebration.

Below are a few simple steps to help make Secret Santa in a mixed team not just a convenient way to exchange gifts, but also a fun shared holiday.

1. Start by explaining the rules. This helps popularize a convenient format and can even make life easier for employees by applying the practice to other celebrations. If some in your team are new to Secret Santa, share our complete Secret Santa guide with them.
2. Set the budget. Consider people’s circumstances. After required expenses and gifts for family, everyone has a different amount left — so it’s best to agree on a gift range comfortable for everyone.
3. Set deadlines. The game organizer can set up the details, including registration date, when the draw happens, and the deadline for sending gifts. Thus, it's possible to manage the exchange in one place.
4. Monitor game progress. The service sends important notifications about buying and sending gifts. The game organizer can track the progress and send reminders if needed.
5. Use wishlists. Before joining the game, each player fill out a short form about their gift preferences. The service also has wishlists where players can add links to specific items from online retailers. The more items you add, the easier it is for your Santa to choose a great gift.
6. Organize a hybrid gift delivery. Let office employees exchange gifts in person, while remote teammates join a shared online event. It’s important to unwrap gifts at the same time — that creates the feeling of the shared party, even at a distance.
7. Collect feedback. After the game, ask colleagues what they liked and what could be improved. That will help make the next round even more fun and successful.

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Gift Exchange Reinvented: 7 Fun Alternatives to Secret Santa at Work

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Conclusion

Organizing Secret Santa in a hybrid team is an exciting opportunity to bring everyone closer. The MySanta service removes the organizational headaches and helps unite colleagues across cities and countries. You preserve anonymity, create a sense of surprise, and give everyone the joy of anticipation. Try running the game this year and you’ll see that even at a distance, coworkers can easily feel like part of one big company celebration.

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