Secret Santa at Work: Your Guide to a Seamless Office Gift Exchange

What is Secret Santa?

The Christmas game of Secret Santa is popular around the world. Each participant is randomly assigned to be a Secret Santa Santa for another player, and without revealing their identity, they give that person a gift. This method of exchanging Christmas trinkets is especially popular in large groups like offices, classrooms, or student organizations.

Secret Santa Rules for the Office

You can play Secret Santa traditionally or using an online generator. Let's dive into each method a little deeper.

Traditional Secret Santa Game

All participants gather at the office, write their names on pieces of papers, and drop names into a Christmas hat or box. Each player then draws a name to learn who they will give a gift. It's crucial to agree on the gift budget and the format of giving beforehand.

On the chosen day, everyone brings wrapped and labeled gifts and places them at a designated spot. Later, a colleague ceremoniously hands out each Christmas gift. Often, Secret Santa is organized during the office Christmas party or the last working day before Christmas.

Online Game

If the team or part of it works remotely, or if the company is too large to gather in one place, you shouldn't skip the game. Secret Santa can be organized online with a generator like MySanta. Here's how it works:

• Creating the game — A colleague creates the online game and sends a link with the invitation to the corporate chat. They must specify the gift budget and the deadline for joining.
• Adding participants — Players accept the invite and fill out a short questionnaire, indicating what they'd like to receive as a gift and what should be avoided.
• Setting exceptions — Once everyone registers, the game organizer can add necessary exceptions, for example, John doesn't gift to Bob. This feature is useful for teams with tense relationships or disagreements among employees.
• Draw — Once all players are in, the organizer conducts a draw. The system randomly assigns Secret Santas and sends each player their recipient's name.
• Preparing the gift — Each player prepares a gift according to their recipient's wish list. If everyone plays remotely, the gifts are mailed. If it's during an office party, surprises are left at a designated spot.

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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How to Invite Coworkers to Participate

There are several ways to inform colleagues about the Secret Santa game:

• In person, if you have a small work team
• By message in the corporate chat
• Via an email newsletter
• With a note in a public area.

The invitation should clearly outline the purpose and rules of the game so that participants understand:

• The deadline for joining and how to do it
• How and where the draw will take place
• The budget for the gift
• How to deliver the gift to their recipient.

If you decide to conduct a themed Secret Santa for employees or add new rules to the traditional version, you'll need to explain this in detail to the players.

You can create an online game in the MySanta app and invite players using the link. In the personal account, you can see who has joined the game. Once all players are in, the system will hold an online draw, and each player will receive an email with the name of their gift recipient.

How to Draw Names in the Office

Determining who will be whose Secret Santa is done through a draw. There are three ways to conduct it, and we'll explain each in more detail.

Traditional Secret Santa Draw

Participants gather in one place, write their names on papers, and toss them into a box or hat. Each person then draws a note to find out who they'll be gifting.

If someone draws their own name, the draw must be redone. It's important for every player to keep their note safe, so they don't forget the recipient's name. It's best to photograph the note or save the name in their phone notes immediately.

Quick Secret Santa Draw

This is an excellent method for small companies up to about nine people. All that's needed is a phone or computer. Go to MySanta app, click Create Game – Quick Game, and enter participant names. If everyone is nearby, each player can look at who they're gifting. If not, the draw results can be emailed or sent via a messaging app.

Online Secret Santa Draw

A participant creates an online game and invites players via email or with a special link. Once everyone has joined, they draw names and the system randomly assigns Secret Santas. Each player receives an email notification with the name of their gift recipient. The organizer can also enable the feature showing who gives a gift to whom to monitor game progress and ensure everyone receives a gift.

Secret Santa Gift Ideas for Coworkers

The most enjoyable, yet sometimes challenging, part of the game is choosing a gift. We'll share what to gift your colleagues, how to present gifts at the office party, and what gifts to avoid.

What to Gift as Secret Santa

Typically, in Secret Santa, colleagues give each other books, board games, personalized mugs, blankets, alcohol, or sweets.

If you know your colleague well, give something practical or that will make them smile. If you know them only professionally and are unsure what might delight them, check our gift ideas in the table below.

To make gift choosing easier for Secret Santas, it's helpful to include gift preferences along with the name during the draw. This way, participants can receive what they desire, and Santas won't be puzzled.

Gifts to Avoid

Humorous gifts aren't appreciated by everyone. If you're not close with your colleague, it's better to choose traditional gifts. It's also important to consider the budget. Exceeding the amount a bit is fine, but bringing a too-cheap gift is not an option.

How to Give Gifts at Work

The simplest way to exchange Christmas gifts is to bring signed gift boxes on a set day and leave them in one place, such as a meeting room, office lobby, or a separate table at the Christmas party. The game organizer, an HR specialist, or the company leader can distribute gifts or place them at desks.

Here are a few unique ways to hand out gifts to recipients:

• In the office — each Santa can discreetly place a gift on the recipient’s desk. You could also come up with fun tasks for those caught "in the act." For an additional challenge, each Santa hides the gift and leaves a clue for the recipient. All participants simultaneously search for gifts and then show what they found.
• At the party — if the party's format allows, you can arrange a Santa with riddles. Upon receiving their gift, participants guess the giver's name. Each gift should include a card with a hint.

Also read:

Top Holiday Team-Building Activities for Remote and Hybrid Teams

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Secret Santa Game Rules for Coworkers

When hosting Secret Santa for colleagues in the office or at a party, remember participation should be voluntary. Don't force employees, or threaten with warnings or penalties. The game should be enjoyable and delightful for all participants.

The main rule of Secret Santa at work is to keep your identity secret and remain an anonymous giver until the game ends. It's crucial to take gift selection seriously and adhere to the pre-set gift budget.

In Summary

Secret Santa is a Christmas game that allows for anonymous gift exchanges. By organizing the game in the office, you'll add festive spirit to the work routine, strengthen team morale, and give your colleagues a touch of magic and joy.

You can play Secret Santa both in the office and remotely. Each player is randomly assigned as a Secret Santa to another participant and buys them a gift.

When inviting colleagues to the game, it's important to establish the following: the deadline to join, the format of the draw, the gift budget, and the method of gift delivery.

Simplifying and making the game more exciting is possible with the MySanta service. You can create multiple games, invite unlimited players, add exceptions, fill wishlists, chat anonymously, track gifts, and more.

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