Secret Santa in Online Schools and Colleges: How to Host and What to Consider
This article is for class coordinators, enthusiastic students, and caring educators. Read how to organize the popular game for classmates and easily and quickly exchange Christmas gifts, even if you study online.
What is Secret Santa?
Secret Santa is a fun game that lets everyone feel like a magical gift-giver and receive a present in return. This game is beloved in many student groups, online schools, and offices. Secret Santa spices up the academic routine, fosters camaraderie among classmates, and spreads good cheer before Christmas.
The essence of the Secret Santa game is to give a gift secretly to another person. To do this, gather all participants and draw names to determine who gives a present to whom.
Participants should also pre-agree on a gift budget, and decide on the time and format of the gift exchange. Secret Santa can be played offline or online: in the first case, gifts are exchanged in person, and in the second, they are sent by mail.
The organizer could be a teacher, class representative, online group coordinator, or one of the students.
How to Invite Classmates to the Game
The easiest way to invite classmates to join Secret Santa is to gather everyone after class or ask them to stay online after a webinar. You could also send a message in the group chat and conduct a quick survey.
Invitation Template
Hey all, let's play Secret Santa this year!
What it is. Secret Santa is a Christmas gift exchange game. Each participant becomes a Santa and secretly prepares a gift for another player. In the end, everyone enjoys the joy of preparing a surprise and receiving a gift.
How to become a Secret Santa. We'll meet on [Date and time] to draw names so everyone finds out who they're giving a gift to.
What you can give. Give anything you think will delight the recipient. The gift budget is $10.
Where and how to exchange gifts. All Secret Santas should bring their gifts to the Christmas party on [Date and location].
How to Draw Names for Secret Santa
All the game participants need to gather in a classroom or the university cafeteria, bringing paper and pens. Players write their names on paper and draw names in turn to discover to whom they'll give a gift.
If you study online or just want to streamline the process, draw names in the MySanta app. For a quick draw wit up to 9 players, choose Quick game, enter the classmates’ names, start the draw, and pass the phone around so everyone discovers their recipient’s name.
How to Draw Names Online
Even if you're a remote learner, don’t let that stop you from playing Secret Santa. Sending gifts by mail and having secret chats with your recipient can be even more exciting.
To conduct a remote draw, one participant should create an online game in the MySanta app. They can then invite players via email or a special link.
Once all have joined, draw names, and the system will randomly assign Secret Santas. Each player receives an email notification with a giftee's name.
Participants can create wish lists to make gift choosing easier for Santas, refine preferences in secret chats, and track package delivery. Additionally, the online game organizer can use paid features to set exceptions, see who gives a gift to whom, and fully monitor game progress.
What to Gift for Secret Santa
Participants in a Secret Santa exchange often gift each other items like insulated mugs, books, board games, gift certificates, or sweet gift boxes. If you know your classmate well and understand their hobbies, give something they'll genuinely find useful or that will make them smile. If you're not close and unsure what to pick, check out our gift idea table for inspiration.
| Gift Ideas for Her | Gift Ideas for Him |
|---|---|
| Cosmetic set | Passport holder |
| Jewelry | Cocktail making set |
| Candles and home decor | Tote bag |
| Arts and crafts kits | Portable speaker |
| Stuffed animal | Travel thermos |
| Mug or insulated tumbler | Knit socks |
| Gift card to a cosmetic store | Organizer for cables, headphones, and chargers |
How to Give Gifts
If you're playing offline and can gather in person, bring wrapped and labeled Christmas gifts and leave them in one location, such as a classroom. The organizer will ceremoniously distribute the gifts or place them at the usual student spots. If you're hosting a Christmas party, you can make the gift presentation even more entertaining.
If you're playing online, you can share impressions of your gifts in a group chat or host a year-end video call. During the call, you can show everyone what you received, thank your Santas, greet classmates, and enjoy a heartfelt conversation.
As you can see, hosting a Secret Santa game for students and classmates is quite easy. Play on your own or through the My Santa platform and enjoy even more magic and good cheer.
