Secret Santa Generator & Gift Exchange Organizer
Create random Secret Santa gift pairings with cryptographically secure randomization
Our Secret Santa generator (also called a gift exchange organizer) automatically creates random gift-giving pairings for your Secret Santa event. Each person gives a gift to exactly one other person, with no one drawing themselves. Uses cryptographically secure randomization (derangement algorithm) to ensure perfectly fair pairings. Supports multiple separators (newlines, commas, semicolons), duplicate removal, and works seamlessly with Excel data. Export pairings as text, CSV, or JSON. Completely free with no signup required.
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What is a Secret Santa Generator?
A Secret Santa generator (also called a gift exchange organizer or Secret Santa picker) creates random gift-giving pairings for your Secret Santa event. Each participant gives a gift to exactly one other person and receives a gift from exactly one other person, with no one drawing themselves.
Our tool uses a derangement algorithm with cryptographically secure randomization (PHP's random_int()) to ensure perfectly fair pairings. A derangement is a permutation where no element appears in its original position—meaning no one can give a gift to themselves. This mathematical approach guarantees fairness and unpredictability.
Secret Santa Configuration Options
Derangement Algorithm
- Cycle Method: Creates a complete cycle of gift-giving (A→B→C→D→A)
- Random Validation: Uses Fisher-Yates shuffle with validation to ensure no self-pairings
- Guaranteed Valid: Always produces valid pairings with 2+ participants
Multiple Separator Support
- Newlines: One name per line (default, best for Excel copy-paste)
- Commas: CSV format (Name1, Name2, Name3)
- Semicolons: European CSV format
- Pipes, Tabs, Spaces: Various data formats
Duplicate Removal
Cryptographically Secure Randomization
How to Generate Secret Santa Pairings
[STEP 1] Enter Participant Names
Paste your list of participant names into the text area. Each name on a new line, or use commas/semicolons to separate. Works perfectly with Excel copy-paste.
[STEP 1] Review Options
Enable "Remove Duplicates" if your list might contain duplicate names. Choose your preferred separator if not using newlines.
[STEP 1] Generate Pairings
Click "Generate Secret Santa" to create random gift-giving pairings instantly. Each person will be paired with exactly one gift recipient.
[STEP 1] Distribute & Export
Send each person their individual pairing privately (don't share the full list!). Export as TXT, CSV, or JSON for record-keeping.
Common Use Cases for Secret Santa
- › Office Holiday Party: Organize gift exchange for coworkers with budget limits
- › Family Christmas: Create Secret Santa pairings for extended family gatherings
- › Friend Group Gift Exchange: Organize gift-giving among friends for holidays or birthdays
- › Online Community Events: Coordinate Secret Santa for Discord servers, online groups, or virtual teams
- › Classroom Gift Exchange: Organize Secret Santa for students with teacher supervision
- › White Elephant Alternative: Create pairings for direct gift-giving instead of group exchange
Secret Santa Best Practices
- _ Set a spending limit before generating pairings (e.g., $20 maximum)
- _ Send pairings individually via email or message—never share the full list publicly
- _ Use "Remove Duplicates" to ensure each person appears exactly once
- _ Save or export pairings as backup in case someone loses their assignment
- _ Generate pairings early (2-4 weeks before) to give time for thoughtful gift selection
- _ Minimum 3 participants recommended, though 2 will work (they'll exchange with each other)
Technical Implementation
Uses a derangement algorithm with cryptographically secure random_int() to create gift pairings where no one draws themselves. Combines Fisher-Yates shuffle with validation or cycle generation.
// Fisher-Yates shuffle for randomization for ($i = count($names) - 1; $i > 0; $i--) { $j = random_int(0, $i); [$names[$i], $names[$j]] = [$names[$j], $names[$i]]; } // Validate derangement (no one gives to themselves) $isValid = true; for ($i = 0; $i < count($original); $i++) { if ($original[$i] === $shuffled[$i]) { $isValid = false; break; } }