Secret Santa has gained a lot of popularity in recent years. Learn how to organize it like an expert with our tips and get ready to make the most of it.
Few things are as simple as organizing a Secret Santa party . In fact, with the help of technology, you can have everything ready in less than 10 minutes. So it's no wonder that so many people sign up for this activity to liven up their get-togethers with friends, family or colleagues. Success is guaranteed!
How to organize Secret Santa
One of the best things about organizing Secret Santa is that There are no set rules . We don't even have a clear idea of where Secret Santa comes from! So you can have it whenever, however and with whomever you want. However, here are some ideas to help you take full advantage of its possibilities.
Pre-meeting to organize the secret Santa
To avoid chaos , it is best for participants to meet a few weeks beforehand to organise the Secret Santa. The following decisions are usually made at this meeting:
- Designate an organizer to carry out the Secret Santa raffle.
- Establish the details of the Secret Santa drawing (day, rules, technological or traditional method, etc.).
- Deciding whether a modality will be held special (we will see them later) or the secret friend of a lifetime.
- Set a budget (e.g. €10 gifts). While it is not mandatory, it is highly recommended to ensure that all gifts are equitable.
Secret Santa Giveaway
- If you do the Secret Santa raffle In the old-fashioned way , the organizer will write the names of the participants on pieces of paper and place them in an opaque container. Then, each participant will put his hand in to extract his secret friend.
- Did you know that the Secret Santa draw can also be done online thanks to technology ? There are currently many websites and apps specifically designed to carry out the pairing and communicate the results. It can even be done via WhatsApp!
Of course, in the Secret Santa raffle No participant can be excluded from giving and receiving gifts. Once you are assigned your secret friend, you must give him or her a gift according to the rules that were previously agreed upon (and the recipient's tastes, of course).
It's time to hand out presents!
When the agreed day arrives to celebrate Secret Santa itself, the participants gather to receive their corresponding gifts . To do this, the organizer places the gifts in the same place. All of them must be labeled and packaged.
Next, the organizer takes out the gifts and They are given to the recipient named on the label , who must open it in front of everyone. The process is repeated until there are no more gifts to distribute.
The order in which the gifts are distributed can be determined by a new draw, randomly, or by any other criteria. It will also be even more exciting if the recipient is challenged to guess who their Secret Santa is.
7 tips to make your Secret Santa giveaway a success
- We reiterate the importance of Set a budget beforehand so that no participant is disappointed. This can be a maximum (no more than €20), a fixed price or a maximum and minimum. Remember that you don't need to spend a lot to organise a really cool Secret Santa!
- Make your gift with empathy and refrain from playing practical jokes! Some gifts are sure to be a hit when it comes to celebrating Secret Santa. For example, a decorative air freshener, a bathroom set or a perfume are things that everyone likes.
- In order to make the choice of gifts as successful (and easy) as possible, each recipient can write some suggestions when he puts his name down for the draw.
- In case there are many participants, it is best to organize the secret friend in several groups to prevent the party from becoming too slow and confusing.
- It is best to buy gifts well in advance . After all, they all need to be ready for delivery on the same day and no one should fail. Also, if you are celebrating Secret Santa at Christmas, it is best to plan ahead.
- Whether in person or online, the delivery of Secret Santa gifts It's a party and should be celebrated as such . Make sure there's plenty of music, food, games and fun decorations!
- No one should be forced to participate in Secret Santa. For the sake of fun and good vibes, let only those who really want to participate.
Secret Santa Modalities You Have to Try
The Secret Friend Theme
In this variant of the secret friend it is established a specific theme around which the gifts revolve (e.g. flowers). Obviously, the more specific the theme, the more difficult it will be.
Organize the secret friend with clues
Combining the Secret Santa party with the game of treasure hunts is perfect for increasing the fun even more. This game has three variations: Who is my benefactor?, Where is my gift? and What's in the wrapping?
The thief friend
This modality is the only one where There is no raffle of any kind . All you have to do is put the gifts in one place, set a turn and take one of the gifts.
Gift raffle
We saw earlier that the conventional way of organizing a secret friend is by drawing lots for the names of the participants. However, the object of the draw can also be the gifts that each person brought on the day of the party. The gifts can be put in a large sack so that each participant can take it out by feeling their way through it.
Fun, endearing, exciting... There are certainly plenty of reasons to celebrate Secret Santa. Plus, it's a very quick and easy activity to organise , so... Why don't you start enjoying this game as soon as possible? You're going to have a blast!