Partners usually buy each other a present anyway, so drawing your own partner in Secret Santa wastes the surprise. On this page the names screen accepts a shortcut: type Ana + Ben (or Ana & Ben) and both names are added and paired at once. The pair appears on the Any couples? screen, where you can still add or remove pairs by tapping names. Partners will not draw each other, in either direction.
Every couple removes some of the possible draws. The table counts them exactly, for groups where everyone is in a couple or a few are single. It also shows how often a plain draw, without the couples rule, would have given at least one person their own partner.
| People | Couples | Possible draws | Plain draw hits a couple |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 1 | 0 | always |
| 4 | 2 | 4 | 56% |
| 5 | 2 | 16 | 64% |
| 6 | 3 | 80 | 70% |
| 8 | 4 | 4,752 | 68% |
| 10 | 5 | 440,192 | 67% |
Two lessons. A couple plus one single person (three people) can never work: both partners would have to draw the single person. And with only two couples there are just four possible draws, so players can often guess who has whom. From three couples on, the draw becomes properly hard to guess.
Some groups prefer couples to shop together: each couple draws another couple. Enter each couple as one name, such as “Ana and Ben”, without the plus sign. The draw then treats the pair as a single participant.
Ex-partners in the same group, or siblings who always end up together? Pair them the same way. For families with kids, see family Secret Santa.
Tap Together, right now, then type each name and press Add, or paste a whole list. You need at least 3 people, and nobody can draw themselves.
One question per screen, depending on the page: gift ideas, couples who shouldn’t draw each other, then the budget per gift, often already chosen here. Press OK to go on.
Choose Pass the phone: each person taps their name, then holds the button to see their match. Or choose Private links and send one link per person in your group chat.
We build tools that are as simple and intuitive as possible, with a few bonuses here and there. Tell us what would make this one better.
It works on this page. Elsewhere, add the names one by one and tap the two partners on the Any couples? screen; the result is the same.
The pairs leave someone with nobody to draw. It happens in very small groups, such as one couple and one single person. Add a participant or remove a pair, and the draw works again.
Yes. The tool picks among all the draws that respect your pairs, each with the same chance, using your browser’s cryptographic random generator.
Yes. Tap the same name with different people to create several pairs, for example to keep a parent away from both of their children.
Yes. Choose Together, right now, add the names and answer three quick questions. Then pass the phone around, or send one private link per person in your group chat.
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