Secret Santa for Large Groups: Small Gifts, Big Laughs

Every December, otherwise sensible adults agree to buy a present for someone from accounts they have spoken to twice, in secret, for about the price of a sandwich. It should not work. It works brilliantly.

Whether you are running an office Secret Santa for a team of forty or a family draw that has somehow grown to include Auntie Carol's new neighbour, this guide will help you keep it fun, keep it fair, and keep anybody from going home feeling awkward.

Why a small gift can be so much fun

A big present comes with big expectations. A small one comes with a challenge. What can you find for a tenner that will make Dave from IT laugh out loud?

That is the magic of a small priced gift. Nobody expects it to change their life, so a bit of thought goes a very long way. A bag of the sweets someone always steals from the meeting room, a mug that references the Great Printer Incident, a tiny trophy for Best Biscuit Sharer: these things cost very little and get talked about for weeks.

The limit is what makes it a game. Anyone can impress with an unlimited budget. Delighting someone with a fiver takes talent.

Be clear about the gift limit

This is the most important section in the whole guide, so we have put it in the middle where you cannot escape it.

Picture the moment. You spent a careful ten pounds on a nice candle. The person next to you opens a cashmere scarf. Suddenly your candle feels very small and you would quite like the floor to open up. Nobody meant any harm, and yet here you are.

A clear gift limit, or spending limit if you prefer, stops that happening. It means nobody feels embarrassed that they have not bought enough, and nobody feels silly for having bought too much. It also protects anyone for whom money is tight this December, which may be more people than you would guess.

So say it out loud, and say it early:

• Give one number, not a range. "Around £10 to £20" means one person spends £10 and another spends £20. "£10" means £10. (Or $10, if you are reading this in Ohio.)
• Put it in writing, in the message that announces the draw, so nobody can claim they missed it.
• Choose a number everyone can manage. If in doubt, go lower. A smaller limit is often funnier anyway.
• Treat it as a ceiling that everyone should nearly reach. Well under is fine. Well over is the scarf problem.
• Make it optional to join. Some people would rather sit this one out, and they should not have to explain why.

Running Secret Santa in a large group

Small groups can get away with names in a hat. Large groups need a little more planning.

Start early, so that people have time to shop and the organiser has time to chase. Set three dates in one message: when to sign up, when names will be drawn, and when presents will be opened.

Think about splitting up. With a very large group, it is often nicer to run a Secret Santa per team or department. People are more likely to buy for someone they know, and the opening does not take until New Year.

Decide how the opening will work, too. Plenty of teams save it for the office Christmas party or, across the Atlantic, the office holiday party. Forty people each unwrapping a present in turn is a long time to stand holding a mince pie. A big group might open everything at once, or in small tables.

And remember the people who will not be in the room. Those working from home, on shift or on holiday still need a name, and a way of getting their present.

How it helps team bonding

Nobody is going to put Secret Santa in the annual report. Even so, it does something a team day with a flip chart rarely manages.

To buy a good present, you have to find out something about a colleague. You might ask around, notice what is on their desk or finally learn that they have a greyhound called Kevin. Then, on the day, there is a room full of people laughing together and guessing who bought what. New starters get a way in. Teams that only ever talk about deadlines get to talk about Kevin.

It costs very little, and for one afternoon everyone is on the same side.

Funny presents, and how to keep them kind

Funny Secret Santa gifts are the ones people remember. The trick is that the person opening it should be laughing as well. Try these:

• A "World's Okayest Colleague" mug
• A desk-sized punch bag or a tiny zen garden for the office
• A rubber duck dressed as something improbable, for talking through problems
• A framed photo of the office plant, signed by the plant
• A pack of socks with the recipient's dog's face on them, if you can get the photo without being caught

Before you wrap it, ask yourself one question: would I be happy for them to open this in front of the whole team, and my manager, and their mum? Steer well clear of anything about someone's body, age, looks or love life. The joke should be about the mug, never the person.

Practical presents people really use

Not everyone wants a novelty duck. Some people feel real joy at a decent pen. Practical Secret Santa gifts are a safe and lovely choice, particularly if you do not know the person well:

• A good notebook and pen
• A travel mug or a reusable water bottle
• A cosy pair of socks or gloves
• A phone stand or a long charging cable
• A really nice bar of chocolate or a box of good teabags
• A book token or a coffee shop gift card, up to the limit

The best presents are often a bit of both: a practical thing with a silly twist. A notebook labelled "Ideas I Will Definitely Follow Up" works for almost anybody.

The simple rules for a happy Secret Santa

1. Decide who is in, and let anyone opt out.
2. Announce one clear gift limit.
3. Share the dates for the draw and the opening.
4. Draw names, keeping the results secret.
5. Remember the people who are not in the room.
6. Keep gifts kind.
7. Enjoy guessing who bought what.

Drawing the names without the hat

If you would rather not cut up paper and pray nobody draws themselves, GiftGnome is an iPhone app that does the draw for you. Add everyone with a photo or just an initial, then pass the phone round so each person can tap their photo and unwrap who they are buying for. Anyone who is not in the room gets a link of their own, which opens in their phone's browser with no app to install. There are no accounts, and you can keep a saved group for each team.

It will not set your gift limit or remind Dave to buy a present. That part is still down to you.

Secret Santa questions

How much should you spend on Secret Santa?

Whatever everyone in the group can comfortably manage. Lots of offices choose somewhere between £5 and £20. What matters most is that there is one clear number and that everyone knows it before they shop.

What is a good gift limit for a large group?

Lower is usually better, because the bigger the group, the more likely it is that someone is watching their money. A single, modest number is the easiest for everyone.

How do you run Secret Santa with a very large group?

Set your dates early and consider a separate draw for each team or department. Plan how presents will be opened, and include anyone who is working remotely.

Can someone be left out of Secret Santa if they do not want to take part?

Yes, and it should be easy. Make joining optional and do not ask for a reason.

Are Secret Santa and Kris Kringle the same thing?

Pretty much. Kris Kringle is what many people in Ireland and Australia call it, and in the US you will also hear it called a gift exchange, often among coworkers. Everyone draws a name and buys one present, in secret.