How to organise an office Secret Santa

• Invite colleagues to opt in; avoid automatically enrolling the whole team.
• Agree a spending limit and whether it includes postage.
• Choose a joining deadline, draw date and gift exchange date.
• Plan how remote colleagues will give and receive their gifts.
• Ask for wishlist ideas and check any exclusion pairs before drawing.
• Confirm at least three members have joined and everyone expected is present.
• Draw names, remind people to reveal their matches privately and confirm exchange arrangements.

Ask who wants to join and give people a straightforward way to decline. Choose a modest spending limit with the team rather than assuming everyone can afford the same amount. Make clear that spending more is not expected.

For remote colleagues, agree whether delivery costs count towards the limit. Browse UK gift ideas by budget for inspiration once the limit is settled.

Separate the joining deadline from the exchange date. Leave time after the draw for shopping, deliveries, leave and different working days. Decide whether you will swap gifts at a team gathering or arrange delivery.

If gifts need posting, arrange addresses privately with the people involved. Keep personal addresses out of team-wide chats and shared wishlist notes.

Create a free draw with your group name, budget, exchange details and your name. Share the group invitation in your agreed team channel. Joining does not require an email address or password.

CheckMyBasket needs at least three joined members. The invitation can be forwarded, so review the member list before you draw names. For WhatsApp sharing steps, see the WhatsApp Secret Santa guide.

Ask each person for a few ideas within the budget, ideally with links from different shops. They can add preferences to help their giver choose. Wishlists help, but they are not required to draw names.

Keep gifts suitable for work. Avoid jokes about appearance, relationships or personal circumstances. Do not assume someone wants alcohol, food or scented products; use their preferences or ask an anonymous question after the draw. People should only share details they are comfortable with their group seeing.

Before drawing, check that everyone expected has joined. The organiser can add exclusion pairs so selected people cannot draw each other—for example, partners taking part in the same office draw. Exclusions work in both directions, and too many can prevent a valid draw.

When the group is ready, choose Draw names now and confirm. The app warns that this cannot be undone, so resolve changes to participation first. Each person then opens their own match reveal; the organiser does not get everyone's matches.

Remind colleagues to check their match without posting it in the team chat. They can look at their recipient's wishlist and use anonymous questions in CheckMyBasket if they need guidance.

Before the exchange, send a practical reminder about the date, location or delivery arrangements. Agree how to label wrapped gifts and what to do if someone is away. If a participant's plans change after the draw, ask them to contact the organiser so the group can arrange a solution.

Ask participants to return using the browser they joined with. For another device, they should first verify a recovery email through Save access to your group in their original browser, then use Return & sign in to request a sign-in link. A notification email alone does not enable recovery.

Without verified recovery, we cannot restore the original member identity on another device. Share the Secret Santa FAQs with colleagues who have questions before they join.