Well this year I’ve had so many queries on how to run a Secret Santa so that it really is secret – even from the person who sets it up – that I thought I’d explain the way we do it here in the Father Christmas Training School.
First count how many people are taking part. You need one envelope for each, one sticky label for each and one slip of paper for each.
First count how many people are taking part. You need one envelope for each, one sticky label for each and one slip of paper for each.
Write their name on one slip and on one label and fold each so that you can’t see the name, and paperclip the pair together. Mark the envelopes 1, 2 , 3 and so on up to the number of people.
Put the paper clipped pairs in a bag and draw one clip out at random.
Without unfolding, mark both slip and label with the number 1 on the outside and put it in front of you as though it was in the one o’clock position on a clock face.
Put the paper clipped pairs in a bag and draw one clip out at random.
Without unfolding, mark both slip and label with the number 1 on the outside and put it in front of you as though it was in the one o’clock position on a clock face.
Now pluck out a second clip, mark the slip and label with a 2 and place them both in the next position, and so on round until the last pair completes the circle.
When you have arranged all the pairs around the circle, take envelope number 1 and put into it the slip from 3 o’clock and seal it up.
Take envelope number 2 and put in one slip from 4 o’clock and seal it.
When you have arranged all the pairs around the circle, take envelope number 1 and put into it the slip from 3 o’clock and seal it up.
Take envelope number 2 and put in one slip from 4 o’clock and seal it.
Carry on round like this, always taking the slip which is 2 ahead of the number on your envelope. (So if there were 12 people, envelope number 11 would get slip 1 and envelope 12 gets slip 2)
When all the envelopes are sealed, ask a friend to come in and put the labels on the front of the appropriate envelopes so as to cover the number, putting label 1 onto envelope 1, 2 onto envelope 2 and so on.
Now you can hand out the sealed envelopes knowing that no-one will end up with their own name and no-one, not even you, will know which name each has.
Make sure everyone knows the rules, eg:
Decide who will be Santa, and that’s it !
Make sure everyone knows the rules, eg:
- Maximum cost of present.
- Any theme you have chosen for the presents.
- Date all presents are to be handed in by (wrapped and labelled).
- Who will be collecting them up for Santa to distribute.
- Place and time for the distribution.
Decide who will be Santa, and that’s it !