Secret Santa online
One link, everyone signs up, a draw decides – nobody draws themselves. No one in the group sees the pairs, not even whoever created it, as long as nobody requests new access. No ads, no account.
- No accountFor everyone who joins: no email address, no email.
- No adsNo banners, no third-party trackers, no stored IP addresses.
- Hosted in GermanySelf-hosted in Germany. 30 days after it expires, the Secret Santa group is deleted along with all names.
Everyone signs up themselves
One link, one name, one match. No one in the group sees who drew whom – everyone sees only their own match.
- Nobody draws themselves – and you can exclude pairs who shouldn’t draw each other
- Budget and gift exchange day appear at the top, and the group closes by itself afterward
- You see who’s in and how many have already looked at their match – never the pairs
- Anyone who loses access finds their match again with the personal link, the account or new access from you
Example “Secret Santa at work”: 5 people have signed up; names are drawn only once the group is set, and each person sees only who they got.
Frequently asked questions
More questions are answered in the Help.
A poll in the chat is enough for a quick question. The guide explains when a link can do more. WhatsApp poll or a link?
How does Secret Santa work?
In three steps: You set up the round, optionally with a budget and a gift day. Then you send the link – everyone adds themselves by name, nobody needs an account. From three people on you draw, and each person then reveals their own draw.
Who sees who gives to whom?
No one in the group sees the pairs, not even whoever created it. Everyone reveals only their own match; the admin page shows names and how many people have already looked at theirs – never who drew whom. If someone loses access before revealing, you can issue new access: whoever opens that link sees the match, and the person is told when they reveal it. If you want to take part yourself, sign up through the link like everyone else.
Do participants need an account?
No. They open the link and enter their name. After the draw, everyone reveals their own match. So it doesn’t get lost, there’s a personal link you can send to yourself – or you sign in and find your match on any device.
Do participants get emails from Polls?
No. Nobody enters an email address to join, and Polls sends participants no invitations, reminders or ads. You send the link yourself, for example in the group chat. And you, as the organizer, don’t see the pairs either.
What does Secret Santa cost?
Nothing. Polls is free and shows no ads – for you and for everyone taking part.
How does the draw work?
Everyone signs up themselves until you draw – from 3 people on, at most 100 can take part. Nobody draws themselves, and exclusions (such as couples) are respected. If the draw can’t work out, Polls tells you instead of rolling something unfair.
Can I draw again or remove someone?
Yes, as long as nobody has looked at their match yet. After that the draw stays – otherwise the matches already revealed would no longer be right.
What about the budget and the gift exchange?
Both are optional. The budget is a short text like “around $20”, and you pick the day of the gift exchange in the calendar. Both appear at the top of the group and with every match; after that day the group closes by itself.
What happens to our data?
Polls stores only what the Secret Santa group needs: its content, names, and matches. IP addresses aren’t stored in the database, there are no third-party trackers, and everything sits on a server in Germany. When the group is deleted, all its data is gone too.
What happens if I lose the link to manage (admin link)?
After you create it, Polls shows you your admin link – copy it or sign in by email, no password needed. Then you’ll find your Secret Santa groups on any device under “My polls”. Without signing in, a lost admin link can’t be recovered.
How long does a Secret Santa group last?
It expires shortly after the day of the gift exchange, at the latest one year after it was created. 30 days after it expires, it’s permanently deleted along with all names. You can also delete it yourself at any time.
Can I send the link to my WhatsApp group?
Yes. Copy the link and paste it into your WhatsApp, Signal, or Threema group – or into any other messenger or an email. Whoever opens it joins in the browser, with no account and no app.
Who gives to whom?
The group is set up in two minutes – just send the link to the group chat.