Free · In your browser · The draw stays with you
A free Secret Santa generator with no sign-up
Most gift-exchange sites ask for everyone’s email — and a new account — before they’ll draw a single name. Mitten Draw runs the whole draw in your browser. You send each person a private tap-to-reveal link. That’s it.
Ready to draw? It takes a couple of minutes, and nobody has to create an account.
Draw Secret Santa names →Free. No email. The draw is not uploaded or stored on a server.
How to draw Secret Santa names
- Name the exchange. Something people will recognize, like “Garcia Family Christmas” or “3rd Floor Secret Santa.” You can add an optional budget and date; both show up on each person’s reveal page.
- Add the group. Type at least three names, or paste a list. A short wish note next to a person is optional — whoever draws them will see it after they reveal.
- Set any rules. Keep couples or housemates from drawing each other (that works both ways). If you ran this exchange last year, enter who gave to whom so the same pairs don’t repeat.
- Draw. Your browser shuffles the names. Nobody draws themselves, everyone gives once and receives once, and your rules are respected. If the rules make a fair draw impossible, you’ll see who is stuck so you can loosen a rule.
- Send each person only their own link. They open it and tap to see who they’re buying for. You are not shown the matches on the organizer page, so you can be surprised too — just don’t open anyone else’s link.
What this generator does (and doesn’t)
It is built for a classic name draw: each person is secretly assigned someone else to buy a gift for. You can include 3 to 60 people, keep pairs apart, block last year’s matches, and attach a budget, a date, and wish notes.
It does not collect emails, send reminders, or give people a join code. Those features need a server that stores names. Mitten Draw deliberately doesn’t have one, which is why there’s nothing to sign up for and nothing stored on our side. Wish notes are entered by the organizer (ask people ahead of time, then type them in).
One practical limit to plan for: the organizer page is not saved. If you close or refresh the tab, the links are gone. Copy them first, or simply draw again.
Tips for a smooth draw
- Collect names and wish notes before you sit down to draw, so you’re not chasing people mid-setup.
- Send links one at a time, in separate messages — not all together in a group chat, where it’s too easy to open the wrong one.
- Tell people the link will always show the same name, so they can come back to it if they forget.
- If someone loses a link, draw the group again and ask everyone to use the new one.
Frequently asked questions
Is this Secret Santa generator really free?
Yes. Mitten Draw is free to use. There is no account, no paid plan, and no email to collect. Google AdSense may show ads on some pages to cover hosting; it will never appear on the page where someone reveals their match. See the privacy page for details.
Do I or the people in my group need to sign up or give an email?
No. You add the names yourself, draw in your browser, and send each person a private link. Nobody creates an account, and nothing is uploaded to us.
Can I keep couples or housemates from drawing each other?
Yes. Add them as a “keep apart” pair and the draw works both ways: neither person will be assigned the other. You can also block repeats from last year (that rule is one-way: the same giver won’t get the same recipient again).
How do the private links work?
After the draw you get one link per person. Each link holds only that person’s match, in the part of the address after the #, so it is not sent to our server. Send each link only to its owner, and not all together in a group chat. Anyone who opens a link can see that match, including you if you opened someone else’s.
What if someone loses their link, or I close the page?
Nothing is stored on our side, and the organizer page is not saved if you refresh or close the tab. Copy the links before you leave. If a link is lost, draw again and send everyone the new links.
How many people can I add?
From 3 to 60 per draw. You can type names in or paste a list.
Draw the names in your browser. No sign-up, no email, no store links.
Start a Secret Santa →