Why skip the email
Collecting email addresses for a gift exchange means sharing personal details with a website, waiting for messages that land in spam, and chasing people who never open them. If everyone is in the same room, or you can print one page, none of it is needed.
This tool never asks for an address. There is no server holding your list, so there is nothing to leak and nothing to delete later.
Three ways to hand out names without email
- In person: use pass the phone at a family meal or office party.
- On paper: press Print slips. Each person gets a slip with the person they are buying for. Cut along the dashed lines.
- By message: if people are remote, the organiser can read each pairing privately to the person it belongs to, or ask each person to take the phone on a video call and tell no one. This does mean the organiser sees all pairings, so pick someone who is not playing.
Need rules so couples do not draw each other? See rules for couples and other exclusions. When the names are out, Secret Santa gift ideas by budget make the shopping easier.
What is and is not private
The page does not send your names anywhere, and the draw is erased when you close it. It is still your device: anyone looking at the screen sees what is on the screen, and a printed slip can be read by whoever holds it.
Questions people ask
How do remote friends get their name without email?
Use the draw on a call: each person in turn can open the page on their own device, or the organiser can tell each person privately. A neutral person who is not playing is ideal for this.
Is there a link I can share?
No. Sharing links would mean carrying the draw in the address, which can be seen in history and chat logs. This tool avoids that on purpose.
Will the draw be the same if I reload?
No. Each draw is new and is not saved. Finish the reveal before closing the page.