“Anything is fine” is a tough wish list to shop from. Give your coworkers three easy prompts instead. Ask for one gift they’d enjoy, one little thing they always use up, and anything they’d like their Santa to skip. Try the questionnaire below, then set your own dates and spending limit before sharing it.
Download the one-page wish list (PDF)
Secret Santa questionnaire template
Try it here. Nothing is sent or saved.
The editable Secret Santa template starts with a December 11 signup deadline, a December 18 gift exchange and a $25 spending limit. Update Exchange details and the Gift budget checkbox, then publish and send the link to your team.
Six Secret Santa prompts to copy
Copy these six prompts into your own form, or use them as a checklist for a paper signup.
- What name should go on your gift tag? Use the name your coworkers know you by.
- Where should I email your match? Only the organizer needs this answer.
- What’s one gift you’d enjoy within the spending limit? A small detail helps. “A pocket sketchbook with blank pages” is easier to shop for than “art supplies.”
- What little treat or everyday item do you always use up? This gives the shopper a second idea if they can’t find the first. Think peppermint tea, black gel pens or a favorite movie snack.
- Any gifts you’d like your Santa to skip? “Please skip food gifts” or “My mug shelf is full” is enough. No explanation needed.
- Gift budget. Ask everyone to check a box that says “I’ll keep my gift at $25 or less.”
Leave the three gift-preference questions optional. On paper, the contact details and budget checkbox sit on a tear-off slip. The organizer can keep that part and hand just the wish list to the gift giver.
Three swaps for a team that knows each other well
If your office already knows everyone’s coffee order, replace the everyday-item question with one of these.
- What would make your desk a little nicer? “A tiny plant that can survive a long weekend” gives your Santa a better lead than “desk decor.”
- What do you reach for when you have an afternoon to yourself? Someone who says “the Sunday crossword, in pen” just gave their shopper two ideas.
- Would you enjoy something homemade? “A playlist for my commute” or “a recipe card for your best cookies” gives a coworker a way to take part without spending the full budget.
Invite the team
We’re doing an optional office Secret Santa. Sign up at [your form link] by December 11. We’ll swap gifts on December 18, with a $25 limit. Handmade gifts are welcome! After signups close, I’ll draw names and email you the wish list of the person you’re buying for.
For paper signups, replace the link with a return spot, such as “Leave your sheet in the envelope on my desk.” If the holiday party is open to everyone, collect attendance separately so people can come along without joining the draw. Party RSVP template
What to send after the draw
When signups close, check the list for duplicate names. For a simple manual draw with at least two people, shuffle the names into a line. Each person buys for the next name, and the last person buys for the first. Everyone gives and receives once. If your exchange has exclusions, check the pairs before sending anything.
Look up each recipient’s wishes in Responses. Send a separate message to each giver. Here’s a fictional example for someone who drew Jamie.
You drew Jamie! They’d love a pocket sketchbook with blank pages, and they always use black gel pens. They’re all set for mugs. Please spend $25 or less and bring your wrapped gift on December 18 with “Jamie” on the tag.
With paper signups, cut off the organizer slip and put Jamie’s wish list in the giver’s envelope. With the online form, copy just Jamie’s gift ideas into the message. You can keep the full list for the inevitable “Who did I draw again?”
