Secret draw
How the Secret Santa draw works
Add the names and set any exclusions. After the draw, each person uses their own link to see who they are buying for.
- Avoid self-matches before sharing assignments
- Use exclusions before the draw starts
- Share one personal link per participant
Before drawing
A good draw starts with the real participant list
Before you run the draw, the organizer should know who is really taking part. Add the participants, check whether couples or household members should be excluded and make sure the group rules are clear enough for everyone.
Exclusions only help when they are saved before the draw. If budget, gift type or handover still need a decision, set budget and gift rules first.
Check before drawing
- Final participant list
- Exclusions before the draw
- Budget and date
- Check that the draw can work
Secret assignment
Wichtlify creates personal assignments instead of one shared list
When the organizer runs the draw, Wichtlify avoids self-matches and uses the exclusions that were saved beforehand. The result is a secret one-to-one assignment for every participant, not a spreadsheet or chat message that reveals the whole group.
If the exclusions are too strict, Wichtlify should not force a bad result. The group needs to loosen an exclusion or adjust the participant list until a valid draw is possible.
Wichtlify checks
- No one draws themselves
- Saved exclusions are considered
- Each person gets one assignment
- No public result list
After drawing
Each person opens only their own assignment
After the draw, the organizer shares personal links. Each participant opens their own link and sees only who they are giving to. If wishes are enabled, the wishes of that person can appear there too.
This is useful when the assignment should stay private instead of becoming a shared list. If you want participants to join with as little effort as possible, you can also share personal links without collecting every email address.
Participants see
- Their own assignment
- Optional wishes
- Important group information
- No other people's results
Pro safety net
Smart Draw and Repair are extra help for special cases
For a normal one-time Secret Santa round, the standard draw is usually enough. Pro matters more when the same group repeats the draw or when a completed draw needs a careful correction after someone drops out.
Smart Draw can try to avoid repeating last year's assignments when the group keeps working with the same accounts. Repair is a Pro safety net for special cases after the draw and changes only the assignments that need to change.
Pro can help with
- Recurring groups
- Same accounts over time
- Dropouts after the draw
- Less disruption than a full redraw
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How does a Secret Santa draw work in Wichtlify?
The organizer adds participants, saves exclusions before drawing, runs the secret draw and shares personal links. Each participant sees only their own assignment.
Does Wichtlify prevent self-matches?
Yes. Wichtlify prevents people from drawing themselves and can also use saved exclusions when a valid assignment is still possible.
What happens if there are too many exclusions?
A complete assignment may become impossible. In that case the group needs to adjust exclusions or the participant list before running the draw.
Can everyone see the full result list?
No. Wichtlify is built for secret personal assignments. Each participant opens their own link and sees only who they are giving to.
When do I need Smart Draw?
Smart Draw is a Pro feature for recurring groups. It can try to avoid repeating previous assignments when the group keeps using the same accounts.
What is Repair after the draw?
Repair is a Pro safety net for special cases, for example when someone drops out after the draw. It aims to change only the assignments that must change.
Prepare the secret draw
Add the participants, save exclusions before drawing and share personal links only after the group is ready.
Prepare the draw