Secret Santa at school
Secret Santa at school, for the whole class
Plan the class Secret Santa before the end of term: agree the budget and dates with parents first, then draw without slips in a hat.
- Enter the class list and draw in secret, without slips
- Links go to parents when children have no phone
- Nobody draws themselves, even with late joiners
Timeline
From the letter home to the last day of term
A class Secret Santa needs more lead time than a family one, because parents have a say. A plan that works: tell parents about four weeks before the last day of term, draw two weeks before, and send a reminder in the final week. Some schools hand presents over on 6 December instead and make it a St Nicholas Secret Santa; then the letter goes out in early November.
The announcement works best as a short letter or message to parents and carers. A ready-made one is in the Secret Santa letter to parents, with budget, dates and a clear note that taking part is optional.
Rough timeline
- 4 weeks before: letter home
- 2 weeks before: draw
- 1 week before: reminder
- last day of term: presents
No phone needed
Children need no phone and no account
The class teacher or a class rep creates the group and enters the children’s first names. Every child has a personal link from the start; after the draw it shows who they are buying for.
The links do not have to go to the children. Send them to the parents, who then tell their child who to buy for. Or the teacher opens the links one by one with each child, in a quiet minute in the classroom.
That keeps the pairs secret without any child needing a device, an email address or an account.
Ways to share
- send links to parents
- open them with each child
- no child accounts
- no slips in the classroom
Budget and rules
A small budget, clear rules, optional to join
In a class, small amounts work best: £3 to £5, or €3 to €5 in the Republic of Ireland, so no child is left out and no family feels the cost. Say that homemade presents are welcome. Many schools are nut-free, so it helps to rule out food altogether.
Taking part must be optional, and children who do not join should not stand out. So draw only once the replies are in, and keep a small spare present for a child whose gift is missing on the day.
If siblings or best friends should not draw each other, save that as an exclusion before the draw. How it works is shown in exclusions in the draw.
Works well in class
- £3–£5 (or €3–€5) budget
- homemade welcome
- no food presents
- a spare present ready
The day itself
The handover stays a class moment
The draw is online, the handover is not. Presents go into a sack or a box, labelled only with the name of the child receiving them. While unwrapping, the class can guess who each present is from, which for many classes is the best part.
Decide beforehand whether the givers are revealed at the end. Younger classes often find a reveal easier; older ones like to keep the secret.
On the day
- collect presents anonymously
- only the receiver’s name on it
- unwrap together
- agree on a reveal first
Next steps
Explore Wichtlify
Secret Santa letter to parents
A letter for parents and carers with budget, dates and the optional note, ready to fill in.
Use the letterSecret Santa with kids
When the Secret Santa happens outside school: rules for families and children’s groups.
Plan with children
Secret Santa rules
Budget, gift guidelines, deadline and handover, agreed before the draw.
Set the rules
How the draw works
The secret draw step by step: exclusions, personal links and why nobody draws themselves.
Understand the drawFAQ
Frequently asked questions
Do the children need their own phone or account?
No. The teacher or a parent manages the group. The personal links can go to parents or be opened with each child in turn.
What if a child joins late or drops out?
Before the draw you can add or remove names at any time. If a child drops out after the draw, Wichtlify asks who steps in and every other child keeps their name. If a child joins late, draw again before anyone has looked.
How do we stop siblings drawing each other?
Save those pairs as an exclusion before the draw. The draw always respects them; if they leave no possible draw, Wichtlify tells you before drawing.
Which names should we enter?
First names are enough; for two children with the same name, add the first letter of the surname. The draw needs no other details about the children.
Prepare the class Secret Santa
Agree budget and dates with the parents, enter the class list and draw in secret without slips.
Start the class Secret Santa