Experience report
Secret Santa with White Elephant: our timeline from October to Christmas Eve
This is how our round worked: in October we created the Secret Santa group, entered all names, ran the draw and shared personal links. On Christmas Eve we added a White Elephant-style extra round. Only when the package was opened did everyone know whether it was the regular gift or the silly gift.
- The organizing part was finished in October
- My grandparents only needed their private browser link, no app required
- The mix of regular gift and silly gift made the evening funny
We prepared the round in October
The organizing part was done long before the gifts were bought. I created the group, entered all participants, started the draw and then shared the personal links one by one.
That way everyone knew in time who they had to give to, without a public result list floating around. For our round, that was the biggest advantage of Secret Santa online: I did not have to explain the assignments in a message, and nobody could accidentally see every result.
My grandparents only had to open their private link
As the organizer, I handled all settings: creating the group, entering participants, starting the draw and sending the correct links to the correct people. That left very little for everyone else to understand.
This mattered especially for my grandparents. They did not have to install an app because Wichtlify also works in the browser. They simply opened their private link and saw who they had to give to.
It worked without help, even though both are around 80. They were even able to add wishes themselves. For me, that was one of the strongest parts of the whole round: the organization did not fail because someone first had to understand an app or create an account.
Not every wish list was complete, but the round still worked
After the draw, we reminded people a few times to add wishes. Some added specific wishes, others did not. That was not perfect, but it was not a problem either. For some people, the giver simply had to think more carefully about what would fit.
Looking back, the draw was only the beginning. The real work came after it: reminding, asking, keeping the budget in mind and not becoming too random when wishes were missing. In the end, the gift ideas were a mix of wish list, instinct and what people already knew about the recipient.
The White Elephant round made classic Secret Santa less predictable
In addition to the regular Secret Santa round, we decided to add a White Elephant-style round. Every person therefore had not only a regular gift in play, but also one package where everyone knew: this could become properly absurd.
The important part was that nobody said during the handover whether it was the good gift or the silly gift. Every package became a small mystery for a moment. It was only partly classic White Elephant, because we played it as an add-on to normal Secret Santa.
The only real rule was that the joke should not turn against a person. The silly gift could be odd, old or deliberately unsuitable, but not mean.
A short speech made every gift more personal
One person started and gave a short speech: who was receiving the gift and why. It was not long or formal, more a brief moment where you could tell that someone had thought about the recipient.
Then the package was opened. Only at that point did everyone know whether it was the regular gift or the White Elephant gift. That delay made the round funny because everyone was waiting for the reaction.
The person who received the gift was next. If the chain reached a dead end, someone else simply continued until all regular Secret Santa gifts and all White Elephant gifts had been opened.
The best silly gifts were absurd, but not mean
Some of the White Elephant gifts immediately became conversation pieces: an old hair-dryer hood, old shoes, an ugly tie, craft supplies for a brother who never does crafts, and fitness dumbbells for grandma.
The best moments were not the most expensive gifts, but the few seconds after opening: first confusion, then laughter, then the explanation of why this person had received that exact package.
Still, this kind of round needs some tact. A gift can be absurd without embarrassing someone. That is the difference between funny and uncomfortable.
What we would repeat and what should be clear beforehand
The early planning, personal links, wish reminders and short speeches before opening worked well. But the simplest rule probably carried the whole evening: nobody knew in advance whether the next package would be a good gift or an absurd one.
Next time, I would set a clear wish deadline and be more precise about the packages: no name hints on the outside, both gifts wrapped in a similar way and no silly gifts that could hurt someone. These are not complicated Secret Santa rules, but they keep the good idea from depending on last-minute misunderstandings.
FAQ
Can Christmas Secret Santa be planned in October?
Yes. Early planning is useful for family rounds: create the group, enter participants, clarify exclusions, run the draw and share personal links.
Do older participants need the app?
No. In our round, my grandparents only had to open their private link in the browser. There they could see who they had drawn and add wishes themselves.
Do all participants have to add wishes?
No. Wishes help, but they are not required. The round still works when some people add wishes and others do not.
How does it stay secret whether a package is regular or silly?
It helps to wrap both gifts in a similar way and not explain the package during the handover. Only when it is opened does everyone know whether it was the regular gift or the White Elephant gift.
What happens if the handover order reaches a dead end?
Another person simply continues. The only important part is that all regular Secret Santa gifts and all White Elephant gifts are opened by the end.
Does Wichtlify control what happens on Christmas Eve?
No. Wichtlify helps with the group, secret draw, personal links and optional wishes. Speeches, order, wrapping and White Elephant rules remain group agreements.
Which White Elephant gifts worked well?
Items with humor and surprise worked well as long as they did not hurt anyone: used objects, odd accessories, absurd household things or deliberately unsuitable but harmless small gifts.
What I would take from this round
Draw early, collect wishes before it gets too late, wrap the silly gifts in a similar way and leave enough room for the short explanations during the evening. Those small moments carried the round.