A Not-So Secret Guide to Student Secret Santa

About the author: My name is Sophie Layton, and I’m an MA International Public & Political Communication and BSc Biology graduate from the University of Sheffield. I am currently the Managing Editor of WILD Magazine, Editor of Ed Fringe Review, and Newsletter Editor for the Essex International Jamboree, as well as former Arts & Theatre Editor of Forge Press. I am also the Digital Media Officer for the Student Publication Association. I am a keen thespian with the Sheffield University Theatre Company, with interests in culture, LGBTQ+ issues and political science.

Christmas time brings with it many traditions, but none as exciting as Secret Santa! A chance to turn the simple art of gift-giving into a ‘Guess Who?’ of all your friends, with thousands of groups of students partaking in the tradition each year – in their houses, courses, societies, committees, and more! But whilst the stakes are famously low, the last thing you want is for the game to be up before the big day arrives. So on the orders of Santa Claus himself (supposedly…), here are my top tips for making sure that Christmas comes not just once a year, but at the right moment too!

Who’s on the nice list? 📋

Figuring out who wants to be in the Secret Santa circle is a key part to figure out early on. For some groups (such as a student flat Secret Santa or a society committee) the parameters are fairly established already, but if you’re looking at a wider friendship group, or potentially your degree cohort, find out who wants to be involved as soon as you can. That way, you can make sure everyone on your Christmas list is happy to get involved, and also that no one has been left out along the way – having no presents under the tree does not make for a Merry Christmas!

Scores on the doors! 👤

Once you’ve got your list, it’s time to figure out who’s buying for who. There are three main ways you can go about this: nominate someone, pick out of a hat, or go online.

The first option is to pick one person from the group to match everyone to their Secret Santa. Whilst this is quick and easy, it does mean that someone will know who everyone is paired with, which reduces the fun for them! You could, of course, ask a friend who’s not involved to do it for you.

Your next option is the classic method of picking out of a hat. Write everyone’s names on a piece of paper, put them in a hat or other container, and go around the room with everyone picking out their Secret Santa. Be sure to ask the group whether anyone has got themselves though; if they do, put the names back and start again. If not, you’re good to go!

Finally, there are a variety of websites that will do this part for you, but unless you want to give up everyone’s email addresses, maybe try a classic method first!

Know your limits 💷

One of the best things you can do to keep Secret Santa fun for everyone is to set a price cap for your gifts, just to make sure no one feels obliged to spend more than people are comfortable with. Usually set at around £10 or £15, it is another opportunity for people to embrace their creativity whilst also making sure people aren’t asked to spend more than they can or want to. Whatever your group decides to set its limit to, by ensuring everyone knows what it is and sticks to it, there won’t be any room for disappointment!

Where, when & how? 🕓

The best part of Secret Santa is watching everyone try to guess who was buying for them, so inevitably you’ll all need to get together for the big occasion! Plan when you will all exchange gifts early to allow people to keep themselves free. Maybe if you’re doing a house Christmas Day, you could exchange gifts then? It’s also incredibly handy to have a deadline (because who doesn’t have enough deadlines at university?) to work towards when getting gifts.

Send help! 🆘

If you find yourself stuck on what to get your Secret Santa, consider reaching out to a mutual friend to get some help – provided they will keep the secret, of course! Try to avoid asking someone else in the group however, or people will start to work out who everyone has!

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and with these tips, your first Secret Santa with your new friends will go off without a hitch! Merry Christmas! 🎄

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