The draw is only half the job. The other half is getting everyone to reply, shop, and keep the secret. These messages are written to be copied into a group chat or email with a few edits. Replace the bracketed parts, remove anything that does not fit your group, and send them yourself — the free draw does not send messages for you.
Keep the first message short. People need three facts: who is included, what the budget is, and when the exchange happens. Add the wish-list or exclusion details after people have agreed to join. Long invitations get skimmed; a clear one gets answers.
1. Invitation for friends or family
Subject: Secret Santa for [group name] — are you in?
Hi everyone,
I’m organising a Secret Santa for [group name]. We’ll draw one name each and buy one gift for that person. Suggested budget: $[amount]. We’ll exchange gifts on [date] at [place].
Please reply by [date] if you want to join. Add any exclusion pairs (for example, couples who should not draw each other) when you reply. I’ll run the draw after the deadline and send each person their own result privately.
2. Invitation for a workplace
Subject: Optional Secret Santa — [team name]
Hi all,
We’re running an optional Secret Santa for [team name]. If you’d like to take part, you’ll buy one gift for one person. The suggested budget is $[amount], and gifts will be exchanged on [date].
Participation is completely voluntary. If you’d rather not join, that’s fine — just reply “not taking part” by [date] so I can make the draw accurately. I’ll keep the pairings private.
3. Budget and wish-list request
Thanks for joining the Secret Santa. A few details before the draw:
• Budget: $[amount] maximum (including tax and shipping if possible)
• Exchange date: [date]
• Wish list: optional — reply with sizes, colours, or a few things you like
• Exclusions: send me any pair who should not draw each other by [date]
A wish list is a hint, not a requirement. Please don’t buy outside the budget.
4. Reminder before the draw
Quick reminder: I’m closing the Secret Santa list on [date] at [time]. If you want to join, reply before then. If you’ve already replied, please check that your name is spelled the way you want it to appear. I’ll send each person their own result after the draw.
5. After the draw
The Secret Santa draw is done. I’ll send each person their own private link separately — please don’t post your result in the group chat. Keep the name you drew to yourself until the exchange. If your link doesn’t open, message me and I’ll resend it.
6. Sending a private link
Hi [name], here is your private Secret Santa link: [link]
It shows only the person you’re buying for. Please keep it to yourself and don’t forward it to the group. The suggested budget is $[amount], and the exchange is on [date].
7. Anonymous giver note
A small note for the gift: “From your Secret Santa.” If you’d like to add a clue, keep it friendly and don’t make the recipient guess in public. The goal is a nice surprise, not a game of detective.
8. No-pressure opt-out
If the budget or timing doesn’t work for you, it’s completely fine to sit this one out. Just let me know by [date] so I can make the draw without leaving anyone with an empty slot. There’s no pressure to join.
9. White Elephant invitation
Subject: White Elephant at [place] on [date]
Bring one wrapped gift, $[amount] maximum, and a sense of humour. We’ll draw a turn order, open or steal gifts, and freeze a gift after [number] steals. Please avoid gifts that are mean, messy, or need assembly. Reply by [date] so I can plan the table.
10. White Elephant rules reminder
Quick rules for tonight: on your turn, open a new gift or steal an opened one. A gift freezes after [number] steals. You can’t steal the gift you just had. When every gift is open and frozen, the game ends. I’ll keep the turn order and the freeze count on the host sheet.
11. Day-before reminder
Reminder: the Secret Santa exchange is tomorrow at [time] at [place]. Please bring your gift wrapped and labelled with the recipient’s name. If you’re running late, message me — don’t leave the gift at the door.
12. Thank-you after the exchange
Thanks for taking part in the Secret Santa. If you’d like to thank your giver, a short message in the group is enough — you don’t have to reveal who you are unless you want to. I’ll keep the organiser copy of the pairings until everyone has their gift.
How to adapt these messages
Use the recipient’s name, not “everyone,” when you send a private link. Put the budget in the first message and repeat it once before the draw; people forget. If the group is a workplace, make participation optional and avoid asking for personal wish lists in a public thread. If the group is a family, check whether children are included and whether the budget should be lower for them.
Do not post the full pairing in the group chat, even as a screenshot. Do not ask the group to guess who drew whom. If someone has not replied, send one short follow-up and then make the draw without them; a late addition needs a fresh draw, not a silent pairing change.
For a remote group, send each person their own link and a clear date for opening gifts. If the group is using a video call, ask everyone to keep their gift hidden until the reveal. A short host message before the call is easier than repeating the rules ten times.
Privacy note: A personal link shows only that person’s draw. The organiser link contains the full list, so keep it private. The free tool does not send emails or messages for you; copy and send these yourself. The paid email option is not live yet.
What to avoid
Do not promise a gift, a delivery date, or an email that has not been arranged.
Do not reveal a recipient in a public message or a group photo.
Do not change the budget after people have started shopping.
Do not make participation mandatory at work or pressure someone who declines.
Do not use a message that pretends to be from the recipient or the platform.
The best message is the one people actually read. Keep it short, put the date and budget near the top, and make the next action obvious: reply, buy, wrap, or open the link.
