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Secret Santa questionnaire: 25 questions that make the gift easy

A Secret Santa questionnaire for family, friends and the office: 25 questions about likes, sizes, allergies and no-go gifts, when to send it, how to collect the answers, and how to give each Secret Santa the right card.

Most Secret Santa gifts go wrong for one reason: the giver knows a name and nothing else. A short questionnaire fixes that. Everyone answers the same few questions before the draw, and each giver gets the answers for the person they drew.

Here are 25 questions to choose from, a shorter set for the office and for children, and a simple way to collect the answers so the right card reaches the right person.

When to send the questionnaire

• Send it with the invitation, together with the price limit and the swap date.
• Give a reply-by date a few days before the draw, so every card is complete when names go out.
• Keep it short: ten or twelve questions get answered; forty get skipped.
• Make every question optional. "No preference" is a fine answer.

The basics (5 questions)

1. What name should go on your gift tag?
2. Where should the gift go: hand it over at the swap, or post it? If posted, what is your address?
3. Anything you would love that fits the price limit?
4. Three things you are into at the moment.
5. Is there anything you already have plenty of?

Likes and favorites (8 questions)

1. Favorite colors, or colors you never wear?
2. Favorite snack or treat, sweet or savory?
3. Coffee, tea, hot chocolate or none of those?
4. A hobby you would like a little something for?
5. Favorite scent for candles or soaps, or no scents at all?
6. Books, films, music or games you are enjoying right now?
7. A sports team, place or show you love?
8. Cozy at home, or out and about?

The practical questions (7 questions)

1. Clothing size, if you would like something to wear (T-shirt, socks, gloves)?
2. Any food allergies or foods you avoid?
3. Any pets in your home a gift should suit, or stay away from?
4. Do you drink alcohol? (A plain yes or no is enough.)
5. Any gift card you would actually use?
6. Experiences or things: which would you rather receive?
7. Handmade gifts welcome?

The no thank-you list (5 questions)

These are the questions people forget, and they save the most waste.

1. Anything you are allergic or sensitive to (wool, nuts, fragrance)?
2. Anything you are trying to cut down on (sugar, clutter, plastic)?
3. A type of gift you would rather not get?
4. Anything you have just bought for yourself?
5. Anything else your Secret Santa should know?

A short version for the office

At work, keep it light and keep it general. Five questions are plenty: tag name, three things you are into, coffee or tea, any allergies, and anything you would rather not receive. Leave out sizes, addresses and anything personal, and let people skip any question.

A version for children

For a cousins exchange or a class swap, ask a grown-up to fill it in with the child: age, favorite color, favorite character or animal, one thing they would love, and any allergies. Children answer "everything" to most questions, so the grown-up's note matters most.

How to collect the answers and hand them out

• Collect every answer in one place, one row per person, so nothing lives in a chat thread.
• Keep couples and housemates marked as one household, so they cannot draw each other.
• Draw names only after the reply-by date, so every card is complete.
• Give each giver one card: the name they drew, that person's answers, the price limit and where to send the gift.
• If the organizer is playing too, keep the organizer's view of the draw hidden.

The pocket version (save or screenshot)

Quick answers

How many questions should a Secret Santa questionnaire have? Ten to twelve for friends and family, five for the office. Choose the ones that would change what you buy.

Should the answers be anonymous? The answers are not secret, only the draw is. Each giver sees the answers for the one person they drew.

What if someone does not answer? Use their "three things you are into" from a friend, or choose something from the price limit that anyone could use, like a good snack or a cozy pair of socks.

Setting the price limit and rules? How to run a Secret Santa that everyone enjoys

What is in the Secret Santa & Gift Exchange Organizer?

It is a spreadsheet for Excel and Google Sheets. You list up to 80 people with their household, wish list, sizes, allergies and a ship-to address for posted gifts. The draw keeps households and any pairs you name apart, can avoid last year's match, and checks every row.

It prints a "your person is" card for each giver with the wish list, sizes, allergies, price limit, theme and where to send the gift. A tracker follows every gift from not yet to delivered, and a reveal-day checklist counts back from your swap date. The Christmas Planner Bundle has the same organizer plus a gift planner, a Christmas card list and a stocking stuffer planner.

Planners that do this for you

Secret Santa & White Elephant Kit

$9.00Name draw, gift limits, wish lists, steal tracker, checklist

Secret Santa & Gift Exchange Organizer

$6.00Exclusions · the draw · printable cards · gift tracker

Christmas Planner Bundle

$19.00Gifts · cards · Secret Santa · stockings

Swapping gifts a different way? White elephant gift exchange rules

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How to organize a Secret Santa at work

Free tool: Secret Santa generator: draw names with exclusions and send each person a private link

Updated 2026-11-07.