Mondo Knows Tools
Secret Santa Generator
Pair a group so nobody draws their own name. Use the free secret santa generator below to get an instant answer, with the formula shown so you can check the maths and trust the result. Free, private, and no sign-up.
Mondo says
Fill in the fields, then press Draw the pairings.
How it works
The one rule of Secret Santa is that you cannot buy for yourself. This draw is a derangement: a shuffle is repeated until no giver matches their own name, so every pairing is valid.
The formula
A random derangement of the list. With n people there are n! / e possible pairings, and every one is equally likely.Secret Santa Generator: common questions
- What does the Secret Santa Generator work out?
- Pair a group so nobody draws their own name. It is one of the Randomizers & Pickers tools on Mondo Knows.
- How is the Secret Santa Generator calculated?
- The one rule of Secret Santa is that you cannot buy for yourself. This draw is a derangement: a shuffle is repeated until no giver matches their own name, so every pairing is valid. The maths is short enough to check by hand: A random derangement of the list. With n people there are n! / e possible pairings, and every one is equally likely.
- Do I need to sign up, and is my data stored?
- No sign-up, and nothing you type is sent anywhere. The calculation runs in your own browser, so the figures stay on your device and the page works offline once loaded.
Mondo also knows
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Estimates for general guidance only. This is not financial, medical or legal advice. Everything runs in your browser and nothing you type is stored.