Office Secret Santa guides for HR, managers and teams
Plans and templates for running a workplace Secret Santa: the rules to announce, a one-page policy, emails to copy, and how to run it for a team of 10, 25, 50 or 100 people, in an office, remote or hybrid. Hollyhush runs the draw free for groups of up to 50 with no account or app.
Set it up
- Office Secret Santa rules: what to decide and announce.
- Secret Santa policy for HR: a one-page policy to adapt.
- Email templates for employees: invitation, reminder, draw and thank-you messages.
Pick the guide by headcount
| People | What to use | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| 3 to 12 | One free group, one organizer, three weeks | Small groups |
| 13 to 30 | One free group, reveal in rounds | 25 people |
| 31 to 50 | One free group, reveal by table | Large groups |
| 51 to 300 | Office plan ($39 once per event) or free department groups of 50 or fewer | 100 employees |
| Any size, mixed locations | Gift cards, ship-by dates, one reveal call | Hybrid teams |
Plan the event
- Office gift exchange ideas: Secret Santa, white elephant and other formats compared.
- HR holiday party checklist: dates, budget and inclusive planning.
- More in Secret Santa for office, coworker gifts under $25 and office holiday party ideas.
Three outside facts the guides rely on
- Tax. IRS Publication 15-B (2026) lists low-value, non-cash holiday gifts and occasional employee parties as de minimis benefits, and says cash and cash equivalents such as gift cards are never de minimis, however small. That matters only when the company, not the employee, pays.
- Religion. The EEOC says an employer must reasonably accommodate sincere religious beliefs unless that causes undue hardship, and that no one can be required to take part in a religious activity as a condition of employment. A holiday swap should be optional and named as a holiday event.
- Behavior. Employment lawyers writing about Secret Santa (CalChamber, MLT Aikins) give the same advice: make it voluntary, set a spending cap, keep gifts work-appropriate, and remember that conduct policies still apply. This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Check your own handbook, local rules and, for pay and tax questions, your payroll provider.
All guides in this section
Frequently asked questions
Is Secret Santa at work a good idea?
It can be, if it is optional, has a clear budget and rules, and nobody feels pressure. See office Secret Santa rules.
Is Hollyhush free for a company?
Yes for groups up to 50 people. Each person opens a private link with no account. Larger teams can use the Office plan ($39 once per event, up to 300 people).
Who should run the office Secret Santa?
A volunteer in HR, an office manager or a team lead. Pick one organizer and make the rules public.
How early should we start?
About four weeks before the swap, so there is time to shop and ship.
Run it for your team
Free for up to 50 people. The Office plan covers up to 300: paste a list, email each person a private link and download a receipt.
See the Office plan- No account or app for staff
- Organizer can stay out of the matches
- Office plan is $39 once per event
Doing Secret Santa instead? Create your group, free
Ready when you are
Free for up to 50 people. Need up to 300, emailed links and a receipt? The Office plan is $39 once per event.