Secret Santa for 25 people
Twenty-five people spend about $625 at $25 each and open 25 gifts, which takes 35 to 40 minutes if you do it in five rounds of five. Use the planner to set a timeline from your swap date, or copy the 2026 calendar below, which works back from Friday, December 11.
The numbers for 25
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| People | 25 |
| Budget each at $25 | $25 (about $625 total) |
| Gifts to open | 25 |
| Time to open | 35 to 40 minutes in rounds of 5 |
| Draw method | Online draw with private links |
| Ideal timeline | 4 weeks |
A dated calendar for a Friday, December 11, 2026 swap
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| Fri, Nov. 13 | Announcement email with the budget, the swap date and the sign-up link |
| Wed, Nov. 18 | Sign-up reminder, two days before it closes |
| Fri, Nov. 20 | Sign-up closes and the draw runs; private links go out |
| Mon, Nov. 23 to Wed, Nov. 25 | Wishlists and anonymous questions; Thanksgiving is Thu, Nov. 26 |
| Tue, Dec. 1 | Order deadline for anything shipped, 10 days before the swap |
| Fri, Dec. 4 | Reminder with the room and the five-round plan |
| Fri, Dec. 11 | Swap and reveal, 45 minutes |
| Mon, Dec. 14 | Thank-you email and a feedback question |
What changes at 25
- More people do not know each other. Add a short questionnaire and a wishlist so givers can choose well. See Secret Santa questionnaire for work.
- Exclusions matter more. Pairs from the same team and managers should not draw each other.
- Reminders. Expect 3 to 5 people to forget. Plan two reminders.
- Reveal in rounds. Open five gifts at a time, and guess the giver after each round.
Running the reveal for 25
- Gather for 45 minutes at a lunch or an end-of-day meeting.
- Call five names. Each person opens their gift and guesses who gave it.
- The giver stands up and is applauded. Take a photo.
- Repeat for five rounds.
- Close with a thank-you and pass the next steps on.
For a screen-based reveal see Secret Santa reveal ideas.
A realistic cost and effort estimate
At 25 people the gift spend is the main cost, about $625 across the team. The organizer's time is mostly in the first and last weeks: announcing and reminding, then running the reveal. Pick one person, give them the policy and let them delegate gift wrapping or the room setup to a volunteer.
Remote people in a group of 25
If some of the 25 are remote, add the ship-by date and allow gift cards. See Secret Santa for hybrid teams and the email templates. The group is within the free limit of 50, so the organizer pays nothing.
Create the group and share one invite link with the team. Create your group, free
Frequently asked questions
How do you run Secret Santa for 25 people?
Set a $20 to $25 budget, open sign-up for a week, run the draw online and swap in rounds of five. Four weeks works well.
How long does it take to open 25 gifts?
About 35 to 40 minutes in rounds.
How much do 25 people spend?
About $625 at $25 each.
Is it free for 25 people?
Yes. Hollyhush is free for groups up to 50.
How do I stop people forgetting?
Send two reminders and have a backup plan if someone does not bring a gift.
Try it now
A draw takes about a minute. No signup, no email, a private link for everyone.
Create your group, free- Couples & exclusions
- Wishlists & anonymous questions
- Deletes itself in 60 days
Ready when you are
Make a draw in a minute. No signup, no email, private links for everyone.