Secret Santa reveal scorecard for the guess-who game
Print the cards above, give one to each guest, and have them write down who they think had them or who they had. Score one point per correct guess and break ties with a quick round.
How to play the Secret Santa guess-who game
- Give each guest a card and a pen when they arrive.
- Ask them to write their guess for who their Santa is, at the top.
- Optionally, guests also guess who has whom for two or three other pairs.
- During the reveal, each person opens a gift and the Santa stands up.
- After each reveal, guests mark their cards: a tick for a correct guess.
- At the end, collect the cards and count the points.
Scoring rules
| Action | Points |
|---|---|
| Guess your own Santa right | 3 |
| Guess another pair right (up to 3 pairs) | 1 each |
| Guess right before the reveal clue game ends | Bonus 1 |
| Fool the group: nobody guessed your Santa | 2 for the Santa |
Keep the scoring this simple. Anything more complicated slows the party.
Rules to keep it fair
- Guesses are written down before the first gift is opened, and cannot be changed.
- You cannot guess yourself.
- One guess per person for their own Santa. Other pairs are optional.
- Do not shout out guesses during the reveal, as that spoils the game for others.
- If you are a Santa, you do not reveal your giftee early.
A tiebreak that works
With a small group, a tie is likely. The simplest tiebreak is to see who guessed their own Santa first, using the order of the reveal. If that still ties, ask each tied person one question about their Santa, such as "what gift did they give you?", and have the group vote for the best answer.
Another option is a sudden death round: write the name of the person who you think wrote the funniest card of the night, and the person with the most votes wins. It is silly, but it ends fast.
Prizes and ideas
Prizes can be small: a bar of chocolate, a mug, a gift card for coffee or a funny trophy made from a gift bag. The prize for the best guesser and the most mysterious Santa both work well. Avoid big prizes, which turn a friendly game into a competition.
For the whole evening, the Secret Santa reveal party plan has a timed schedule that includes scoring.
Play it in Hollyhush
If you use Hollyhush, the guess-your-Santa game is built in. Each person picks who they think their Santa is during the weeks before the swap, and TV mode can show results at the party. No cards needed, though the printed card is a fun backup for people who like paper. For guessing clues across the weeks, see Secret Santa clues.
Run the guess-who game without paper. Create your group, free. Create your group, free
Frequently asked questions
How do you score a Secret Santa guess-who game?
One simple way is 3 points for guessing your own Santa, 1 point for each other pair guessed right, and 2 points for a Santa nobody guessed.
What is the tiebreak for the scorecard?
Whoever guessed first in the reveal order wins. If still tied, ask a question about the Santa and let the group vote.
Do I need a printed scorecard?
No, but it helps at a party. Print the cards above, or play the built-in guess-your-Santa game in Hollyhush.
When do guests fill in their cards?
At the start of the party, before the first gift is opened, so nobody can change a guess after seeing a reveal.
What prizes work for a Secret Santa guessing game?
Small ones: chocolate, a mug, a coffee gift card or a funny trophy. Keep it light.
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