Secret Santa wish list template

How to fill in a Secret Santa wish list

1. Write three to five items, not ten. A short list is easier to shop from and still leaves room for a surprise.
2. Make the items specific enough to find: "a dark roast whole bean coffee" beats "coffee".
3. Add a price range for each item, such as "$10 to $15". If the group budget is $25, at least two items should come in under it.
4. Include a link if you have one, or the store where you would look.
5. Add a "please skip" line for things you already have or dislike.

What belongs on a wish list, and what does not

The best wish list mixes small treats, useful things and one or two fun picks. Think a good pen, a phone stand, a scented candle in a scent you named, a card game for the table, or a mug you would actually use. These fit under a $20 or $25 limit and still feel chosen.

Leave off anything that needs the exact size, a prescription or a fitting. Also leave off items that cost more than the group budget. A wish list that says "noise-canceling headphones" with a $20 limit just makes the buyer feel stuck.

Set price ranges that are lower than the budget. Buyers feel good when they can shop without going over.

Wish list ideas by type of person

• For the coffee or tea person: a loose-leaf sampler, a small frother, a travel mug with a good lid.
• For the one who works from a desk: a desk plant, a good notebook, a cable organizer, a wrist rest.
• For the home cook: a spice set, a silicone spatula pack, good olive oil, a kitchen timer.
• For the gamer or reader: a card game, a book light, a bookmark set, a game gift card in a small amount.
• For the person who says they want nothing: a snack box, a nice soap, a plant, or a gift card to a place they go every week.

Keeping the list private and still useful

The usual problem: the organizer collects lists, so the organizer sees everything. The fix is simple. Collect lists after the draw, send each list only to the one buyer, and do not forward the pile.

In a group chat this is messy, since everyone sees everyone. If you want a clean version, use a tool where each person adds a list and only their Santa sees it. Hollyhush works that way (see the free Secret Santa generator): wishlists sit inside the group, with links and prices, and the people who drew each other can talk through anonymous chat when a question comes up.

Wish list for a group, not just a person

Sometimes the group agrees to one shared sheet instead of individual lists, which works in a small office where a lot of people like the same things. Put a column for item, a column for approximate price, and a column for "claimed". Mark an item claimed so two people do not buy the same one.

This only suits groups that do not mind the claimed column showing who bought what. For a real Secret Santa, individual private lists are better. If you are still choosing a format, how to organize a Secret Santa covers when each makes sense.

Let everyone add a wishlist with links and prices inside the group. Create your group, free. Create your group, free

When someone does not fill it in

There will be one. Their Santa has two options: ask an anonymous question, or buy a safe consumable, such as a small snack box, a nice tea, or a gift card in the budget range. Remind the organizer to nudge the person once. A friendly note at the deadline is enough. See Secret Santa reminder messages for wording.