Start with a separate opt-in invitation. Agree a spending cap, draw date and handover arrangements before including anyone. Membership of a freelance chat is not consent to join a gift exchange.
This guide is for an established community of adults without a shared employer or compulsory office. Gifts should have no connection with referrals, contracts or finding clients.
Agree the conditions first
People have different workloads and availability. Give everyone time to decide without explaining why they decline.
| Decision | What to record |
|---|---|
| Participation | Explicit confirmation from each person |
| Spending | Gift cap and a separate agreement on handover costs |
| Dates | Sign-up deadline, draw date and handover window |
| Format | A meeting or individually agreed handover |
| Questions | One organiser to contact privately |
Do not tie the gift budget to someone's profession, rates or workload.
A manual process that works without a service
- Collect confirmations in a separate discussion without copying work correspondence or contact lists.
- Ask for brief preferences and things to avoid, without personal details.
- Check that everyone can use the agreed handover method before drawing names.
- Shuffle folded name cards and assign recipients, checking that nobody gives to themselves. If the assignment fails, redo the full draw before sending results privately.
- Do not quietly add participants after recipients have been assigned. Agree any change with those affected.
- Ask for confirmation of delivery, not public reports of spending or the giver's identity.
Example agreement
“Joining is optional. Gifts up to 800 roubles; handover costs agreed separately. Please reply by 5 December, with the draw on 7 December and gifts exchanged on 20–25 December. Feel free to skip this round.”
These are example amounts and dates, not a universal recommendation. Replace them with your community's agreement.
Keep work and personal details out
Arrange delivery details privately with the recipient when necessary. Do not post addresses, phone numbers, bank details, invoices, rates, contracts, client names or confidential work. A gift exchange is not a reason to request business contacts.
If someone stops responding, the organiser should check privately. Do not make public accusations or assign an extra gift to another member without their consent.
When an online draw helps
A manual draw suits an organiser willing to assign recipients and contact everyone separately. The Osanta game page describes an alternative: start with the organiser's email, then enter the game name, date and budget and share an invitation link. It states that participants do not need a separate account and receive their assigned recipient by email on the draw date.
The community still agrees spending and delivery itself. For different groups, see the guides to a remote company team or coworking residents.
Before starting
- Everyone has explicitly opted in.
- The budget and extra costs are clear.
- Dates allow time to choose and hand over gifts.
- The handover method suits every participant.
- Preferences contain no confidential work or unnecessary personal details.
- Everyone knows whom to contact if plans change.
Organizing a gift exchange?
Create a Secret Santa game online and send the link to participants.
Questions on this topic
Can I include the entire chat?
No. Ask for explicit confirmation first; community membership does not mean consent to exchange gifts.
What if there is no shared meeting?
Agree individual handovers before the draw. Keep home addresses and contact details out of group discussions.
Must gifts relate to someone's job?
No. Use their preferences and the agreed cap, not their profession or income.
What if someone withdraws after the draw?
The organiser should discuss a solution privately with those affected. Do not silently change pairs or impose an extra gift.
Can we do this without an online service?
Yes. Assign recipients manually, check that nobody draws themselves and send results privately.