Enter everyone's name and the tool draws so each person gives to one other person and nobody gets themselves. You can list pairs who shouldn't draw each other, such as couples, and if a valid draw exists it finds one.
How to use it
- Enter everyone's name, one per line.
- Add any pairs who shouldn't draw each other, one pair per line with a comma.
- Press Draw names.
- Pass each person's match on privately.
When it helps
- Organising a family or office gift exchange.
- Running a classroom swap.
- Keeping partners from drawing each other.
- A quick draw with no emails.
Good to know
- The whole list appears on screen, so the organiser should keep it private or let someone else run the draw.
- Names must be different, so add a surname or initial if two share one.
- You need at least three people.
How the draw works
The tool shuffles the list of names and checks that nobody has drawn themselves or an excluded partner. If a shuffle fails, it tries again, up to two thousand times. That approach gives every valid arrangement an equal chance, which is fairer than simple shortcuts that can create obvious patterns.
If your exclusions make a valid draw impossible, for example when two people can only give to each other, the tool tells you and you can loosen a rule.
Worked example: a family of eight
List all eight names and add exclusion lines such as "Amara, Tunde" for a couple. Press Draw names and you'll see each giver and receiver. To keep it a secret, have one person draw while the others look away, then message each person their match privately.
For a larger office, consider adding a price limit and a deadline in your invitation, so gifts are comparable.
Keeping it a surprise
Because the full list appears on screen, the organiser would normally see everything. If you want to be surprised too, ask a friend to run the draw and send you only your own match.
Another approach is to run the draw in a group call with the screen hidden, and copy each result into a private message without reading the others.
Rules that make it more fun
Agree on a spending limit, a deadline and how gifts will be exchanged before the draw. A wish list, even a short one, helps everyone find something useful. Some groups add a theme, such as handmade or books only.
If someone leaves the group after the draw, have the organiser redraw only for the affected pairs, or reassign the gift to the person who had them.
If someone gets stuck
If a person can't buy for their match, they can ask the organiser for hints, or the group can agree a swap. Having a plain rule from the start, such as no swaps after the draw, keeps the game smooth.
Questions
What if no valid draw exists?
The tool tells you to remove an exclusion.
Is it random?
Yes, using a secure shuffle.