A long-distance Secret Santa in 6 steps
Draw names online
Everyone sees their draw on their own phone, through a link sent by text or email, or in an app. Nobody needs to be in the same place.
Set the budget, shipping not included
Say whether shipping counts toward the budget. Simplest: the budget is for the gift, and shipping comes on top.
Share addresses without giving the secret away
Each Santa needs the address of the person they’re buying for, without that person knowing who’s asking. In Rimbi, the recipient adds their address: only their Secret Santa can see it, and it’s erased once the gift arrives.
Set a shipping deadline
Check the recommended holiday delivery times and leave some margin, especially for international shipping.
Ship it or have it delivered
Have it delivered straight from an online store, or mail the package yourself. Make sure your name doesn’t appear on the packing slip.
Open the gifts together on a video call
On the day, everyone opens their gift in front of the others and tries to guess who their Secret Santa was.
Sending a gift without revealing who sent it
- Order online with the gift option, if the store offers one, and check the sender name shown.
- If you mail the package yourself, slip in a card signed “Your Secret Santa” rather than your name.
- Let the recipient know a package is on its way, without saying who from, so it doesn’t sit at a pickup point.
In Rimbi, the person you’re buying for can answer your questions through anonymous messages: their shoe size, their favorite color, or whether someone will be home to receive the package.
Run your Secret Santa with Rimbi
Name draw with exclusions, guests without the app by text or email, wish lists and group gifts. Free for up to 20 people, no ads.
Coming soon to iPhone and Android
Gifts that are easy to ship
From a distance, go for a gift that’s light, sturdy and easy to send:
- A book, a graphic novel or a card game.
- A gift card or a subscription, sent by email.
- A local specialty that keeps well, carefully packed.
- Something flat: a poster, a calendar, a notebook.
- An experience near the recipient: a workshop, a class, a concert ticket.
Exchange day on a video call
- Pick a time that works for everyone, keeping time zones in mind.
- Ask everyone to keep their gift wrapped until the call.
- Open the gifts one at a time, cameras on: the person opening guesses who their Secret Santa was.
- Then reveal the Santas, if the group planned it.
Some in person, some far away
You don’t have to choose: run one draw for everyone. Those who meet up exchange their gifts in person, the others ship theirs, and everyone opens them at the same time, with a phone on a video call sitting on the table.
Frequently asked questions
How do you get someone’s address without giving the secret away?
You need a place where each person leaves their address and only their Secret Santa can see it. In Rimbi, your address is visible only to the person who drew you, and it’s erased once the gift arrives. Without an app, the organizer can pass on the addresses, but then they know part of the draw.
Is shipping included in the budget?
The group decides. Simplest is to keep it separate: the budget is for the gift, and shipping costs vary a lot from one country to another.
When should you ship Secret Santa gifts for Christmas?
As early as you can. Draw names by late November, check your carrier’s recommended holiday shipping deadlines and leave some margin, especially for international packages.
Can you do a virtual Secret Santa without mailing anything?
Yes: a gift card, a subscription, a concert ticket or a donation to a charity can all be sent by email. The draw and the surprise stay the same.
How do you run a Secret Santa for a remote team?
Just like any long-distance exchange: an online draw, a small budget, gifts delivered to each person’s home or sent by email, and an opening during a team video call. Everyone adds their address without showing it to the whole team.