Secret Santa Questionnaire Printable (Office, Family and Kids)
A Secret Santa exchange falls apart when people guess wrong: the wrong size, a food allergy, or a joke gift that lands badly. A short questionnaire fixes that before anyone draws a name. Peers on Etsy see "secret santa questionnaire" spike from about 22k searches in October to 110k in November, then ease in December, so November is the window when offices and families actually set the exchange up. Use the free sample questions below, collect answers in a shared sheet or paper slips, then run the name draw. Pair the answers with a Secret Santa organizer so you track who has whom, the spending limit and the due date in one place. Free sample — office (copy into a form or print): 1) Favorite snacks or coffee order at work. 2) Desk or bag item you actually use. 3) Hobbies outside work. 4) Shirt size if clothing is allowed. 5) Allergies or anything you cannot receive. 6) One hard no. Free sample — family: 1) Favorite color. 2) Hobby or show you are into right now. 3) Size for clothes or shoes if relevant. 4) Favorite treat. 5) Something you already own too many of. 6) Allergies and hard noes. Free sample — kids (parent fills): 1) Age and grade. 2) Favorite characters or sports. 3) Clothing size. 4) Outdoor or indoor play. 5) Allergies. 6) Budget the shopper should stay under.
Practical tips
- Send the questionnaire at least one week before the draw so late replies do not stall the list.
- Cap answers at three lines each; long essays make shopping worse, not better.
- Always ask about allergies and "please do not buy" items; those two fields prevent most returns.
- For offices, keep questions work-safe: no home address, no relationship status, no politics.
- For kids, ask a parent or guardian to fill sizes and budget so gifts stay age-appropriate.
- Share one spending limit in writing: "$25 hard max" beats "around twenty bucks."
- After answers are in, run the free name generator on this site so nobody draws themselves.
- Print a one-page rules card for the gift-exchange night so steals and opens stay clear.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Secret Santa questionnaire?
It is a short wish-list form each person fills before names are drawn: likes, sizes, allergies, and hard noes so the shopper has a clear brief.
Office vs family vs kids — do I need three forms?
Use one form with a "group type" line, or print three short versions. Offices need work-safe prompts; kids need a parent to fill sizes and budget.
How many questions should I ask?
Six to eight is enough. More than ten and people stall or skip the useful fields.
Where do I track who has whom?
Use a Secret Santa organizer spreadsheet for names, budget, due date and gift status, then draw names with the free generator on this site.
Is there a printable product for this?
The Organizer listing on Etsy handles the name draw and tracking. A full printable questionnaire pack is the next product; until then use the free samples on this page.