Secret Santa questionnaire
A good questionnaire is the difference between a gift someone uses and a gift that goes in a drawer. Here's what's worth asking — and a free way to collect it that doesn't involve chasing a spreadsheet.
Free for classic exchanges — no account, ever. Just share a link.
The questions that actually change the gift
Most questionnaires ask too much and get half the answers. These six are the ones that reliably prevent a bad gift.
Sizes, if clothing is in play
Shirt, and shoe size if the budget stretches that far. Worth asking plainly — guessing wrong is the most common way a well-chosen gift fails.
Hard nos
Allergies, scents they can't stand, foods they don't eat, anything they already own three of. The single most useful question and the one most often skipped.
What they're into right now
Not 'hobbies' in the abstract — what they've actually spent time on this year. It ages better than a general interests list.
Something small they'd never buy themselves
This is where the good gifts come from. Nice pens, decent coffee, a proper phone stand — cheap enough for a budget, unlikely to be self-purchased.
A link, not a description
'A nice mug' produces the wrong mug. A link produces the right one, and lets the gifter order it directly.
More than one option
Ask for three or four things. It preserves some surprise, and stops two people buying the same item when a list is shared.
A questionnaire beats a form when it lives with the exchange
- 1
Skip the separate form
A Google Form means one person collates answers and manually passes them on — which also means that person learns who drew whom. Keeping it attached to the exchange avoids both problems.
- 2
Ask for links and a few options
Each participant adds several items with links and notes. The notes field is where size, colour, and 'please not this one' belong.
- 3
Let gifters read it privately
A gifter sees their recipient's list without anyone learning who has whom, so nothing has to be forwarded by hand.
- 4
Follow up anonymously if needed
When something's still unclear, Premium anonymous DMs let a gifter ask directly without revealing themselves — no intermediary required.
Secret Santa questionnaire FAQ
What questions should a Secret Santa questionnaire include?
At minimum: sizes if clothing is possible, anything they can't have or strongly dislike, what they're currently interested in, and three or four specific items with links. Anything beyond that tends to lower the response rate without improving the gift.
Is a wishlist better than a questionnaire?
Usually, yes. A questionnaire produces prose someone has to interpret; a wishlist produces items someone can buy. The main thing a questionnaire adds is context — allergies, sizes, hard nos — which fits naturally in a notes field on the list.
How do I collect answers without seeing everyone's matches?
Have people fill in their own list inside the exchange rather than sending answers to an organizer. Gifters read their recipient's list directly, so no one has to act as a go-between and no one accidentally learns the pairings.
What if someone doesn't fill theirs in?
Set a deadline a week before the gift date and remind once. Failing that, a gifter can ask anonymously — that's usually faster than chasing someone through an organizer.
Do I need to pay for this?
No. Wishlists, budgets, and exclusion rules are free. Premium is $4.99 one-time for the whole exchange and adds anonymous chat, which is the part that helps when a gifter needs to ask something directly.
Collect the answers where the gifts happen
Wishlists live inside the exchange, so gifters read them directly and no organizer has to play messenger.
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