The year that Secret Santa seems most difficult is the year we need it most. The annual holiday tradition of exchanging Secret Santa gifts has been upended by Covid. Normally this time of year is perfect for surprising co-workers, friends in book clubs, neighborhood pals and other groups with thoughtful (and occasionally humorous) gifts. Instead many people are still working and socializing from homes. Holiday dinners and block parties have been cancelled. The opportunities for us to come together and exchange gifts may be limited only to closest family, if that.

What better time to coordinate a contactless gift exchange with a group of friends or coworkers? Let them know you’re still thinking of them and want to send a little cheer their way. Organizing a contactless gift exchange is made even easier with Getcho, the app that will deliver anything you want within a 20 mile radius. You can have all the Secret Santa fun while still staying safe and having gifts delivered that same day.

Secret Santa Set Up

With a Secret Santa gift exchange, members of a group randomly select one another’s names and surprise the person they’ve selected (secretly) with a gift. Often for these gift exchanges, everyone selects one small gift priced below a certain dollar amount, then exchanges the gifts at a gathering when everyone can enjoy unwrapping them together. Each Santa usually waits until the gift is unwrapped before revealing his or her name, but sometimes the Santa may reveal their name before the gift is opened. In a fun twist, sometimes the recipient guesses who their Santa might be. 

Simply drawing one another’s names is easy in person, but already seems rather difficult when a group is distanced. Using a website like Elfster.com to set up electronic name drawing can help. Insert everyone’s name into the free online program along with any restrictions, like not matching certain names with one other. The website will randomly assign names and distribute them secretly to each Santa. 

Once you’ve drawn names for your gift exchange you can gather online with your group of friends to set guidelines for gifts. You may have a certain price limit, or you could even make the gifts themed. Then choose a date to open gifts together online. Using Getcho’s contactless delivery system you can have items picked-up and delivered easily without worrying about safety. Getcho’s delivery drivers will even deliver items the same day you make your request. So whenever you plan to connect online to open gifts together you can be assured that your Secret Santa gift will be there on time with everyone else’s.

Selecting The Perfect Gift

Ideas for thoughtful gifts: With Getcho you’re not limited to larger businesses who have their own delivery mechanism, or online-only retailers to ship items. It’s simple to find a gift from a local or independent business and have it delivered to a friend or co-worker. Some thoughtful ideas include:

  • Chocolate from a local confectionery
  • Oil or vinegar from a local olive oil shop
  • Hot sauces, spices or jams from a small food store
  • Candles from a neighborhood candle-maker
  • Extra warm socks – since wearing shoes is so 2019

Ideas for 2020-related gifts: What better way to wrap up a year like no other than with an appropriate gift? Finding something signature from the year can be special — and a reminder that it’s almost 2021. There are plenty of novelty ideas from boutiques or online, but these ideas can be found almost anywhere: 

  • Homemade masks from a local clothing boutique or any number of larger retailers
  • Hand sanitizer from a distillery, pharmacy or hardware store
  • A ring light from a camera shop or larger retailer
  • Puzzles or games from a local toy shop
  • Coloring book and colored pencils from a craft store, toy store or pharmacy

Ideas for homespun gifts: You can create something unique or even find an unused item in your house. Some Secret Santa gift exchanges encourage people to swap books, unopened gifts or unused items rather than buying something new. Look around your home for certain items that may be meaningful to someone else. It’s also a chance to give something a bit more cheeky and humorous if you are a Secret Santa for someone you know quite well, such as:

  • A roll of toilet paper with extra fancy wrapping (view)
  • A container of yeast and bag of flour for baking bread
  • Unused candles or soap
  • A framed photo 
  • Baked goods

Sending The Sleigh

You can have anything picked up or delivered through the Getcho app. Want to send a pizza to your recipient? Done! What about scented lotions and bath salts? No problem! Homemade baked muffins? If you live within 20 miles of the recipient, Getcho’s elves can hop into their sleigh and deliver that too, all in the same day. Their online gift delivery has no hidden fees so you know that the price you see on the app is the price you’ll pay. And stay safe with contactless  drop-off.

Simply download the app and create an account. The process takes less than a minute. Then create an order using your own address or the address of the store where items are being picked up. Insert the location to drop off the items and any special instructions. Next, select “Add Items” to specify exactly what the drivers will be picking up. Then they’ll know what size sleigh to bring. Once you’ve entered the pertinent information you’ll receive a quote for delivery. That quote is exactly what you’ll pay. There are no hidden fees with Getcho.

Deliveries must be within a 20-mile radius, and drivers can’t deliver anything illegal. Drivers can’t deliver anything illegal. Deliveries must be within a 20-mile radius.

Help For Lonely Elves

If none of your friends or colleagues are interested in a Secret Santa exchange, check out redditgifts.com for an exchange with other elves worldwide. Reddit will connect you with people around the world who are interested in exchanging gifts, usually with a certain theme.  Although Reddit’s Secret Santa Gift Exchange is closed for 2020, it almost assuredly will return in 2021. The gift exchange started in 2009 and has been a Guinness World Record holder three times for the World’s Largest Gift Exchange.

Reddit’s gift exchange for this year is still accepting those interested in being a rematch Santa. You would send a gift to someone whose own Santa forgot them. You wouldn’t receive a gift yourself, but would be sending cheer to someone else somewhere in the world. 

Ultimately the idea of a gift exchange is to help spread cheer to others. Online gift delivery can help bring others joy while staying safe. That’s certainly one of the best ways to share the merriment of the holidays.