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Host a Friends Event

Planning a gift exchange with friends? Whether it’s Secret Santa at the office, a Friendsgiving celebration, or a birthday party where everyone chips in, this guide has you covered.

What You’ll Set Up

Section titled “What You’ll Set Up”

By the end of this guide, you’ll have:

  • A gift exchange event created
  • All your friends invited
  • Clear budget expectations set
  • Everyone ready to shop without duplicates

Step 1: Create the Event

Section titled “Step 1: Create the Event”

  1. Go to Events

    From your dashboard, click “Events” in the sidebar, then “Create Event”.

  2. Give it a catchy name

    Make it memorable:

    • “Marketing Team Secret Santa 2025”
    • “The Squad’s Friendsgiving”
    • “Sarah’s 30th Birthday Bash”

  3. Set the date

    When will gifts be exchanged? This becomes everyone’s shopping deadline.

  4. Pick how it works

    Each person gives to one randomly assigned recipient. Perfect for:

    • Office gift exchanges
    • Large friend groups where everyone-to-everyone would be too much
    • White Elephant parties

    Giverr assigns recipients randomly once everyone has joined!

  5. Set the budget

    This is especially important for friend groups to keep things fair. Common ranges:

    • $15-25 - Casual office exchange
    • $25-50 - Close friend groups
    • $50-100 - Special celebrations

  6. Click “Create Event”

Step 2: Invite Your Friends

Section titled “Step 2: Invite Your Friends”

Time to get everyone on board!

  1. Click “Invite Participants”

    On your event page, you’ll see the invite options.

  2. Copy the invite link

    Giverr creates a unique link for your event.

  3. Share it with the group

    Send via:

    • Group chat (Slack, Discord, WhatsApp, iMessage)
    • Email thread
    • Social media DM

  4. Add a personal touch

    Include a message like:

    “Hey everyone! I set up our Secret Santa on Giverr this year. Click the link to join, create your wishlist, and we’ll draw names next week. Budget is $30. Let me know if you have questions!”

  5. Track who’s joined

    Watch your participant list grow. Send reminders to stragglers!

Step 3: Everyone Creates Wishlists

Section titled “Step 3: Everyone Creates Wishlists”

Once people join, they need to tell everyone what they want.

For participants:

Section titled “For participants:”

  1. Create a wishlist for the event

    Name it something like “My Secret Santa Ideas” or “Gift Ideas from [Name]”

  2. Add gift ideas

    • Paste links from Amazon, Target, Etsy, wherever
    • Include 5-10 options at different price points
    • Stay within (or slightly above) the budget - gives options!

  3. Share with the event

    Click “Share” on your wishlist and select the event. Now your Secret Santa (or the whole group) can see your wishes!

Step 4: Draw Names (Secret Santa)

Section titled “Step 4: Draw Names (Secret Santa)”

If you’re doing a Secret Santa-style exchange:

  1. Wait for everyone to join

    Make sure all participants have joined the event and created wishlists.

  2. Click “Draw Names”

    Giverr randomly assigns each person a recipient.

  3. Everyone sees their assignment

    Participants can see:

    • Who they’re shopping for
    • That person’s wishlist
    • The budget they should stay within

  4. The surprise is maintained

    No one knows who is shopping for THEM - that’s the fun!

Step 5: Shop and Coordinate

Section titled “Step 5: Shop and Coordinate”

Now the fun begins!

How shopping works:

Section titled “How shopping works:”

  1. View your recipient’s wishlist

    See everything they’ve added. Browse and pick the perfect gift.

  2. Claim what you’re buying

    Click “Claim” on the gift(s) you’re purchasing. In Secret Santa mode, only you can see their wishlist claims anyway - but this helps if multiple people want to go in on a bigger gift.

  3. Track in your Shopping List

    Your claimed gifts appear in your Shopping List. Update the status:

    • Purchased - You’ve bought it
    • Wrapped - Ready to give
    • Given - Done!

For group gift scenarios:

Section titled “For group gift scenarios:”

When everyone gives to one person:

  • All participants can claim different items from the honoree’s wishlist
  • Claims are visible to other givers (but not the honoree!)
  • Coordinate in the comments if you want to split a big gift

Step 6: Exchange Gifts!

Section titled “Step 6: Exchange Gifts!”

When the day arrives:

  1. Everyone brings their wrapped gifts
  2. Exchange according to your format (Secret Santa reveal, group exchange, etc.)
  3. Mark gifts as “Given” in Giverr
  4. Celebrate!

Tips for a Great Friend Exchange

Section titled “Tips for a Great Friend Exchange”

Set a Deadline

Give everyone a wishlist deadline (1 week before draw) and a shopping deadline (2-3 days before exchange).

Be Specific

Encourage detailed wishlists: colors, sizes, specific items. “A scented candle” is okay; “Yankee Candle in Vanilla Cupcake” is better!

Price Variety

Wishlists should have items above AND below budget. A $25 budget might have $15, $25, and $30 items to give options.

Send Reminders

A few friendly nudges go a long way. “Hey! Don’t forget to add to your wishlist by Friday!”

Common Questions

Section titled “Common Questions”

What if someone can’t participate?

Section titled “What if someone can’t participate?”

You can remove participants from the event before names are drawn. After drawing, you may need to redraw if someone drops out.

Can we do a White Elephant / Yankee Swap?

Section titled “Can we do a White Elephant / Yankee Swap?”

For White Elephant (where gifts aren’t assigned to specific people), each person can create a wishlist of “things under $25 anyone might like” and share with the group. Shopping happens the same way!

What about virtual/remote groups?

Section titled “What about virtual/remote groups?”

Works great! Set the “exchange date” as your virtual party, and people can ship gifts directly to recipients or bring them to the video call.

Can I do this at work?

Section titled “Can I do this at work?”

Absolutely. Create the event, share the link in Slack or email, and let Giverr handle the coordination. No spreadsheets or email chains needed!

After the Exchange

Section titled “After the Exchange”

  1. Mark everything as “Given”

    Update your shopping list to close out the event.

  2. Archive the event

    Keep your dashboard clean by archiving completed events.

  3. Do it again next year!

    Create a new event when the next celebration rolls around.

Need More Help?

Section titled “Need More Help?”

Questions?

Check the FAQ for quick answers.

Want ongoing sharing?

Create a Gift Group for year-round wishlists with close friends.