Amico segreto

Purpose of the game

Discover who your Secret Friend is only at the reveal. Hidden gifts among friends: a wishlist to help whoever buys your gift, an anonymous chat to ask questions, and a collective reveal that makes the surprise into a celebration.

How to play

One of you creates the game and invites the group. Everyone writes their wishes and marks people they don't want to receive from. The system assigns one person per participant to buy a gift for. Only the gift-buyer and recipient know the pairing, and the secret stays until the reveal date. Before the event, the buyer can ask questions in an anonymous chat without revealing their identity. At a set time, everyone discovers simultaneously who gave them their gift. That's the moment everyone waits for.

The rules

• Everyone receives exactly one Secret Friend (you don't gift to yourself).
• Wishlists are mandatory so buyers know what you want.
• Chat between buyer and recipient stays anonymous until reveal.
• The buyer can optionally upload a receipt photo.
• Budget is set for everyone, so spending is roughly equal.
• Reveal is collective and simultaneous for everyone at the scheduled time.
• No one, not even the organizer, sees all the pairings until reveal.

When it makes sense to play it

Christmas, birthdays, bachelor/bachelorette parties, charity dinners, corporate retreats. The game runs about two months: signup, shopping, and reveal.