December is here and are you feeling the vibes of Christmas 2020 celebrations? With still more than three weeks to go, some people have got out their Christmas trees and started with the decorations. But amid the pandemic, the celebrations may turn virtual for many. While Coronavirus lockdown has been lifted in many places, people continue to work from home. And that means, the Secret Santa game, one of the highlights of every workplace in December, goes virtual. But are you wondering how Secret Santa is played online? Well, thanks to technology and the numerous video-conferencing options, Secret Santa can very well be organised online. We tell you easy ways and how to go about it. 'Tis the Season to be Safe! Christmas Tree 2020 Decorations See Facemasks, Toilet Papers and Hand Sanitizers as Xmas Ornaments Amid The Pandemic (See Pics).

Secret Santa is one of the very famous games played during Christmas. The idea is to become someone's Santa Claus and present them with a gift anonymously. Usually played in offices, this time most workplaces continue to work from home. But you can still carry on with the spirit of the festive gifting by playing the game online. Secret Santa can be easily played virtually, with several portals making it easier to pick and choose names, assign person to one another, make a wishlist and so on. We tell you some ways to go about it. Christmas 2020 is COVID-19 Ready! Facemasks-Wearing Santa Claus Statues, Chocolates, And Candies This Year Will Inspire You To Celebrate While Being Safe (See Pictures).

How to Play Secret Santa Virtually for Christmas 2020?

  • Make a list of all the people who will be playing the game. Do not miss out on anyone. Try and make it an even number so each person has a pair.

  • Set a budget. Keep a reasonable amount so everyone can accommodate within it.

  • Typically, names are picked using chits but since there's no chance of everyone meeting, rely on the online pickers. Elfster and Santa’s Secret Keeper are some of the recommended sites, where you just have to enter all the names and pick the Santa 'baby'.

  • Once you have all the names ready, send out the invite for the game. When you email the participants, tell them the name of the person, if you have created a wishlist option then share that as well. Don't forget to give the address of the recipient as the participants will send the gifts.

  • Set a strict deadline, at least 4 to 5 days in advance because the delivery of gifts to different addresses may take time.

  • Organise a virtual party with everyone where people can show what they have received from their Secret Santa.

  • You could also play the guessing game, where in people make a guess of who likely gifted them.

You can start making your preparations for virtual Secret Santa right away as all of the gathering of names, making the lists, preparing wish lists can take a few days. Secret Santa is one way to keep the bonding within the colleagues even if they all are working remotely. We hope the above ways help you to plan and host the Christmas game this time.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 02, 2020 07:09 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).