It’s that time of year again. And no, I don’t mean Christmas time, I mean shopping frenzy time. We all know and despise the multiple page shopping list of gifts for family and friends.

Who wants to spend their entire month's rent on things that are for other people? Not me! That’s why Secret Santa has become my favorite holiday tradition. Over the years, I have become quite the game host, and this might just be my favorite. If you know me, you know I love surprises. The only thing I love more than a surprise is ruining a surprise for myself… by accident, of course.

Here are five things you need to do to host a successful Secret Santa with your friends, family, and loved ones:

Draw Names

Once you’ve figured out who will participate, write all the names down and toss them into a hat. Some might say using the Secret Santa name generator is a good idea, but in my experience, the email can get lost, and then you have to restart. Some of you may not want to admit it, but the old-fashioned way is the only way to go. Once you have the names in the hat, everyone draws a name and keeps the name to themself. This will be the person you buy a gift for.

Set Price Range

I cannot emphasize this step enough. You MUST create a price range. My friends and I always say less than $50. If you think about it, you would be spending around $50 per person, so only buying for one person is awesome. If you’re an adult with a steady income unlike me, you might want to raise the price. If that one cheap friend that never pitches in is playing, you might want to add a price minimum too.

Nice or Naughty Gift?

Decide if these gifts will be nice gifts or gag gifts. My friends and I typically do nice gifts because, in college, this $50 could quite literally be your entire life savings, and who wants to spend that on something that will never get used. White elephant is usually what the gag gift version of secret Santa is called. We don’t know her.

Determine the Specifics

Details, details, and more details. Decide on a date when everyone participating can come. What fun is a surprise when you don’t get to see the smile or shock on their face? A charcuterie board is never a bad idea. Personally, holiday-themed recipes like puppy chow and apple cider are perfect for this occasion. Wear fun holiday onesies, decorate cookies, and put the Hallmark channel on in the background. Make it special, it only comes around once a year!

Don’t blow your cover!

Be incognito. You don’t want to blow your jolly cover by writing your name on the gift you’re giving. Make sure you write the gift receiver's name on the package so you don’t have to tell them which one is theirs, that will give it away! If you take Secret Santa lightly, that’s when it becomes less fun.

The holidays are such a great time to celebrate and reconnect with loved ones. Even if you don’t care about gifts or spending money, go out of your comfort zone. You might really enjoy yourself. Turn on All I Want for Christmas is You by Mariah Carey and

Be Well, Auburn.