Three demo draws, computed by the site's own code
By Shangyi Duan · Last verified 2026-11-02 · Sources: src/logic.js demo draws · Report an error
Each draw below is the real output of the draw function this site runs, with the names replaced by Person A to Person L. Nothing is staged, and nothing here is a real group.
The three scenarios use the same draw() from src/logic.js that the live generator calls. The only difference is the random source: the live site passes crypto.getRandomValues, and these examples pass a small seeded generator so the result stays the same every time the page loads and can be re-run in a test. The seeds are 20261102, 20261103 and 20261104. Every exclusion below is applied in both directions, and no person draws themselves.
Demo draw · 5 people · one exclusion pair
A family of five, with one couple excluded
Two of the five are partners, so they are added as an exclusion pair before the draw. The result never pairs them, and the remaining three people still get a complete circle — no one is left without a giver or a receiver.
- 5 people: Person A – Person E
- Excluded pair: Person A and Person B — applied in both directions
- Budget per gift: not set
- Random source for this demo: a seeded generator, seed 20261102
| Person | Draws |
|---|---|
| Person A | Person C |
| Person B | Person D |
| Person C | Person E |
| Person D | Person B |
| Person E | Person A |
Demo draw · 12 people · $25 cap
A twelve-person office with a $25 cap
The office scenario has no exclusions and a $25 budget per gift, the band the office page calls typical. The budget does not change the draw; it is carried on every private page and printed card so the giver knows the ceiling.
- 12 people: Person A – Person L
- No exclusion pairs
- Budget per gift: $25
- Random source for this demo: a seeded generator, seed 20261103
| Person | Draws |
|---|---|
| Person A | Person L |
| Person B | Person J |
| Person C | Person H |
| Person D | Person K |
| Person E | Person A |
| Person F | Person D |
| Person G | Person F |
| Person H | Person E |
| Person I | Person C |
| Person J | Person I |
| Person K | Person B |
| Person L | Person G |
Demo draw · 3 people
A group of three
Three is the minimum the draw accepts. With three people and no exclusions there is only one shape that works — a three-way circle — so every participant gives to one person and receives from the other.
- 3 people: Person A – Person C
- No exclusion pairs
- Budget per gift: not set
- Random source for this demo: a seeded generator, seed 20261104
| Person | Draws |
|---|---|
| Person A | Person C |
| Person B | Person A |
| Person C | Person B |
What these examples show, and what they do not
They show the shape of the output: one receiver per person, nobody drawn twice, no self-draw, no excluded pair. They do not show the organiser page or a private link — those are tied to a stored group, and these demos are not stored. The step-by-step explanation of the algorithm covers the random source, the shuffle and the backtracking search. If you want to run your own, the generator takes names, exclusions, a budget and a date, and gives every participant one private link.
Participant names in your own draw are personal data. These demos use "Person A" to "Person L" for that reason; the site never needs a real name, only a name the group recognises.
Updated November 2, 2026