Privacy policy

Last updated: October 25, 2026 · Une version française est disponible sur demande.

HushSanta (hushsanta.com) is a free Secret Santa website run by Camilo Gil in Ontario, Canada. This page explains what we collect, why, and how to have it deleted. Camilo Gil is the person responsible for privacy and can be reached at kris@hushsanta.com.

What we collect

• Organizers: your name, email address, and the exchange details you enter (name, date, budget, language).
• Participants: the name and email address the organizer enters or that you enter with an invite link, plus anything you add yourself: wishlist items and links, a mailing address, anonymous messages, and whether you've revealed your match or bought your gift.
• Technical data: your IP address is held briefly in memory to stop abuse (rate limiting). We don't keep access logs with IP addresses beyond what our host keeps for security.
• Anonymous usage counts: we count things like page views, gift-link clicks and share-button taps per day (for example "37 soundboard visits on Monday"). These counts contain no names, emails, IP addresses or cookies, and we use them to improve the site.
• On your device: we store your language choice and links to groups you've opened in your browser's local storage, so you can get back to them. Nothing there is sent to us except when you open a page.

Why we use it

Only to run your gift exchange: drawing names, emailing each person their private link, showing wishlists to the right Secret Santa, passing anonymous messages, and sending reminders the organizer asks for. We don't sell or rent personal information. When you start or join an exchange we send one welcome email with our free holiday tools, and one gift-ideas email only if you tick the box asking for it. Every one of these has a one-click link to stop them.

Who can see what

Matches are secret, including from organizers, until the exchange day. Your wishlist and mailing address are shown only to the person who drew you. Organizers see names, emails and status (revealed, bought gift), never the matches or messages.

Service providers

• Render hosts the website and database (servers in the United States).
• Resend delivers our emails (United States).
• Google AdSense may show one ad on some pages. Google may use cookies to show and measure ads. You can manage ad personalization at adssettings.google.com. Ads never appear inside the reveal.
• Amazon Associates: as an Amazon Associate, HushSanta earns from qualifying purchases. Gift-idea links and Amazon.ca or Amazon.com links in wishlists include our affiliate tag. Buying through them costs you nothing extra. We remember which Amazon store you prefer in your browser only.

Because these providers are in the United States, your information may be processed there and be subject to U.S. law.

How long we keep it

An exchange and everything in it is deleted automatically about 90 days after its exchange date, unless the organizer has started next year's exchange from it (so last year's matches can be avoided). Email delivery records are kept for 45 days.

Your choices

• Every email has a Stop emails link. Using it also removes your mailing address.
• Organizers can remove a person at any time. To have a whole group or anything else deleted, corrected, or to get a copy of your information, email kris@hushsanta.com and we'll respond within 30 days.
• If you have a concern we can't resolve, you can contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, or the Commission d'accès à l'information if you live in Quebec.

Children

Kids can take part in a family exchange through a parent or guardian: the organizer links a child to an adult's email, and the adult receives the child's link. Please don't enter a child's own email address without a parent's permission.

Security

Every person gets a long random private link instead of a password. Anyone who has your link can see your page, so don't forward your emails. Pages are served over HTTPS and links are never shared with other websites.