A Secret Santa dinner everyone agrees on
The gifts are a secret; so are the budgets. Everyone weighs in and MiBA finds a place for the whole group.
Start a gatheringThe names are drawn, the gift limit is set, and someone bought theirs back in October. The swap is the fun part, but it needs a dinner to happen at, and December evenings fill up fast. Whether it is old friends or the people you sit next to at work, the group has to agree on one evening and one place before everyone’s calendar closes for the year.
Secret gifts, secret budgets
In a Secret Santa, nobody knows who is buying for whom. What everyone can spend on dinner can stay a secret too. Each person says on their own what they’d like to spend, and places over the group’s budget are left out. Nobody has to admit in front of the office, or the old friends, that December is already expensive enough.
A December weeknight
Weekends in December go to family and parties, so a weeknight is often easier. Pick dinner, offer a few evenings in the first weeks of December, then choose the hour and the area. Each person says which days don’t work for them, without saying why, and MiBA picks from the days that are left. Start early, before the calendars fill.
Friends or coworkers
For a team, the place should be easy to reach from the office; for friends, from wherever most people live. Each person says what they feel like eating and the vibe they’re after. A place someone ruled out is never suggested, and budgets and no’s stay private. Dietary needs are saved on each person’s account, and places that show they cater to them come first.
Vote, book, unwrap
MiBA ranks the places that suit the whole group, you put up to five on a shortlist, and everyone votes. You get a link or a phone number to book a table with room for everyone and a pile of gifts, and everyone hears where and when. The only surprise left is who drew whose name.
Starting a gathering is free. Everyone signs in to answer and vote, and MiBA remembers their name and dietary needs for next time.