Secret Santa is back, and this year you can watch it happen

There’s a particular pleasure in posting a card to someone you’ve never met. You choose it, you write something, you walk it to the postbox. A few weeks later a card turns up from somewhere you’ve probably never been. That’s the whole idea, and it’s been running in the PLU Community since 2020.

Season seven opens next Monday, 2 November, and this year we’ve rebuilt it properly for the first time.

A few numbers from the first six

Since 2020, 1,277 members have been a Santa at least once, and 55 of you have played every single season.

Between them, our cards have travelled more than 15 million kilometres. That’s more than 19 return trips to the Moon, one envelope at a time.

Watch the season fill up

The big change is that Secret Santa now has its own page at peoplelikeus.world/santa, and it’s live. Find it on the Community menu.

As each member signs up, a dot appears on the world map where they are, and the map updates while you’re looking at it. Last year Santas joined from 41 countries, and we suspect watching them arrive one by one is going to be quite addictive.

The record for a single season is 501 Santas, set in 2024. Last year we had 464. The map will show, in real time, whether 2026 gets there. (Last year 78% of Santas had signed up within the first 36 hours, so that’s when the dots tend to pile up.)

A clearer sign-up

The old form took your details and left you guessing. The new one tells you plainly what you’re signing up for before you commit: one card, to one member, posted by a date you’ll know in advance. If you move house or change your mind, you can update your details or step back out any time while registration is open.

You’ll also hear from us straight away. The moment you join, an email arrives with your Santa number. Previously nothing turned up until the draw, weeks later. Updates now come through to your notification bell on PLU as well as your inbox.

The dates (Sydney time)

• Registration opens: Monday 2 November, 9am

• Registration closes: Monday 9 November, midday

• The draw: Monday 9 November, 8pm, when you’ll find out who you’re writing to

• Reveal day: Monday 28 December, 9am, when you’ll find out who was writing to you

Secret Santa is one of the things that comes with Premium membership. If you’re not Premium yet and would like to join in, the details are here, and we'd love to have you join us.

Any questions? Just ask me below in the comments.

See you on the map. 🏡