Create random Secret Santa gift-giving assignments at the click of a button with Python 3.

secret_santa_pairing_program.py

# Step 1: Set up a Google form that collects First Name, Last Name, and Email Address from participants
# Step 2: Once all participants have completed the form, export it as a CSV file and store it in the same directory as this program
# Step 3: Run the program to create random Secret Santa gift-giving assignments so that each participant is paired with a different participant without duplication or anyone being left out

import csv
import datetime
import random

def main():
    participants = get_participants_from_csv("test_file.csv")
    shuffle_participants(participants)
    pairs = create_pairings(participants)
    display_pairings(pairs)
    write_pairings_to_csv(pairs)

def get_participants_from_csv(csv_file):
    """Extract contents from CSV file and return a participants list"""
    participants = []
    with open(csv_file, "r") as f:
        reader = csv.DictReader(f)
        for row in reader:
            fname, lname, email = row["FirstName"], row["LastName"], row["Email"]
            participants.append(f"{fname} {lname} ({email})")
    return participants

def shuffle_participants(participants):
    """Set random seed to current system time and shuffle list in place"""
    random.seed(datetime.datetime.now())
    return random.shuffle(participants)

def create_pairings(participants):
    """Iterate over participants list to return a dict of giver, and receiver pairs"""
    pairs = {}
    for idx, value in enumerate(participants):
        pairs[participants[idx]] = participants[(idx+1) % len(participants)]
    return pairs

def display_pairings(pairs):
    """Display Secret Santa pairings"""
    for key, value in pairs.items():
        key_name = key.split("(")[0].strip()
        value_name = value.split("(")[0].strip()
        print(f"{key_name} is giving a gift to {value_name}.")

def write_pairings_to_csv(pairs):
    """Write Secret Santa pairings to a new CSV file for reference"""
    with open("new_pairings_file.csv", "w", newline="") as f:
        writer = csv.writer(f)
        writer.writerow(["Giver", "Recipient"])
        for key, value in pairs.items():
            writer.writerow([key, value])

if __name__ == "__main__":
    main()