Monito Monita Guide: Rules, Budgets and Weekly Themes for Your Exchange Gift
Monito Monita is the Filipino version of Secret Santa. Everyone draws one name in secret and buys gifts for that person – often small themed gifts over a few weeks, such as "something sweet" or "something soft" – and the givers are revealed at the Christmas party. There is no official rulebook, so the group should agree on the budget, the themes and the dates before anyone draws a name.
Try it: draw names online, set pairs who must not pick each other, and give every participant a private link that shows only their own monito or monita.
Open the online bunutanHow do you play Monito Monita?
- Make the list. Write down everyone who is joining. Ask now, not after the draw – late additions mean drawing again.
- Agree on a budget. Set one amount for the small weekly gifts and one for the final gift (more on this below).
- Pick the schedule and themes. Decide how many rounds there are, the theme of each round and the day gifts are handed over.
- Draw names in secret. Use folded papers in a bowl (the classic bunutan) or an online draw. Nobody may draw their own name.
- Give the weekly gifts. Leave each gift on your monita's desk or with the organizer, labelled "To: [name], From: your Monito/Monita".
- Reveal at the party. On the last day everyone hands over the main gift in person and the secret is out.
A popular way to run the reveal: each person describes their monito or monita – "she is always the first one in the office", "he never runs out of load" – and the group guesses who it is before the gift is handed over. Keep the descriptions kind; it is a party game, not a roast.
How much should the budget be?
Pick an amount that the person with the tightest budget is comfortable with, and make it a cap, not a target. Many groups set a small cap for each weekly theme and a bigger one for the final gift, for example ₱100 per weekly gift and ₱500 for the final gift. Those numbers are only an example; a class of students and an office team will choose very different amounts.
- Say whether wrapping and delivery count towards the budget.
- Say whether the budget is per gift or the total for all rounds.
- Write the budget in the group chat so nobody has to ask twice.
Which "something" themes work best?
Themes keep the weekly gifts cheap and fun. Choose ones that everyone will read the same way. Clean themes that work for school, office and family groups:
| Theme | Gift ideas |
|---|---|
| Something sweet | Polvoron, yema, chocolates, a jar of ube jam |
| Something soft | Socks, a face towel, a small stuffed toy, a neck pillow |
| Something useful | A tumbler, a phone stand, a pen set, an umbrella |
| Something local | Dried mangoes, a local coffee, a woven coin purse |
| Something green | A small plant, matcha sweets, anything in green |
| Something round | A ball, round biscuits, a round mirror, an orange |
| Something that smells good | Hand cream, a scented candle, a small cologne |
| Something to write with | Gel pens, highlighters, a notebook and pen |
| Something handmade | Baked cookies, a drawing, a crocheted keychain |
| Something that makes you smile | A funny mug, a comic book, a photo print |
Some lists online include double-meaning themes. They might be fine for a group of close adult friends, but leave them out at school, at work and at family parties – someone always ends up uncomfortable.
What does a typical schedule look like?
A four-round plan that fits December:
| Round | Theme | When |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Something sweet | First week of December |
| 2 | Something soft | Second week |
| 3 | Something useful | Third week |
| Final | Main gift and reveal | Christmas party |
Short on time? Skip the weekly rounds and do one theme plus the final gift. The tradition is meant to be fun, not a second job.
How do you draw names fairly?
Paper draws are part of the fun, but they have two problems: someone can draw their own name, and someone can peek. An online draw fixes both. On the online bunutan (or the English Secret Santa generator) you:
- Add every participant.
- Add pairs who should not draw each other – couples, siblings, or a teacher and their own child.
- Add the budget and the exchange date so they show on each person's page.
- Send each person their own private link. Opening it shows only who they buy for.
Nobody draws themselves, and the draw is made with your browser's secure random generator, the same one we test on our randomness audit page.
What if someone joins late or drops out?
If it happens before the first gift, the cleanest fix is to draw everything again. If gifts have already started, the organizer can quietly swap: the person who had the leaver now buys for the leaver's monita, and the newcomer is slotted in the same way. Tell only the people affected.
Small rules that prevent awkward moments
- Label every gift with the recipient's name – desks get crowded in December.
- Ask about allergies before the "something sweet" round.
- Keep a spare gift or two with the organizer in case someone forgets.
- Agree whether re-gifting is allowed. If it is, make it a theme ("something you received but never used") so it is a joke, not a surprise.