What is the best low-tech protocol to simulate drawing names out of a hat and ensure secrecy?

Question

Each year at Thanksgiving, my family has drawn names out of a hat to determine who they\'ll be a \"Secret Santa\" for the Christmas gift exchange. It\'s important to our fam

Answer 1

Get some paper and some envelopes. Number two of each envelope and two of each paper so that you have 2 "1" envelopes and 2 "1" papers, 2 "2" envelopes and 2 "2" papers, etc.

Have either you or your wife write every couple's names on matching papers, for example: you could put your name on a "1" sheet and your wife would have to be on the other "1" sheet. Address the matching envelope appropriately (your address would be on both "1" envelopes in the example).

Turn all of the papers and envelopes over so that none of the names or addresses can be seen (you did remember to write the numbers on the back of the paper and envelopes, right?) Swap places so that the person that did not do the writing stuffs the envelopes. Just be sure to put every numbered paper into an envelope with a different number (e.g.: never put a "1" paper into a "1" envelope). That way, you'll know that A) nobody got themselves and B) nobody got their significant other.

Not every answer needs to involve a computer! Just ask your nearest D&D player. :-P