Random Christmas Bot

This Python project automates the process of organizing a Secret Santa event. It randomly assigns each participant one or two recipients and ensures participants do not receive the same recipients from the previous years. The results are sent via email using an SMTP relay, and participant data (names, emails, and previous draw results) are managed in a CSV file.

Features

• Randomly assign one or two recipients for each participant.
• Ensure participants do not receive the same recipients as the last n years.
• Sends personalized emails with draw results to participants.
• Stores participant data (names, emails, and draw results) in a CSV file.
• Modular structure for better code maintenance.
• All key parameters are configurable in a separate configuration file (env.py).

Project Structure

Random-Christmas-Bot/
│
├── src/
│   ├── draw.py        # Logic for drawing names
│   ├── emailer.py     # Email sending functionality
│   ├── file_io.py     # File handling (CSV reading/writing)
│   ├── main.py        # Main program logic
│   ├── utils.py       # Utility functions (date, time handling)
│   └── env.py         # Configuration settings (SMTP, file paths, etc.)
│
└── README.md          # Project readme

src/env.py

The configuration file contains SMTP settings, file paths, and customizable parameters for the draw.

Example env.py:

# Configuration file with SMTP settings and CSV path settings
SMTP_SERVER = "smtp.example.com"
SMTP_PORT = 25
SENDER_EMAIL = "[email protected]"
CSV_PATH = r"path\to\your\csv\files"  # Path to the CSV files
CSV_PREFIX = r"secret_santa_DB"        # Prefix for CSV files
HISTORY_YEARS = 2                      # Number of past years to consider in the draw
DRAW_PER_PERSON = 2                    # Number of recipients per person

# Email content
EMAIL_SUBJECT = "Secret Santa {year} Draw"
EMAIL_BODY = """
Hello {name},

You have been chosen to give gifts to: {draws}.
Feel free to use your imagination and make their Christmas magical!

Merry Christmas!

This email was sent automatically, please do not reply.
"""

Requirements

• Python 3.x
• SMTP server (relay, no authentication required)
• smtplib for sending emails (Python's built-in library)
• CSV file to store participant data

Installation

1. Clone the repository or download the script files.
2. Ensure you have Python installed on your system. If not, download and install Python from here.
3. Set up the env.py file in the src/ directory, adjusting the SMTP settings, CSV file path, and draw parameters as needed.

Example structure of the CSV file with the following columns:

Name,Email,Last_Year_Recipient_1,Last_Year_Recipient_2

Alice,[email protected],Bob,Charlie
Bob,[email protected],Alice,David
Charlie,[email protected],David,Alice

4. Name your CSVs using a consistent naming convention [prefix]_20xx.csv as the program will retrieve those using the prefix set in env.py.

5. Ensure the CSV file is in the correct location as specified in env.py.

Usage

1. Create a CSV file for the current year draw with the participants' information (Name and email). Like this:

   Alice,[email protected]
   Bob,[email protected]
   Charlie,[email protected]
   

2. Run the main script by executing:

   python src/main.py

3. The script will:

   • Load participant data from the CSV file.
   • Perform the Secret Santa draw based on the configuration (1 or 2 recipients).
   • Send an email to each participant with the names of their gift recipients.
   • Save the updated draw results back to the CSV file.

4. If any errors occur, they will be displayed in the console, and you can retry or debug as needed.

Customization

• Number of recipients: Modify DRAW_PER_PERSON in env.py to choose whether participants receive one or two recipients.
• Email content: Customize the email subject and body in env.py using placeholders like {name} for the participant's name and {draws} for their recipients.
• CSV file location: Adjust the CSV_PATH in env.py if you prefer a different directory for the participant data.
• Number of historical years: Change HISTORY_YEARS in env.py to set how many previous years of draws should be considered.

File Descriptions

• draw.py: Contains the logic for performing the Secret Santa draw, ensuring no repeat recipients from the last years.
• emailer.py: Handles email sending via the SMTP server.
• file_io.py: Responsible for reading and writing the participant data from/to the CSV file.
• main.py: The main program that ties everything together and coordinates the draw and email sending.
• utils.py: Utility functions, such as fetching the current date and time.

Notes

• The project assumes an SMTP server that does not require authentication. If authentication is needed, the script can be extended to support login.
• The project should be run once per year before the holiday season.
• Manually update the CSV file each year with any new participants.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License. You are free to modify and distribute the script as needed.

Contributions

Contributions are welcome! Feel free to open issues or submit pull requests to improve this project.