Meet the Merry Secret Santa

Secret Santa is a fun Christmas gift exchange tradition that is popular in Western culture. To organize it, a group is required. Each participant is asked to provide a gift for one other person in the group. The matches are made in secret; they are usually selected at random by drawing names, or they may be assigned by a person designated to oversee the game. A specific monetary limit for the gifts is usually set.

The gifts are wrapped and tagged with the recipient’s name without revealing who the gift is from. All gifts can be placed in a specific area and opened at once as part of a holiday party or get-together. No one knows who their gift is from unless it is revealed voluntarily. It can be a lot of fun for everyone to guess who their Secret Santa was.

This merry tradition has many names, and is practiced in many different parts of the world. The names generally correspond to those of the traditional Christmas gift-bearers of the culture. While Secret Santa is a common name in Western countries, Kris Kringle may also be used. This name is believed to be a derivative of the German word Christkindl, although in Germany and Austria the common name is Wichteln. Other variants include Christkind and Chris Kindle. Portugal uses the term “amigo oculto”, and many Latin Americans countries refer to it as “amigo invisible” or “amigo secreto”. These three names all reference an invisible or secret friend. In parts of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, some people may call the game Pollyanna.

Secret Santa ideas are often requested by participants, especially if they are buying a gift for someone they barely know. A helpful tip is to have everyone make a list of things they want or need and post it in public so that their Santa can read it without revealing their identity. Gift choices can be open or limited. Asking everyone to give an edible or hand-made gift may help those who have a strained budget.

Variants of the game, such as Yankee Swap, Dirty Santa, Nasty Christmas, White Elephant Gift Exchange and Grinch involve the option for players to steal previously opened gifts from others. If these versions are planned, gifts should be generic and suitable for anyone.

The Secret Santa or Kris Kringle game is a great way to manage gift-giving at work or in large families, church congregations or other social groups. Not only is it fun, it’s more practical than trying to buy a gift for everyone in a large group. For great new Kris Kringle ideas and party themes, try your local craft stores for inspiration, or visit Christmas websites and blogs.