Also: Secret Santa Gift Ideas & Rules
When you think of Secret Santa, you tend to think of it as a North American way of exchanging gifts, but it is indeed popular in other countries. For example, in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland Secret Santa is called Wichteln or Engerl und Bengerl. While in Spain Secret Santa is known as amigo invisible. Regardless of what language you say Secret Santa, the main idea behind it is the same, giving someone a gift without them knowing who it is from.
Are you in charge of organizing a Secret Santa? Follow these steps.
Origins Of Secret Santa
Although Secret Santa is used throughout the world, as a way of exchanging gifts secretly, it is thought to have originated by an American philanthropist by the name of Larry Dean Stewart. He practiced Secret Santa for about 20 years of his life, and did so by choosing people at random and doing nice deeds for them. Secret Santa is a bit different these days, so instead of gracious generosity, we enjoy watching annoying coworkers open their bizarre gift that could be anything form a ball scratcher (yeas you read that right) to an unopened can of sardines.
Secret Santa also has deep roots in Scandinavia, where this form of gift giving is done a little differently. It’s known as Julklapp, which translates into a combination of Christmas and knocking. Seem a bit strange? Well, it’s not because people literally knock on peoples doors and throw gifts inside without being seen. Instead of including a tag on the gift saying who the gift is from, a funny message is written. A good example? A bar of soap for someone with inferior attention to personal hygiene, you don;t even need a note for that! Secret Santa may be altered throughout the world, but the main idea behind it is the same and that is giving gifts without the recipient knowing who is giving them the gift.
Secret Santa Party
Secret Santa is a great way to give gifts because normally you are only purchasing a gift for one person and there is a set price that you are not to exceed. This makes it so everyone can participate without breaking the bank. Secret Santa is popular among offices, families and friends. It’s common for the participants to come up with unusual Secret Santa gift ideas.
How Does Secret Santa Work?
If you are going going to the Chrsitmas Party that will feature Secret Santa gift exchange, it’s natural that you would want to first know how to play Secret Santa if you’ve never played before.
Secret Santa parties are held in workplaces and offices across the world and it’s especially a great way to exchange gifts in this setting because you probably don’t know your work colleagues as well as friends and if the person doesn’t like the gift they won’t know who it’s from. Since the whole idea of Secret Santa is for the recipient not know who the gift is from, you have the freedom to decide to give them a GAG gift and make everyone laugh, or give them something useful and thoughtful if that’s the party theme.
You won’t have that worry in the pit of your stomach wondering what the person will think of your gift because, if Secret Santa is executed correctly, no one will be the wiser as to who bought which gifts.
How To Play Secret Santa
When it gets down to playing Secret Santa there are a few different variations on how the rules work. There’s the traditional way in which everyone picks one name and buys a gifts for that specific person, with an amount in which the gift should not exceed.
The persons name is put on the gift tag and they are not told who the gift is from. Another variation, and certainly a way to add some extra fun to Secret Santa, is when a person can either chose a gift to open or steal a gift that has been previously opened by someone else. This can be a very interesting way to exchange gifts, as some sort of strategy is needed to get the gift you want if a few people are interested in the same gift. Go ahead and learn more about Secret Santa Rules
There are several ways in which Secret Santa can be executed and the rules will definitely vary
depending on which part of the world it’s being used.
