Secret Santa

One of Christmas’s most time-honored social traditions is Secret Santa. There is no better way to connect with friends and other loved-ones than engaging in a light-hearted game that involves an exchange of presents during the happiest time of the year.  If you have never heard of Secret Santa, you are truly missing out! Thankfully, we will break down the history of the tradition and how you can get involved this holiday season! 

Gift giving is one of Christmas’s biggest traditions. This phenomenon has been around for a very long time, and since the inception, there have been different variations as to how these gifts would be distributed. Some examples include Yankee Swap, White Elephant, and the most famous of them all, Secret Santa.   Nearly 300 years ago, the first iteration of Secret Santa started in Scandinavia and was known as Julklapp. A version of this tradition could also be found in German folklore. The culmination of hundreds of years of culture and tradition have melded together.  Over the years, the tradition of spreading Christmas gift ideas and giving presents has evolved into the Secret Santa we know today. 

So, how do you play Secret Santa? 

Well, it isn’t a hard game to master, but if you have never played before, we will lay out the rules so you can engage in the fun next time around. The entire idea of Secret Santa is to give a gift to someone else without them knowing who gave it.

1. To start, gather a group of friends or family that are all willing to participate. These are really popular for family gatherings and office parties. Without at least four people, but the more the better, it will be tough to participate. 
    
2. Secondly, you want to establish a gift amount cap for everyone to follow. If it is with some friends and no one wants to spend a large amount of money, put the buying limit to $20. It really doesn’t matter what the cap is as long as everyone agrees to it. 
    
3. Once you have the parameters set, it is time for the drawing. Write down the name of every participant on separate slips of paper. Fold them up and put them in a bowl. Then, have everyone write down a short wish list of items they would want in the set price range. This gives Santa an idea of interesting items and makes the entire game far more enjoyable. 
    
4. After everything is set, go around and have everyone pick a name out of the bowl. The name you pick is who you will be the Secret Santa for. You then grab the corresponding wish list slip to see what your person wants for Christmas.
    
5. After that, it is time to shop! Be sure to keep in mind the price cap and be creative. You don’t want this to be some boring exchange, so a gift card probably won’t cut it. So, keep their suggestions in mind, think outside of the box, and have fun with it
    
6. Now, the real fun comes after all of the shopping is done and the time has come to exchange the gifts. Be sure to plan an excellent party that is super engaging and fun for all. The presents are all put in a pile, or under the tree, and then handed out to the recipients. 
    
7. After opening you gift, you try and guess who your Secret Santa is. That is all there is to it! Hopefully, you now know how Secret Santa is played and you and your loved ones can enjoy!

Looking for great christmas gift ideas?  Check out our latest list

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