Secret Santa facts for kids

Secret Santa is a fun Christmas tradition. It's popular in many Western countries. In this game, people in a group secretly give gifts to each other. You get assigned one person to buy a gift for. The cool part is, no one knows who gave them their gift! It's a secret until the very end, or sometimes it stays a secret forever.

This tradition comes from Christian customs. It has different names around the world. In the United States and the United Kingdom, it's called Secret Santa. In Ireland, people might say Kris Kringel or Kris Kindle. Canada and Australia also use Secret Santa or Kris Kringle. In the Philippines, it's Secret Santa, Kris Kringle, or Monito-Monita. The Dominican Republic calls it Angelito. In Germany, it's Wichteln or Julklapp.

Many names come from traditional Christmas gift-givers. For example, Secret Santa is named after Santa Claus. Kris Kringle comes from Christkindl, which means "Christ Child". In Spain, Portugal, and most of Latin America, it's called amigo secreto (secret friend) or amigo invisible/invisível (invisible friend). In Israel, they play a similar game called גמד וענק (A Dwarf and a Giant) during Purim.

Why Secret Santa is Fun and Fair

Secret Santa makes gift-giving easier for groups. Imagine if everyone had to buy a gift for everyone else! That would be a lot of gifts and a lot of money.

With Secret Santa, each person buys just one gift. And each person receives just one gift. This makes it fair and less expensive for everyone involved. It's a simple way to share holiday cheer.

Different Ways to Play Secret Santa

There are many exciting ways to play Secret Santa. Each version adds a unique twist to the game.

The 'Steal a Gift' Game (White Elephant)

This version is also known as white elephant gift exchange or Yankee Swap. It's very popular and can be quite funny!

Here's how it works:

• Everyone brings one wrapped gift. The gifts should be things anyone in the group might like.
• The gifts are placed together, and no one knows who brought which gift.
• Players take turns. On your turn, you can either:

* Open a brand new, wrapped gift. * "Steal" a gift that someone else has already opened!

• If your gift gets stolen, you get to choose another action. You can open a new gift or steal from someone else.
• A gift can usually only be stolen a certain number of times (e.g., two or three times) before it's "locked" with its current owner. This keeps the game moving.

This game is full of surprises and laughter!

Guess Who Gave the Gift!

In this version, you get a gift from your assigned Secret Santa. But there's a mystery! Your Secret Santa also includes a letter with the gift.

The letter might have clues about who they are. The rules for clues can vary. After opening your gift, you try to guess who your Secret Santa was. It's like a fun detective game!

Team Up for a Secret Gift!

This version is called "Conspiracy Santa." It's a bit different. Instead of one person buying a gift for one other person, everyone works together.

The whole group secretly plans a gift for just one person. They do this for each person in the group. It's a big secret from the person receiving the gift!

People often use emails or special websites to plan. They talk about what the person likes. Then, they decide on the perfect gift together. One person buys it, and it's given later. This game is great for learning more about your friends or classmates.

Secret Santa on the Internet

Playing Secret Santa online has become very popular. This is super helpful for groups who can't meet in person.

There are special websites called Secret Santa Generators. You put in everyone's names. The generator then secretly tells each person who they need to buy a gift for. This way, you can play with friends or family who live far away!

See also

In Spanish: Amigo invisible para niños