Secret Santa Exposed!

T

he traditional Christmas gift exchange of the “Secret Santa” is welcomed by many but also dreaded by others. Those people that dread participating in Secret Santa usually have a hard time buying gifts. What makes the Secret Santa great is that there is a sense of mystery and excitement. The reason it’s called "secret" is that you don’t know who's giving the gift. Someone has the job of gifting you and you also must gift someone you may not know much about. This would be a good reason to register with gyftit.com and become a GyftBuddy for a better understanding of the likes and dislikes of other group members.

Some say Secret Santa comes from a Scandinavian tradition. Someone knocked on a door and as it was opened, a present would be thrown inside. Whoever threw it would be long gone. It was called the "Jukklapp: translated into English as "Knocking Christmas". Either way, the tradition took hold and has made Christmas a happier time involving all people whether they're Christian, Jew, Hindu or Muslim — a time to celebrate the fellowship of man.

How does it work?

Someone is always in charge of the group (co-workers, a circle of friends, or family members) — and oversees the event. Names of the people participating are written on pieces of paper and placed into a container. The names should be in printed form and legible. Have someone not participating write down the names (so that handwriting doesn't give away the identity of any person participating). To make it easier for some people, along with the names write down one or two gift suggestions within an agreed price range. Now comes the fun part for all those involved. Each member pulls a name out of the container and discovers whom it is they will be gifting. It is important that they don't reveal the names they picked and the names remain top secret! That’s what makes it exciting. Each member does not know who is gifting whom.

The cost

Almost every Secret Santa group has a monetary budget and doesn't exceed it. In North America it’s normal for coworker Secret Santas to spend between $10 and $20 on a gift. There are many items that can be bought within this range.

Some gift suggestions

The dollar store is a great source of gift ideas. You can purchase a numbers of items and create a basket of gifts. Or just buy a small ready-made gift basket. If you know the person well and they like wine, get them a bottle of the kind they drink. Chocolates are also a good choice. Perhaps a fun card game or a movie video would be appreciated. A scratch and win lottery ticket could turn out to be a great gift. "Word of the day" calendars for the coming year are a safe bet. If you're really stuck, get a gift card to a Tim Horton's or a Starbucks. If the Secret Santa is a family affair and children are among the participants, then some extra research might be needed to get just the right gift. Once again, the Questionnaire in gyftit.com can be used to generate that information.

The party

After all that running around, it's finally time for Secret Santa. Make sure all the participants are present and make it a party event with good cheer and some tasty holiday goodies. The mystery builds as the host presents the gifts to the excited participants. As each person receives their gift they are wondering, "Who could have bought me this?" At times the gifts may be funny or disapointing, but nevertheless in the spirit of Christmas, everyone is there to have a good time and overlooks any bad feelings — it's all done in fun. The name of the game is to guess who bought what for whom and it depends on the rules that were agreed on whether to name the gifter or let them remain anonymous.