What is Secret Santa and where does the tradition come from?
Every year around Christmas time, families and friends gather together to celebrate the holiday season. Celebrations vary for each person and family, but typically, many American families celebrate Christmas by setting up a Christmas tree and decorating it with ornaments (called tree-trimming). Many people bake holiday treats, make hot chocolate, and spend quality time with their family and friends.
Another trend that is quite popular in America during the holiday season is the game of Secret Santa.
Secret Santa is a type of gift-giving holiday game. In this tradition, people get together (typically friends, family, and/or co-workers) and write their name on a slip of paper. After everyone writes their name down, each person then randomly picks up a slip of paper. Whomever’s name is on that slip is the person they will get a gift for. The important thing to note here is that you cannot tell the person that you will be getting their gift - they will have to guess who gave it to them when they receive it!
This game is a fun way to surprise people in your life, and this game always keep the mystery there!
History of Secret Santa:
Secret Santa is a traditionally western tradition. It is thought that the philanthropist, Larry Dean Stewart, came up with the idea of giving mystery gifts during the holiday season. In fact, Stewart anonymously donated $100 bills to people in the state of Kansas. He also donated $25,000 to people in New York after the 9/11 terrorist attacks and did not reveal his identity till many years after. Some claim that this tradition originally hails from Scandinavia. Although no one is really sure of the exact origins of this fun tradition, it is celebrated all over the world.
Secret Santa Fun Facts:
Secret Santa is called “Kris Kringel” in the United Kingdom.
Secret Santa technically only has one rule - the identity of the gift-giver must be anonymous
Christmas Day was not a legal holiday in the United States until the year 1870!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Annik Brar is a student at the George Washington University in Washington, D.C. studying International Affairs and Psychology. In her free time, she manages a support page for people with Type 1 Diabetes. She also loves photography and traveling and can speak Punjabi and Hindi fluently!