In short
In Secret Santa, everyone in a group draws one name and buys a small gift for that person only – traditionally without saying who it's from. Wikipedia describes it as a Western Christmas tradition in which members of a group are randomly assigned a person to give a gift to; the giver may stay anonymous or be revealed at the end. It's a staple of office Christmas parties, friendship groups and clubs because each person only buys one present.
Photo: Maxime / Unsplash
The custom goes by different names: Kris Kringle or Kris Kindle in Ireland, Kris Kringle in Australia and Canada, and Wichteln or Julklapp in Germany.
Secret Santa vs. White Elephant
| Secret Santa | White Elephant (Yankee Swap) | |
|---|---|---|
| Who gets your gift? | One person you drew in advance | Whoever ends up with it |
| Anonymous? | Usually, until the reveal | Not really – it's about the swap |
| Gift style | Picked for that person | Funny or general, works for anyone |
| Best for | Teams who know each other | Big groups and mixed crowds |
In a White Elephant swap, players take turns either unwrapping a new gift or "stealing" one that's already open, as Wikipedia explains. Our Christmas party games for work include full rules with a steal limit.
Example
A team of 15 does Secret Santa at their Christmas party. Two weeks before, everyone draws a name and the group agrees one spending limit. On the night, the gifts sit under the tree and each person finds the one with their name on it. Anyone who wants to can guess who their Secret Santa was. For more ideas for the evening, see our work Christmas party ideas.
What to watch out for
- Make it optional: nobody should feel pressured to join. A quiet opt-out keeps the mood relaxed.
- Agree a spending limit: the exact amount matters less than everyone knowing the same number.
- Skip awkward gifts: toiletries, diet products or anything suggestive tend to land badly at work. Funny is great; embarrassing isn't.
- Draw names early: a week or two gives everyone time to shop. Remote teams can draw names online.
- Don't default to alcohol: a bottle of wine is easy, but not everyone drinks. Snacks, books or desk gadgets work for almost anyone.
With Filmriss
The moment everyone unwraps at the same time is one of the best photo opportunities of the night – it's even a square on our photo bingo card. With a digital disposable camera like Filmriss for Christmas parties, guests take photos by scanning a QR code in the browser, and the whole team sees the pictures the next morning. Only share colleagues' photos on social media with their consent.
