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With the holidays approaching, the fun tradition of Secret Santa is starting to come into thought processes all over the world. There’s a new kid on the block too. It’s a Digital Secret Santa. Have you ever been part of a Secret Santa yourself?
Millions of people all over the world love the idea of a Secret Santa, but sometimes, geographic location just doesn’t allow it to happen. Thankfully, the holidays have welcomed the concept of a Digital Secret Santa with open arms, and this is one cool concept that is certain to become a tradition!
What is a Secret Santa in the United States?
This unique gift giving tradition is much more than just a list of names. It’s about putting in your name and then getting assigned to someone else who will be the one getting you a present, that they had no intention on buying for themselves!
The Secret Santa experience is unlike any other – it starts when people put their own name into what seems like an unending hat which goes around until everyone has given up their names; once done, participants are randomly picked out by another participant so as not to know who will end up being them. The identity of the giver remains secret.
The whole activity is about anonymity and giving.
Where Did Secret Santa Originate?
The tradition of Secret Santa has been around for centuries — dating as far back to Scandinavia where it is called “Julklapp”. Gifts would be chosen, then the giver would knock at the house door with great excitement before running away again! I never recall doing it this way in the U.S., but imagine it must have been a wholesome and fun way to get out and about during the holiday season.
What’s the Point of This Sneaky Secret Do-Gooder?
When it comes to Secret Santa, it’s all about the spirit of giving. Sharing gifts with people that you might not traditionally give a gift for is what makes this tradition so special and exciting!
This holiday spread some Christmas cheer, goodwill, and spirit with Secret Santa!
How Many People are Needed?
If you had the budget you seriously only need one Secret Santa, you. Imagine sneaking gifts around with no sender’s name. Stand back and watch the fun and joy happen! So, it’s entirely possibly for this to happen with just one.
Ideally you want to have minimum 3 up to hundreds. Most common are families, offices and neighborhoods of groups between 10-25.
How Much to Spend on the Holiday Fun?
Keep in mind, you are substituting this for individual gift giving in the masses, so there’s already a decent savings. You still want to keep the gift about the “giving” not the pricetag. Part of the fun is finding something that matches the recipient with their style, likes, hobbies.
Keeping a Secret Santa activity between $5 – $15 is perfect. Smaller groups and families may decide to extend this to $25.
How to Have a Digital Secret Santa
The concept of a Secret Santa isn’t hard. It can be played by family, friends, and even coworkers and is basically where everyone draws a name, and then in secret gives them a gift. And it’s a fun concept, right? Who doesn’t love receiving random gifts? Some Secret Santa games have monetary limits or themes, while others are pretty much fair game to just about anything.
But what if…this year, you took it a step further and upped your Secret Santa game? What if you were able to play it on a global level, with family and friends from all over the globe?
The good news? It’s 100% possible to have started and created a digital secret Santa with ease! All you need are willing participants, the ability to connect and stay in touch, and a little imagination and fun!
The Rules of a Digital Secret Santa
First and foremost, you need to set up an online way to organize your Digital Secret Santa. Using this free and helpful tool is a great way to email those who you want to participate! That way, everyone can fill out their information and their gift wants with ease!
Those who want to participate can even take it a step further and create their own wish lists on sites like Amazon, Etsy, etc. That way, whoever “draws” their name will be able to know exactly what they love, even if they may not actually know them directly!
The great thing about hosting a digital secret Santa is that you can have the gift shipped directly to the home of the recipient! Seriously, can it get any more easy than that?! Places such as Amazon and basically any other online store make it crazy simple to input the address and have it delivered in just a few days. All you need to worry about adding a gift card, with your very special Secret Santa signature!
And while I LOVE the concept of a Digital Secret Santa (and totally want to do one this year, by the way!), I also think more big picture with this as well. It’s the perfect gateway to Digital Birthday Gifts, Digital “I Love You” gifts, and online gift exchanges for books, wines, and even chocolate! Seriously…the idea and concept of a Digital Secret Santa can trickle into so many other avenues of your life!
Just How Big Can a Digital Secret Santa Truly Be?
So, my fellow Christmas lovers…what do you think? Can you imagine creating and inviting people from all over the world to participate in this cool concept? Just think of the suspense and fun that could ensue.
If you’ve ever wanted to get a gift from someone literally halfway across the world, this Christmas game is your perfect opportunity to make it happen. And who knows…I can absolutely visualize and imagine this online Christmas gift giving going viral! Wouldn’t it be amazing to participate in one of the biggest Secret Santa games on the planet?
As with any type of online game, safety is important so make certain to keep that in mind should you choose to participate! With having to give your mailing address as part of the requirement to receive a gift, you need to make certain that this is something that you are comfortable with!
And if you choose to play, be the best digital Secret Santa that you can be!
Christmas in July Anyone?
I’m going to leave you with one more thought. Sometimes, life just calls for a Christmas in July. Sometimes Santa needs to shake out those shorts and lather up in the sunscreen and enjoy some sum sum summertime fun too!
Christmas in July is a whole other activity, but it definitely has Secret Santa in the mix. Who doesn’t like getting a surprise gift or even better, giving a secret gift throughout the year? Designate a mid-year date like July 25th and make it your new Christmas in July tradition!
