A beloved Christmas tradition is called Secret Santa or more commonly known as Kris Kringle. Kris Kringle is a variation of the name Santa Claus and originated in Germany. Secret Santa is a Western tradition originating from and popular in the United States. There are also variations in the spelling of the name, for example in England and Ireland it is written as ‘Chris Kindle’. While in Australia and Canada both Secret Santa and Kris Kringle are commonly used for this tradition.

Kris Kringle is derived from the traditional German gift bearer called Christkindle, which means Christ child. The Christkind tradition began in the 16th century in Europe. It was a time when the Protestant Martin Luther used his power to discourage the figure of Saint Nicholas as a bearer of gifts. He thought it more appropriate that the child of Bethlehem, the infant Jesus, be depicted as the bearer of gifts. The Christkind morphed in variations from a winged child angel to a gold clad teen angel with a white robe and crown. Christkind secretly collects the letters children leave on their windowsill on Christmas Eve, and leaves a present in their place in return.

Santa Claus was brought to America by the Dutch settlers from Pennsylvania. In the mid-1820s he was called Kris Kringle or Belsnickle from the German ‘Pelz-nickle’ meaning ‘Nicholas in Furs’ in reference to Saint Nicholas who was transformed into Santa Claus.

In Austria, Germany and Switzerland the tradition is called Engerl und Bengerl or Wichteln. In Brazil and most places in Latin America it is practiced under the name ‘Amigo Secreto’ which means secret friend, while in Spain it is called ‘Amigo Invisible’ which means invisible friend.

However, whatever it’s called, it’s a fun tradition often practiced in workplaces, community groups, and large family gatherings. Each participant’s name is written on a piece of paper and placed in a box or hat and shuffled. Then each person pulls out a piece of paper and that is the person they must anonymously buy a gift for for the designated Christmas event. The gift is then placed under the Christmas tree or on an assigned table with the name of the person it is for and nothing else. It’s a great way for family and friends and larger groups of people to share in the holiday fun of gift-giving with minimal expense.

Variations on ‘Secret Santa’ include each person writing below their name a short list of gift ideas they would like within their gift budget. It is common to have a limit on the amount that can be spent on gifts. Sometimes the giver of the gift will reveal himself by giving the gift directly to the person when everyone is gathered so that everyone knows her identity. Sometimes the extra money saved by this practice is collected and given to the charity of the group’s or workplace’s choice.