"Secret Santa": rules of the ceremony

New Year is a magical time when everyone is waiting for a miracle and hopes for a fairy tale. In some countries, the game of "Secret Santa" has become popular for a long time - it is a good tradition, the essence of which is the anonymous exchange of New Year's gifts.

The ceremony is widespread in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, and residents of several European countries, Australia and New Zealand love to play it. Secret Santa has several titles - Secret Santa Claus, Pollyanna or Chris Kindle. All these names refer to a very specific character. Who is Santa, everyone knows - this is the main Christmas wizard, Chris Kindle in the English tradition is considered the "Father of Christmas", and Pollyanna is the heroine of the famous novel, who won the hearts of readers all over the world with her kindness, sensitivity and participation in other people's experiences.

The point of the game is the secret exchange of New Year and Christmas gifts, it is held among a large number of participants, while the name of the person to whom you will make a gift is chosen randomly and becomes known only to you. Until the very moment of the ceremony, no one even guesses who and whom will bestow.

However, if this is not possible, for example, if "Secret Santa" takes place in the form of a quest game with strangers, you can set aside a certain period for donation, for example, a week, when everyone has to give a present to his “ward”.

It is noteworthy that in this case, each person makes his own list of desires, where he indicates those gifts that he dreams of, and the giver chooses from this list. Thus, the New Year's surprise will be pleasant anyway. While not required, sometimes a pricing range is simply set among the participants so that everyone can get the job done.

So, let's dwell on the rules of "Secret Santa" in more detail. The easiest option is to write the names of the participants on pieces of paper, fold and shuffle. After that the approximate cost of gifts is negotiated, for example, from 1000 to 2000 rubles – this is necessary so that the most stingy ones do not try to get rid of wax candles from a fixed price, while their more generous friends will go broke on branded items from expensive boutiques.

After the agreements have been reached, everyone pulls a piece of paper, but then does not show it to anyone. If you drew out a piece of paper with your name, just show the others and put it back, and then draw the lot again. The person who blindly chooses your name will become your personal Santa, and you will be an anonymous wizard for the one whose note was in your hands.

After the draw, the date of the flash mob is determined.

In order not to get into a mess, many agree in advance to draw up a list of preferences. As a rule, several positions are indicated, Santa can already choose one or more of them. But if you have not made a wish list and you will have to buy a present to your taste, then our advice will probably come in handy.

Probably, nowadays there is no longer a person who would not have heard about hygge. This concept came to us from the Scandinavian countries and there it means comfort, warmth, family values ​​and well-being. A cozy gift will be most welcome at Christmas - after all, on cold winter evenings, you so want a sincere atmosphere, which will help you convey:

• candlesticks with a set of scented candles;
• aroma oils for living quarters;
• unusual festive garland;
• warm soft blanket;
• stylish photo frame;
• a large cup with a winter print and a set for delicious mulled wine.

If "Secret Santa" is held among colleagues, it is worth dwelling on more neutral and practical gifts, these can be:

• wireless mouse;
• headphones;
• thermo mug;
• tabletop humidifier;
• stylish diary with a pen.

It is best to complete sets, for example, donate a notebook and a French press. It's no secret that life in the office is fraught with a lot of hassle, so a tabletop punching bag - an antistress that helps to let off steam after not quite successful communication with the authorities - would be a good choice. For several years now, the portable charger has been at the top of the list of gifts.

This is not surprising, every year more and more people use smartphones that require frequent recharging, which is why the stylish design power bank will certainly be used more than once.

Sweet gifts are always relevant for the New Year, of course, it will be better if not just sweets are presented as a presentation, but some unusual delicacies:

• a set of decorated gingerbread cookies;
• packaging of marshmallow or dried fruit in a Christmas wrapper;
• a bottle of whiskey and rum;
• a set of spices and sweet syrup for making strong warming drinks;
• jams in stylish packaging;
• honey.

All of these gifts are good, but still New Year and Christmas, especially in the game "Secret Santa", I want to get something unusual, which is unlikely to be presented on any other holiday. Virtual reality glasses - this is a very fashionable gadget, if you insert a smartphone into such glasses, you can play 3D games to your heart's content, watch "multidimensional" films and touch the unknown future with at least one finger. Every electronics store has a wide selection of eyewear models to choose from within a specific budget.

Alcohol cooling stones. Of course, such a gift is best combined with a bottle of expensive cognac, wine and brandy. These stones quickly cool the drink, are easy to clean, and look extremely impressive in a glass. Stock of warm socks - yes, it is customary to give socks on February 23rd, many consider this present to be hackneyed. But just remember how many hosiery per year disappear in the bowels of the house - surely not a single man will refuse to seriously replenish his stocks.

Board games - the choice here is not limited by anything: "Monopoly", "Mafia", table football. Games based on popular TV series and computer games are always appropriate: "Star Wars", as well as Doom, beloved by men "Tanchiki" and even "Game of Thrones" will certainly delight many. It's a good idea to gift card to the bar - just imagine that you can come to a restaurant or cafe and relax there without spending a penny.

Present a ticket to a show or concert if a famous musical team comes to your city. Or maybe the stars of the capital's theater are giving their concert. Present your friend the opportunity to go to an interesting show, perhaps with you. For the owner of a smartphone, a mini-lens will be a good gift, and there can be any choice - both individual lenses and a set with wide functionality. Moreover, many devices can not only impose the desired effect on the photograph, but at the same time improve the quality of the picture.

And, of course, not a single addressee will refuse cozy sleepers for home, so you can safely buy them, having found out the size of your feet in advance.

There are some gifts that are not customary to give in the "Secret Santa" game. First of all, it is hand made products. Not everyone succeeds in finding a worthy use of a hand-made thing, in addition, many craftsmen slightly overestimate the level of their work and what they think is a high-quality product is often not. Decor items - toys, cushions, figurines, vases and funny knick-knacks, everyone prefers to acquire on their own, based on their preferences, as well as interior design features. You should not buy the symbol of the coming year either - this is too banal a present, which will indicate that Santa simply did not want to take the choice of a present seriously and responsibly.

No need to give hygiene products, especially for a girl... All kinds of shower foams, as well as gels and shampoos, some people perceive as a hint of their own untidiness, this spoils the whole impression of the gift. Leave any comic presentations for those closest to you - the humor of the anonymous person can hurt.Now that you know what gifts you can give in the game "Secret Santa", you can safely offer entertainment to your family, friends and colleagues. Be sure that they will definitely receive your idea with great enthusiasm!

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