What is the difference between Dirty Santa and Secret Santa?

We're not sure where the name "Dirty Santa" originated, but it's meant to refer to game participants, the "Santas," stealing desirable gifts from each other. As opposed to Secret Santa, where participants are trying to guess who their personalized gifts are from, Dirty Santa adds a fun, competitive twist.

What are the rules to Dirty Santa?

With Dirty Santa gift exchange, each person has to buy only one gift, for not particular person unlike in Secret Santa and at the end of the exchange everyone ends up with a random gift they "won" during the exchange.

What is considered a Dirty Santa gift?

ICYDK, Dirty Santa is a light-hearted gift swap with a competitive streak. It's similar to a game of White Elephant in that each person brings a funny, kitschy, or just plain weird gift within a given theme or budget—the more unique and LOL-worthy, the better.

What is Dirty Santa?

A white elephant gift exchange, Yankee swap or Dirty Santa is a party game where amusing and impractical gifts are exchanged during festivities. The goal of a white elephant gift exchange is to entertain party-goers rather than to gain a genuinely valuable or highly sought-after item.

Why do they call it Dirty Santa?

The Dirty Santa Gift Exchange is a family friendly game where participants STEAL gifts from each other in the attempt to end up with the best gift. It is called Dirty because it encourages you to ruthlessly STEAL gifts from each other.

The Official Christmas Party Game: DIRTY SANTA

Do you wrap Dirty Santa gifts?

Typically, a Dirty Santa gift is something silly, funny, or just downright ridiculous. Hosts can choose a theme for the gifts such as DIY only, gag gifts, gifts inspired by a popular show, etc. Before the party, guests should wrap or bag their gift without a name or tag. The goal is to stay anonymous.

Are Dirty Santa and White Elephant the same thing?

A White Elephant Gift Exchange is a popular Christmas event where people vie to walk away with the best present. It also goes by Yankee Swap, Dirty Santa, and a plethora of other names.

Do and don'ts of Secret Santa?

What can I do instead of Dirty Santa?

Yankee Swap is generally played much like White Elephant or Dirty Santa although with a twist. Here's one variation: Player number one chooses a gift, unwraps, and puts it on display in front of them. Player number two chooses a gift, unwraps it and can choose to keep it or swap it with player number one.

How do you play Dirty Santa for Christmas?

The Yankee Swap – Also known as Dirty Santa or White Elephant, this one brings out the Grinch in everyone. Each player brings a gift within a set price limit that every other player would enjoy. Participants take turns either selecting a gift or stealing one from a player who has already chosen one.

What is a good amount for Secret Santa?

You buy a present for the person you've selected, and the person who draws your name buys a present for you! Most Secret Santa exchanges also include a price limit. Anywhere between $15 and $50 is typical.

What age do you stop getting presents from Santa?

Overall, the average age in the United States for no longer believing in Santa Claus is 8.4 years old. Mississippi has the oldest average age at 10.2 years old. Not far behind is Iowa where the average age is 9.9 years old.

Are you supposed to tell your Secret Santa who you are?

Secret Santa is a Western Christmas tradition in which members of a group or community are randomly assigned a person to whom they give a gift. The identity of the gift giver is to remain a secret and should not be revealed.

Is it OK to give a gift card for Secret Santa?

Yes, gift cards are perfectly acceptable Secret Santa gifts. Just be sure to choose a card that is appropriate for the person you are giving it to, and within the budget you have set.

Are you supposed to say who your Secret Santa is?

Ahead of the day that presents are given out, names of those involved are put into a hat (of the Christmas variety ideally) and then each participant draws, in secret, the name of the person for whom they'll buy a gift.

What is a Kris Kringle gift exchange?

A group of people choose each others names randomly without telling who they got. Each person buys the person they picked a gift, and likewise the person who picked their name buys them a gift. The gifts are exchanged on an agreed upon date for the whole group, and everyone's Secret Santa / Kris Kringle is revealed.

Is it offensive to gift a White Elephant?

No, there is no racial implication. A “white elephant” is something you have, but don't want, and can't dispose of. The expression comes from a story about Siam (Thailand). White elephants (which occur in nature, but are rare) are regarded as sacred by the Thai people.

Why do they call it a Yankee Swap?

Yankee Swap is more popular in New England and is a reference to the swapping of prisoners of war during the American Civil War. Some claim that generals made a game out of these swaps, and they even assigned different values to each prisoner, kind of like a brute barter system.

Should I tell my 10 year old there is no Santa?

"It's not an overnight shift in thinking," says Laura Lamminen, Ph. D., a pediatric psychologist at Children's Health℠, "and there's no set age where children should know the truth about Santa Claus." Dr. Lamminen says each family and each child within that family will be ready to talk about Santa at different ages.

How do you reveal a Secret Santa gift?

First way- have the host pass out the gifts one by one, and each person opens it before the next is handed out. This gives the secret santa a chance to watch their giftee's reaction and reveal who they are! The second way is to pass out all the gifts at once and have everyone open at the same time.

Should I tell my kids Santa doesnt exist?

Research shows that kids who are lied to by their parents are more likely to lie themselves, so it is always a good idea to tell the truth if possible. Don't use Santa as a tool for motivating your kid. Letting them grow through fantasy and imagination is positive.

How many gifts should Santa bring each child?

Some follow the “rule of three.” This means that a child gets three presents, one for each gift baby Jesus received. Others believe in four: something you want, something you need, something to wear, and something to read.

Do you leave carrots for Santa?

In the Netherlands, children often leave carrots and hay to help energize Santa's horses — yes, horses — on their trip around the world. In some parts of Europe — like Denmark, Belgium, and the Netherlands — children don't believe Santa's sleigh is pulled by reindeer.

What age do parents tell their kids that Santa isn't real?

While everyone is different, according to a recent poll by House Method, the average age kids in the United States stop believing in Santa Claus is 8.5 years. So, chances are good that somewhere around then is the right age for your child to learn the true story about Santa Claus.

What should I ask for $30 on Secret Santa?