Kris Kringle rules: how it works and how it differs from Secret Santa

Updated October 12, 2026. About 3 minutes to read.

Kris Kringle is a gift exchange in which everyone in a group draws one name and buys a gift for that person. It's the name you'll hear in Australia and New Zealand, where it's a regular fixture of office and family Christmases. In Ireland the same thing is often called Kris Kindle, and elsewhere it's Secret Santa. The idea is the same under every name, and the practical differences come down to habits and house rules.

The usual rules

1. Names are drawn. Everyone takes part in one draw, and each person gets a single name.
2. You buy one gift for that person. There's a price limit that everyone agrees on in advance.
3. The gift is labelled with the recipient's name, not yours. It's usually left under a tree, in a basket, or at the gathering.
4. Gifts are handed out together, often by someone playing Santa, or by the recipient finding their own.
5. Whether givers are revealed is up to the group. Some Kris Kringles keep the giver secret for good, and others reveal it as the gift is opened.

How it differs from Secret Santa

In practice, very little. People who use both names sometimes mean slightly different things, though none of this is a rule:

• Kris Kringle can be a one-off event. It happens at a lunch or a party, with gifts opened together. Secret Santa is sometimes spread over days or weeks, with anonymous drops on a desk.
• The reveal can be immediate. Many Kris Kringles are opened in front of everyone, with the giver known or guessed straight away.
• Budgets are often modest. A small limit keeps it inclusive.

None of these are fixed rules. If your group does it differently, you're doing it correctly.

Running one

• Decide the date and place first. A Kris Kringle works best when there is one moment where gifts are opened together.
• Set a modest budget and agree on whether it includes wrapping. Our guide to setting a budget can help you choose.
• Draw the names at least two weeks ahead, so people have time to shop and, if needed, to post a gift.
• Collect gift ideas or a theme, especially if the group doesn't know each other well. It makes the gift better and the choice easier.
• Have a plan for people who can't attend. Ask them to give their gift to the organizer in advance.
• Keep it optional. Nobody should feel they have to join, especially if the organizer is also a manager.

Variations that suit a Kris Kringle

• A shared theme, such as handmade gifts, books, or things from your hometown. See Secret Santa themes and variations.
• A price range, not just a cap, so gifts feel evenly matched.
• A small second gift, like a chocolate or a candy cane, if you want each person to get something even if their match falls through.

Frequently asked questions

Is Kris Kringle the same as Secret Santa?

For almost every group, yes. It's one name for the same kind of exchange: names are drawn, each person buys one gift, and the giver may or may not be revealed.

What is a good Kris Kringle budget?

It depends entirely on your group. Workplaces often choose a modest amount so nobody feels stretched, and friends and families set their own. Pick a number the person with the tightest budget is comfortable with.

What if someone leaves the group before the day?

If it's before names are drawn, they just don't join. After the draw, the person who was buying for them might need a new plan: either gift them anyway, or pass the gift to the organizer. See when things go wrong.

Keep reading

• Secret Santa rules: the classic rules and how to adapt them

  The classic rules, why they exist, and the house rules that stop arguments before they start.

• How to organize a Secret Santa, step by step

  The order to do things in, from the guest list to the reveal, so nobody is confused on the day.

• How to run an office gift exchange that everyone is comfortable with

  Keeping a workplace exchange optional, inclusive and low-pressure, with a sensible budget.