What Is Kris Kringle?
Kris Kringle is the name used for Secret Santa in Australia, Ireland, and parts of the UK. It is the same game: everyone in a group secretly draws one name, then buys and wraps one gift for that person, and gifts are exchanged on the day. Below are the full Kris Kringle rules, how to play step by step, how it differs from the term Secret Santa, and a free way to draw names online.
How to Play Kris Kringle in 5 Steps
The quick version, explained in under a minute.
What does Kris Kringle mean?
Kris Kringle (sometimes shortened to "Kringle" or "KK") is simply another name for Secret Santa. The term is most common in Australia, Ireland, and parts of the United Kingdom, where friends, families, and workplaces run a Kris Kringle every Christmas. The game is identical to Secret Santa: one person, one gift, drawn in secret.
How to play Kris Kringle (step by step)
- Gather your group. You need three or more people. Any group works: family, friends, or coworkers.
- Agree on a budget. Set a spending limit so gifts feel fair, often somewhere around $20 to $30.
- Draw names in secret. Everyone secretly draws one name, and no one draws themselves. Each person is now the Kris Kringle for the name they drew.
- Buy and wrap one gift. Each person buys and wraps a single gift for their assigned person, keeping it a secret.
- Exchange and reveal. On the day, swap gifts, and often guess or reveal who had who.
Is Kris Kringle the same as Secret Santa?
Yes. Kris Kringle and Secret Santa are the same gift exchange, just different names for it in different countries. If you know how to run a Secret Santa, you already know Kris Kringle. The only differences you will see are regional habits, like the budget, the draw date, and whether people guess who their Kris Kringle was at the reveal. For the full rulebook, see our Secret Santa rules.
How many people do you need for Kris Kringle?
You need at least three people for Kris Kringle. With just two, there is no secret, you would both know who you got. There is no maximum; it works just as well for a family of five as an office of fifty. Larger groups simply benefit from drawing names online so nobody draws themselves and the list stays private.
Kris Kringle with exclusions (couples and family)
Running Kris Kringle with couples or close family? Set exclusions so partners do not draw each other, which keeps it interesting. Doing the draw by hand makes exclusions fiddly, but a name generator handles them automatically and reshuffles until every rule is satisfied.
Kris Kringle gift ideas
Because you know exactly who you are buying for, Kris Kringle gifts can be genuinely thoughtful. Ask your person a few questions, or have everyone add a wish list, then shop to their favorites. For specific picks within a budget, see our Kris Kringle gift ideas.
Run your Kris Kringle online
Skip the hat and paper slips: set up your Kris Kringle online. Add everyone by email or a join link, draw names in one click so no one draws themselves, and each person privately sees who they got, along with their wish list. It works perfectly for family across cities or a hybrid office.
Frequently asked questions
What is Kris Kringle?
Kris Kringle is the name used for Secret Santa in Australia, Ireland, and parts of the UK. Everyone in a group secretly draws one name and buys one gift for that person. It is the same game as Secret Santa.
Is Kris Kringle the same as Secret Santa?
Yes. Kris Kringle and Secret Santa are the same gift exchange under different regional names. The rules are identical: one person, one gift, drawn in secret.
What are the rules of Kris Kringle?
Gather three or more people, agree on a budget, secretly draw names so no one draws themselves, buy and wrap one gift for the name you drew, then exchange and reveal on the day.
How many people do you need for Kris Kringle?
You need at least three. With only two people there is no secret. There is no maximum, so it works for a small family or a large office.
How do you draw names for Kris Kringle?
You can pull names from a hat, but drawing online is easier and foolproof: no one can draw themselves, you can set exclusions for couples, and each person privately sees who they got.
Run your Kris Kringle the easy way
Draw names in one tap, set exclusions for couples, and invite everyone by link. Each person privately sees who they got.