Kris Kringle Generator
Running the Kris Kringle at work, school or the family Christmas? Add the names, keep partners apart, set the limit in dollars or euros, and send everyone a private link with the person they're buying for.
Names drawn. Now send the links.
Don't open these links yourself unless it's your own: each one reveals a match. The draw lives inside the links, so keep this page until everyone has theirs.
Kris Kringle or Secret Santa?
Same game, different name. Everyone draws one person, buys them a gift within the agreed limit, and keeps quiet about who they drew. Australians, the Irish and New Zealanders mostly call it a Kris Kringle (or just "the Kris"); Americans, Canadians and the British mostly say Secret Santa. In the US, Kris Kringle usually means Santa himself, as in the 1947 film Miracle on 34th Street.
The name comes from the German Christkindl, the Christ child who brings presents in parts of Germany, Austria and Switzerland. English speakers heard it as Kris Kringle.
How a Kris Kringle draw works here
- Add everyoneType the names or paste the list from your group chat. Add hints such as "no chocolate" or a T-shirt size.
- Set the rulesKeep couples and housemates apart, choose $, € or £ and the limit, and add the date of the party.
- Send the linksEach person gets a gift-tag page that says who they're the Kris Kringle for, the limit and the date.
Kris Kringle in Australia and New Zealand
Christmas falls in summer, close to the end of the work and school year, so a lot of workplace Kris Kringles happen at the end-of-year lunch, Christmas party or a team barbecue in early to mid December, before people head off on leave. Draw names two to three weeks before that so nobody has to shop on the morning.
Pick a round number for the limit and say whether it's a ceiling or a target. Groups commonly choose something like $20, $30 or $50: lower for big offices and classrooms, higher for close family. Gift cards, a good bottle, beach or barbecue gear and local treats all fit a summer Christmas.
Kris Kringle in Ireland
Offices, schools, sports clubs and big families often do a Kris Kringle rather than everyone buying for everyone. Limits like €20 or €30 keep it fair across a team; families sometimes go higher. If your group is spread out, the private links mean nobody has to be in the room for the draw, and people can post gifts if they can't make the party.
Tips for a smooth Kris
- Agree the limit and the currency before the draw. For mixed groups, use the currency of the country where the gifts change hands.
- Ask everyone to fill in a gift questionnaire or make a wishlist link; it's the easiest way to avoid a third candle.
- Prefer pulling names from a hat? Draw here, then use Print paper slips: nobody can draw themselves.
- Doing a gift-stealing game instead? That's a white elephant (also called a Yankee swap or Dirty Santa).
Questions
Is Kris Kringle the same as Secret Santa?
Yes, it's the same game. In Australia, Ireland and New Zealand the gift exchange is usually called a Kris Kringle; in the US, Canada and the UK it's usually Secret Santa. In the US, "Kris Kringle" more often means Santa Claus himself.
Where does the name Kris Kringle come from?
From the German Christkindl, the "Christ child" who brings presents on Christmas Eve in parts of Germany, Austria and Switzerland. In English the name drifted into Kris Kringle and became another name for Santa, and later, in some countries, the name of the gift draw.
Can I set the spending limit in Australian dollars or euros?
Yes. Pick $, € or £ above the spending limit. Dollars cover AUD and NZD. Everyone's link shows the limit with the symbol you chose.
Does everyone need an account or an email address?
No. You get one private link per person and send it however your group already talks: WhatsApp, Messenger, text or email. Nobody signs up.
Will I see who got whom?
Only if you open other people's links. Each match is scrambled inside that person's link, so the organizer can take part in the Kris Kringle too.
Is this page different from your Secret Santa generator?
It's the same draw with Kris Kringle wording on every link, a currency choice, and a separate saved draw, so a work Kris Kringle and a family Secret Santa on the same device don't overwrite each other.