History Main / SecretSanta

In some cases, the exchange itself is still the same but with a different name (like "Holiday Helper" or "White Elephant") to try and be more respectful to non-Christians, since SantaClaus is really only associated with Christmas, which (despite becoming very secular in recent years) is still ''technically'' a '''Christian''' holiday.

* Junie B. and her class are assigned to do this in ''[[LiteratureJunieBJones Junie B., First Grader: Jingle Bells, Batman Smells (P.S.: So Does May)]]'' and Junie B. is less than thrilled when she's assigned be one to her nemesis, May.

* ''Literature/TheWinnieYears'': Winnie's grade does one of these in Ten. Winnie is assigned a girl named Mindy, and gives her mini peanut butter cups in a painted container. Mindy tells Winnie that she doesn't like the gift, and makes Winnie cry. Later in the book, Mindy becomes Winnie's bully.

In some cases, the exchange itself is still the same but with a different name (like "Holiday Helper" or "White Elephant") to try and be more respectful to non-Christians, since SantaClaus [[CaptainObvious is really only associated with Christmas]], which (despite becoming very secular in recent years) is still ''technically'' a '''Christian''' holiday.

* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyBestGiftEver'' is a ''Franchise/MyLittlePony'' special set with this plot as its central conflict. A group of pony friends all draw names to see who they're going to buy a gift for. But since each pony is only getting one gift, it has to be "the best gift ever" to compensate.

In some cases, the exchange itself is still the same but with a different name (like "Holiday Helper" or "White Elephant") to be more respectful to non-Christians, since SantaClaus [[CaptainObvious is traditionally only associated with Christmas]], which (despite becoming very secular in recent years) is still technically a Christian holiday.

* ''Secret Santa'', a teen romance novel by Sabrina James, is all about this. It's about a high school in a small suburb of [[BigApplesauce New York City]] called North Ridge that does a school-wide gift exchange. There's tons of mishaps but everything is solved by the night of the school's Winter Wonderland-dance.

* Done in ''Series/{{Victorious}}'' where Sikowitz assigns everyone in his class Secret Santas and makes a rule that the gifts have to be meaningful, otherwise they would have to do "Christmas yodeling."

* In a Christmas special for ''WesternAnimation/{{Braceface}}'' called "Angels Among Us," [[TheProtagonist Sharon Spitz]] pulls out [[AlphaBitch Nina]] [[RichBitch Harper]]'s name in this and is morally torn between actually getting her a present and not getting her anything at all.

* In ''WesternAnimation/PrepAndLanding,'' Magee, one of the ChristmasElves, mentions that she's [[SantaClaus Santa]]'s Secret Santa and seems to be having a hard time with it.
** The second special is actually called ''Prep and Landing: Secret Santa," but isn't really an example. (It's about the protagonists trying to help MrsClaus get something from Santa's office.)

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<<|ChristmasTropes|>>

* Happens in a Christmas episode of ''TheOffice''.

* The ''WesterAnimation/MiraculousLadybug'' fic ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/5386433/chapters/12440687 Secret Santa]]'' by Thelastpilot is about Adrien and Marinette's class participating in a Secret Santa. At least, that's the first chapter. Six more (plus a three chapter long sequel) are about Marinette and Adrien using the rest of the holiday to bond.

* Organized by [=DiV=], of all people/electronics, in ''PennyArcade''...except that the only name in the hat is DiV.

* Junie B. and her class are assigned to do this in ''[[JunieBJones Junie B., First Grader: Jingle Bells, Batman Smells (P.S.: So Does May)]]'' and Junie B. is less than thrilled when she's assigned be one to her nemesis, May.

In some cases, the exchange itself is still the same but with a different name, like "Holiday Helper" or "White Elephant," to try to be more respectful to non-Christians, since SantaClaus [[CaptainObvious is traditionally only associated with Christmas]], which is still technically a Christian holiday, despite becoming very secular (basically meaning "non-religious") in recent years.

* This is a plot point in an episode of ''WesternAnimation/{{Braceface}}''. [[TheProtagonist Sharon]] pulls out [[AlphaBitch Nina Harper]]'s name, and is morally torn between actually getting her a present and not getting anything at all--which is understandable, given how mean Nina generally is to people.

* ''TheBabySittersClub'' has the club play this in one TV episode. At one point, they all go to the same store.

** The second special is actually called ''Prep and Landing: Secret Santa," but isn't really an example. (It's about the protagonists trying to help MsClaus get something from Santa's office.)

* A ChristmasSpecial of ''WesternAnimation/HeyArnold'' uses this as the basis for title character's difficulty in finding a gift.

In some cases, the exchange itself is still the same but with a different name, like "Holiday Helper" or "White Elephant," to be more respectful to non-Christians, since SantaClaus [[CaptainObvious is traditionally only associated with Christmas]], which is still technically a Christian holiday, despite becoming very secular (basically meaning "non-religious") in recent years.

In some cases, the exchange itself is still the same but with a different name, like "Holiday Helper" or "White Elephant," to be more respectful to non-Christians, since SantaClaus [[CaptainObvious is traditionally only associated with Christmas]], which is still technically a Christian holiday, despite becoming very secular (meaning "non-religious") in recent years.

* Junie B. and her class are assigned to do this in ''[[JunieBJones Junie B., First Grader: Jingle Bells, Batman Smells (P.S.: So Does May)]]'' and Junie B. is less than thrilled when she's assigned be the [=Secret Santa=] to her nemesis, May.

* ''Secret Santa'', a teen romance novel by Sabrina James, is all about this. It's about a high school in a small suburb of [[BigApplesauce New York City]] called North Ridge that does a school-wide Secret Santa gift exchange. There's tons of mishaps but everything is solved by the night of the school's Winter Wonderland-dance.

* Organized by DiV, of all people/electronics, in ''PennyArcade''...except that the only name in the hat is DiV.

* A ChristmasSpecial of ''HeyArnold'' uses this as the basis for title character's difficulty in finding a gift.
* This is a plot point in an episode of ''{{Braceface}}''. [[TheProtagonist Sharon]] pulls out [[AlphaBitch Nina Harper]]'s name, and is morally torn between actually getting her a present and not getting anything at all--which is understandable, given how mean Nina generally is to people.

A Secret Santa is a holiday tradition, with different names in numerous countries. In it, there's a system of secret picks, where a group of people pick names of someone else in the group and give each other gifts without saying who it came from.

In some cases, the exchange itself is still the same but with a different name, like "Holiday Helper" or "White Elephant," to be more respectful to non-Christians, since SantaClaus [[CaptainObvious is traditionally associated with Christmas]], which is still technically a Christian holiday, even though it's become very secular (meaning "non-religious") in recent years. Another common Christmas-affiliated name for it is "Kris Kringle"; while this is another name for Santa Claus, if it's used it's normally in the context of a Secret Santa arrangement.

In some cases, the exchange itself is still the same but with a different name, like "Holiday Helper" or "White Elephant," to be more respectful to non-Christians, since SantaClaus [[CaptainObvious is traditionally associated with Christmas]], and while Christmas has become [[EveryoneIsChristianAtChristmas very secular in recent years]], it's still technically a Christian holiday--[[CaptainObvious and not everyone follows Christianity]]. Another common Christmas-affiliated name for it is "Kris Kringle"; while this is another name for Santa Claus, if it's used it's normally in the context of a Secret Santa arrangement.

In some cases, the exchange itself is still the same but with a different name, like "Holiday Helper" or "White Elephant," to be more respectful to non-Christians, since SantaClaus [[CaptainObvious is traditionally associated with Christmas]], and while Christmas has become [[EveryoneIsChristianAtChristmas very non-secular in recent years]], it's still technically a Christian holiday--[[CaptainObvious and not everyone follows Christianity]]. Another common Christmas-affiliated name for it is "Kris Kringle"; while this is another name for Santa Claus, if it's used it's normally in the context of a Secret Santa arrangement.

In some cases, the exchange itself is still the same but with a different name, like "Holiday Helper" or "White Elephant," to be more respectful to non-Christians, since SantaClaus [[CaptainObvious is traditionally associated with Christmas]], and while Christmas has become very non-secular in recent years, it's still technically a Christian holiday--[[CaptainObvious and not everyone follows Christianity]]. Another common Christmas-affiliated name for it is "Kris Kringle"; while this is another name for Santa Claus, if it's used it's normally in the context of a Secret Santa arrangement.

In some cases, the exchange itself is still the same but with a different name, like "Holiday Helper" or "White Elephant," to be more respectful to non-Christians, since SantaClaus [[CaptainObvious is traditionally associated with Christmas]], and while Christmas has become very non-secular in recent decades, it's still technically a Christian holiday--[[CaptainObvious and not follows Christianity]]. Another common Christmas-affiliated name for it is "Kris Kringle"; while this is another name for Santa Claus, if it's used it's normally in the context of a Secret Santa arrangement.

* ''Secret Santa'', a teen romance novel by Sabrina James, is all about this. It's about a high school in a small suburb of [[BigApplesauce New York City]] called North Ridge that does a school-wide Secret Santa gift exchange. There's tons of mishaps but everything is solved by the night of the school's Winter Wonderland dance.