LIFE & CULTURE

New Zealand Organises Country-Wide Secret Santa, Warms Hearts Around The World

Their Christmas cheer is off the charts.

New Zealand is pretty much the Canada of the Southern Hemisphere – it’s progressive, got beautiful mountainous landscapes and lakes, and universally loved by everyone (expect for perhaps some friendly competition from its neighbour!). And like Canada, New Zealand has a habit of doing the most adorable things, but this latest venture has got to take the cake.

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Yep, New Zealand Post is facilitating a country-wide Secret Santa for all to enjoy. 

In fact, this isn’t even the first time they’ve done it. Podcaster Sam Elton-Walter started the NZ Secret Santa project in 2010 and has seen it grow from 200 people the first time it was run to 800 people in the third time. This year, he’s aiming for 2,500 people.

How it works is when you sign up, you provide your Twitter handle. Then you’re assigned someone else and given their Twitter handle to work out what they might like through some quick scrolling. Then you send the present to the ‘Santa Storehouse’ run by New Zealand Post, and they send it to your Secret Santa. So no addresses are handed out and your privacy remains in tact.

Twitter is already going ham on the hashtag #nzsecretsanta as people plan their gifts and give hints to their Santa.

https://twitter.com/wendypooh/status/802212481003196416

And as the organiser reminds people, it’s all about the giving.

In comparison, Australia pretty much looks like the Grinch.

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