A little mystery, a lot of fun

Christmas is just around the corner and along with the festivities, the little games students play in colleges add to the spirit of the season. One of the most popular of these Christmas games, that many youngsters enjoy playing, is ‘Secret Santa’; the prospect of receiving a surprise gift is something they all look forward to.

According to the rules of the game, students pen down their names on little chits and then lots are picked. One has to play Secret Santa for the person whose name they pick up, and shower them with secret gifts for a week. The game is a big hit among youngsters as they say that apart from the element of mystery, it’s good to feel that there’s someone who really cares for you.

“It is really fun as on most days, I find goodies in my bag with really cute notes. There also exists the element of mystery, as you keep wondering who your Secret Santa is. Sometimes, the Santa leaves clues along with the gift. The Santa is revealed a day before the schools and colleges close,” says Prarthana, a student of Surana College.

In most colleges, the entire class takes part in the game. Nearly ten days before Christmas, the class comes together and puts everyone’s names into a bowl to pick chits — and then starts the fun. Cyrus, a student of St Joseph’s College of Arts and Science, adds, “The gifts needn’t be anything expensive. A lot depends on the Santa. Most of us generally send mystery chits giving out clues as to who the Santa is and on the last day, maybe a chocolate or two.”

Manisha, another student of St Joseph’s College of Arts and Science, says that the game definitely has a feel-good factor. In fact, she has even kept some of the notes that she has received from her Secret Santas. “It’s a fun game that gets one into the mood of the season. We generally reveal the names on the day college closes for vacation,” she adds.

In Bishop Cotton Women’s Christian College, the Santas are revealed at the class Christmas party. Anisha, a second-year student, says, “We not only include the class, but also the teachers in the game. Very rarely do we get a chance to appreciate our teachers and if we get their names, we send letters to them saying how nice they have been through the year. And every year, we hold a Christmas party in class where we finally reveal the names. It’s so much fun as not many are able to guess who their Santa could have been.”

Calistus Jude, the staff co-ordinator of the cultural association of Kristu Jayanthi, adds,

“The main aim of the game is to bond as a class. The gifts can be as small as a letter — but the words written in them will make someone smile. Maybe that’s why the game is so popular.”