More than 120 participants in this year’s school-wide Secret Santa

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With Thanksgiving drawing ever so near, the holidays are getting closer and closer, and many New College students are feeling the holiday spirit, signing up to be a part of the school-wide Secret Santa.

Tricia Johnson has organized the Secret Santa event for three of her school years at New College, coordinating it her first, second, and now fourth year.

“I started it my first year, because somebody was talking about it and how it wouldn’t be done anymore, so I said ‘OK, I’ll do it,’” Johnson said. “I’m doing it this year, figuring that it will be a good basis for someone to extend it after I’m gone.”

Those who sign up are asked about what their likes, dislikes, and notable allergies are so that their assigned gift-giver can give them a gift that they will actually like. The participants and their mailboxes are compiled onto a spreadsheet and then assigned in pairs with a random number generator. Gifts are recommended to be anywhere from $5 to $15, and can be just about anything – that can fit in the recipient’s mailbox, that is.

“Just a small gift that shows that you care and that you are extending the holiday spirit to somebody,” Johnson said. “People have given all sorts of cool things – homemade stuff, cards, books, food, gift cards, anything like that.”

Over 120 people have signed up to participate in the “kinda-third annual campus-wide gift exchange” this year. Even though the ability to sign up for the gift exchange was originally meant to be closed on Nov. 13, the high demand has kept it open, and any interested students can still sign up for participation via the forum.

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