Kylie W
Is Pollyanna the Same as Secret Santa?
The holiday season is a time of giving and receiving gifts, and two popular gift-giving traditions are Pollyanna and Secret Santa. While the two may sound similar, they are actually quite different.
Pollyanna is a game that was popularized in the 1913 novel of the same name by Eleanor H. Porter. In the game, each person brings a wrapped gift and puts it in a pile. Then, each person takes turns picking a gift from the pile. The person who brought the gift gets to keep it, and the game continues until all the gifts have been opened.
Secret Santa, on the other hand, is a more modern tradition that involves randomly assigning each person in a group to another person in the group. Each person is then responsible for buying a gift for the person they were assigned. This gift is usually a surprise, and the recipient may not know who their Secret Santa is until the gift is opened.
So, while Pollyanna and Secret Santa may both involve giving and receiving gifts, they are two distinct traditions. The main difference between the two is that in Pollyanna, the person who brings the gift gets to keep it, while in Secret Santa, the person who brings the gift is usually a surprise to the recipient.
To help clear up any confusion, here are some frequently asked questions about Pollyanna and Secret Santa:
Q: What is the difference between Pollyanna and Secret Santa?
A: The main difference between Pollyanna and Secret Santa is that in Pollyanna, the person who brings the gift gets to keep it, while in Secret Santa, the person who brings the gift is usually a surprise to the recipient.
Q: Is Pollyanna the same as Secret Santa?
A: No, Pollyanna and Secret Santa are two distinct traditions.
Q: What is the origin of Pollyanna?
A: Pollyanna is a game that was popularized in the 1913 novel of the same name by Eleanor H. Porter.
Q: What is the origin of Secret Santa?
A: Secret Santa is a more modern tradition that originated in the United States in the 1970s.
Q: How do you play Pollyanna?
A: To play Pollyanna, each person brings a wrapped gift and puts it in a pile. Then, each person takes turns picking a gift from the pile. The person who brought the gift gets to keep it, and the game continues until all the gifts have been opened.
Q: How do you play Secret Santa?
A: To play Secret Santa, each person in a group is randomly assigned to another person in the group. Each person is then responsible for buying a gift for the person they were assigned. This gift is usually a surprise, and the recipient may not know who their Secret Santa is until the gift is opened.
Q: Is Pollyanna popular in Philadelphia and the surrounding areas?
A: The word “pollyanna” may also be used colloquially to denote a holiday gift exchange more typically known as Secret Santa, especially in Philadelphia and the surrounding areas.
