The word Wichteln comes from Wichtel, the small household spirit of German folklore. The classic draw runs like Secret Santa, but the popular office variants — Schrottwichteln, Schokowichteln, Räuberwichteln — each change the rules enough to be their own tradition.
Four variants, four rule sets
Klassisches Wichteln — the Secret Santa variant
A sealed draw assigns each participant a giftee in secret. Budgets are set, gifts are wrapped, the exchange happens at a shared event. This is the version closest to international Secret Santa and the one Cuchumbo handles natively.
Schrottwichteln — the white-elephant variant
Everyone brings something from home they no longer want — the "Schrott" in the name literally means junk. Gifts are drawn from a pile or traded through a dice game. The joy is in the absurd — a half-used candle, a mystery novel read five times, a novelty mug.
Schokowichteln — the chocolate variant
Every gift is chocolate. The budget stays low, the variance stays low, and the whole exchange becomes a tasting. Common in schools and informal offices where a broader gift exchange feels heavy.
Wichteln mit Würfeln — the dice variant
Participants bring wrapped gifts and sit in a circle. Dice are passed and certain rolls trigger moves — take a gift, swap with a neighbor, open yours. A game replaces the draw entirely. Chaotic, playful, best with a cohesive group.
How to pick the right variant
For classical offices — klassisches Wichteln. For a casual year-end with a lot of old stuff lying around — Schrottwichteln. For a school or kids' group — Schokowichteln. For a group that likes games — Würfelwichteln. The rules set the tone; pick the variant that matches the room.
Klassisches Wichteln, digital
Cuchumbo handles classical Wichteln with a sealed draw and localised German strings. Create an exchange, share the invite, shake the Cuchumbo.