This time New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, the world’s youngest female head of state, has put down her name for the nationwide movement, first started seven years ago.
The recipient of her surprise gift was over the moon with it. Rebecca Terry posted a number of pictures on Twitter showing a book of night time stories for her two little girls, an accessory and a body lotion. A handwritten note and very personal keepsake, namely a pin from the APEC conference in Vietnam, which Ardern attended in November alongside Theresa May, Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, have given the sender’s name away.
Here are some of the lines from the card the Prime Minister put in the package:
"Merry Christmas! I really hope your girls like this book, and that you get some time to yourself and some R&R (which the other gift for you is all about!)"
"I also travel quite a bit for the job I do, so I've included a wee momento from my last trip."
"Not too many people have these, but I wanted to share mine."
Following Ms. Terry’s expression of gratitude, Ardern promptly replied on Twitter:
I am so glad it made it! A very Merry Christmas to you and your girls, from your not very secret Secret Santa.
— Jacinda Ardern (@jacindaardern) 19 декабря 2017 г.
In actual fact, Ms. Ardern is going to get two gifts in time for Christmas, since the first one got delayed along the way and Arden’s Secret Santa hastily chose to send another one.
Earlier on Tuesday Ardern received one of the gifts, which was a Christmas tree decoration, made by hand, as is clear from the video she posted on her Twitter account. Earlier she noted she would prefer to receive the impossible — "a bottle of sleep and relaxation."
Social media abounds in versatile emotions ranging from joy to as far as jealousy over New Zealanders’ Christmas gift exchanges:
Those Pesky New Zealanders have done it again and we are jealous.
— The Global Student (@global_interns) 20 декабря 2017 г.
A nation wide Secret Santa where participants register, research the recipient via their Twitter profile and send an appropriate gift. Even their PM Jacinda Ardern gets involved!https://t.co/56L5DrGwBX
What a wonderful idea for people who are alone at Christmas. Is there anything similar in UK? https://t.co/aTLUJn4rQT
— Jane Adams (@janeadamsgb) 20 декабря 2017 г.
Some are speculating tongue-in-cheek over the scale and the price of the present Ardern might or rather ought to have bought for her secret Santa recipient, one saying it has to be no less than the order of the British Empire:
I haven’t seen what Jacinda Ardern got her secret santa person. But anything less than an OBE is a cop-out.
— Jonathan (@torpidkiwi) 20 декабря 2017 г.
One Twitter user, who apparently was also enrolled in the gift-giving scheme, has come up with his own personal gift, which he thought would be appropriate for the head of the government:
My secret Santa gift to @Jacinda ardern on @TheNationNZ this morning. She’s gonna need a remote control for her coalition partner at some point in the next three years! pic.twitter.com/Ms2w189FZO
— Tim Watkin (@Tim_Watkin) 15 декабря 2017 г.
He clearly refers to Winston Peters, the leader of the populist New Zealand First party, which recently formed a coalition government with Ardern’s Labourists.
In 2017 New Zealand Post said more than 3,600 people had taken part in the Secret Santa movement. In 2016, 8% of those involved were labeled as “Bad Santas,” as they registered to receive gifts, but did not send any themselves.
READ MORE: Girl Power! Santa's 'Secret' About His Sleigh Team Shakes the Web
