Santa Claus around the world

The tradition of Santa Claus in the United States and Canada has become well-defined over the years. Virtually every child or adult can describe his appearance in a remarkable amount of detail, from his rosy cheeks and white beard to his red suit and black boots.

Everyone knows that Santa lives at the North Pole, and leaves home on Christmas Eve to fly around the world, delivering gifts to children who are either “naughty” or “nice,” and filling any stockings that might be hung by the fireplace.  In return, some children are often thoughtful enough to leave cookies and milk, in case he gets hungry, since delivering presents around the world can be a difficult job.

But Santa goes by a multitude of names and images throughout the world. He’s not always fat, he doesn’t always have a red suit, and – sometimes – he even has a partner who travels with him.

It all begins with St. Nicholas

Virtually all forms of the Santa Claus icon have their roots in the story of Nicholas, a bishop during the Fourth Century in what is now modern-day Turkey. Nicholas was known for his selflessness, generosity and kindness, particularly to children. He is said to have died on Dec. 6, in the year 343. He was recognized as a saint in the Ninth Century, and over the centuries became one of the most popular religious figures in the world, as the patron saint of children. Celebrations and feasts were held each year on the anniversary of his death, a practice that continued for centuries as “St. Nicholas’ Day.”

When the Protestant reformation took place in the 1500s, though, St. Nicholas fell out of favor along with other Catholic icons in most Protestant-dominated countries. One exception was Holland, where he became a more secular “Sinter Klaas,” with a family oriented celebration each Dec. 6.  The celebration has continued in The Netherlands up to the present day, with gift-giving each Dec. 5 on “St. Nicholas’ Eve.”

Sometimes, St. Nick has a sidekick

While the Western version of Santa Claus is secular, Sinter Klaas remains a religious icon during the celebration, depicted in a white robe with a red cape, and a red “mitre,” the hat traditionally worn by a bishop. He’s thin, not fat, and instead of a sleigh with eight reindeer, he rides a gray horse. He carries a book with the names of children who are naughty or nice. He also has a devilish companion, called “Black Peter,” who is in charge of dealing with naughty children.

The Christmas concept of a religious figure accompanied by a sinister sidekick is a common thread in a number of countries. In Austria, for example, “Pelznickel” is accompanied by a terrifying creature called “Krampus.” He is depicted as an ugly, demon-like creature that could easily be found in a modern-day horror movie. Legend dictates that Krampus metes out punishments of all kinds to children who have been naughty, ranging from a simple silver twig in a shoe to actually kidnapping children and dumping them in the pits of Hell. Even today, children are sometimes warned to go to bed at a proper time on St. Nicholas’ Eve so that they won’t be punished by Krampus. Versions of the myth continue – though often not as sinister, and with lesser degrees of evil or malice – in Croatia, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland and other parts of Eastern Europe.

All is not lost, though. In some countries, St. Nicholas is often accompanied by an angel as well, who balances out the dark side and ultimately protects the children.

Many countries, many versions

St. Nick has a number of aliases around the world, with some interesting differences between countries:

• In Finland, “Joulupukki” doesn’t have a sleigh. He rides a goat made of straw.
• In China, “Dun Che Lao Ren,” or the “Christmas Old Man,” brings gifts to children, while Chile turns it around with “Viejo Pascuero,” or “Old Man Christmas.”
• Japan has “Hoteiosho,” a Buddhist monk who bears gifts.
• Much of the world, including England, uses Father Christmas instead of Santa Claus or St. Nicholas. In Afghanistan, it translates as “Baba Chaghaloo,” while Scottish Highlanders greet “Daidain na Nollaig,” and South Africa calls him “Vader Kersfees.”
• A kindly witch named “La Bafana” takes charge of delivering presents to children in Italy, while a grandmotherly character named “Babouschka” gets that honor in Russia.
• Last but not least, since Australia is in the Southern Hemisphere, December is a summertime month and Christmas is typically celebrated in the heat. Santa Claus is the dominant figure, though Australians like to have fun with the concept. One remarkable spin says his sleigh gets pulled by six kangaroos instead of eight reindeer, while another depiction puts him on water skis, wearing a red bathing suit.

The list goes on. Virtually every country has some sort of variation on the Santa myth and the Christmas gift-giving tradition, but a common thread runs through it: Mystery, imagination, and a sense of wonder for both children and adults.