In
the United States and
Canada, his name is Santa
Claus. He flies through the sky in a sleigh
pulled by eight reindeer.
In
England his name is Father Christmas. He looks much like Santa
Claus, but he has a longer coat and a longer
beard.
- In
Wales (a principality
in the United Kingdom), Santa
is called Sion Corn
- this translates as "Chimney
John" relating to the story that Santa
comes down the chimney of each house to bring his
gifts to the children within.
In
France, he's known as
Pere Noel. He is also called Pere
Noel in Canada.
In
Brazil and Peru, he's called Papai Noel.
In
Germany, children get
presents from Christkind, the
Christ Child on the 24th of December. Also,
in Germany Knecht
Ruprecht and his helpers come on the 6th of
December. Krampus brings
coal or a wooden stick to the children that have not
been good, Knecht Ruprecht brings mostly cookies, nuts and
a small toy to the good children. Belsnickel
- German version of Santa
who carries a switch to beat the bad children. In
Germany, Father
Christmas can also be called der
Weihnachtsmann.
In
Poland, Santa "Swiety
Mikolaj" (Saint
Nicholas) was a cardinal in the Catholic Church,
he visits children on December 6th and he brings presents,
mostly sweets, which he leaves in children's clean
shoes.
In
some
Slovac countries, Santa is "Swiety Mikolaj" ("star
man") -- for the North Star. He visits children
on Christmas Eve, bringing presents. The Christmas Eve
meal begins once the first star is seen.
In
Costa Rica, Colombia, and parts of Mexico,
the gift bringer is El Nino
Jesus, "the infant Jesus."
In
Puerto Rico, children
receive gifts from the Three
Kings on January 6th. Each child puts grass
under their bed for the camels and in the morning
the grass is replaced with gifts.
Jultomten
or Tomten Sweden.
Jultomten visits in the evening before Christmas
day, pulling a big bag of julklappar (Christmas presents)
in the deep snow.
På
norsk (in Norwegian) "Julenissen"
arrives on the evening of the 24th.
In the Netherlands,
he is called Kerstman. He
flies through the sky with his reindeers and puts
gifts under the Christmas tree on the 25th of December.
De Kerstman lives in Finland. His counterpart "Sinterklaas" is another saint, who is celebrated
on the 5th of December. Sinterklaas
comes back every year from his home in Spain by steamboat,
together with him are a whole group of "zwarte
pieten" who help him while he's riding on the
roofs - distributing gifts through the chimney.
In Finland,
he is called Joulupukki and his home is in Lapland in the north
part of Finland called Korvatunturl. Also in Finland,
the Swedish-speaking Finns (finlandssvenskar) call
him Julgubben.
- In
Spain the children
the night of January 5th put their shoes under the
Christmas tree and have presents from the Three Kings (Los Reyes Magos:
Melchor, Gaspar and
Baltasar). Santa Claus
is called Papa Noel and there
are children who have presents both days on December
25th (from Papa Noel)
and on January 6th (from the Three
Kings).
- In
Russia, he is called
Grandfather Frost or Ded
Moroz. Also, there is Babooska
the person who was searching for Christ the night
he was born. She spoke to the Three Wise Men or
Three Kings on their way to find him, they offered
their company to her. But she replied I am too old,
so the Three Men went on without her and she set
search the following day but the "King"
had gone from his birth place and when Babooska
heard the news she decided to give her presents
for Christ to the childern in her country Russia
every year on the 13th of Dec to make them happy.
- He
is also called Kriss Kringle
- origin unknown.
- He
is also called St. Nick origin Turkey.
- Télapó is Santa Claus in Hungarian.
- In
Italy, he is called
Babbo Natale. Also, they recieve their presents
on January 6th from the gift bringer an old lady
called Befana.
- Black
Peter, St Nick's helper which originates
from
Morocco or Liberia.
- In
China, he is called
Shengdan Laoren.
- In
Denmark they call him, Julemand.
-
In Hong Kong they call him
Sing dan lo ian in Cantonese.
-
In
Slovenia they call him Bozicek.
-
In
Latvia Santa Claus is called
Ziemmassve'tku veci'tis.
-
In
the country Uruguay he is called Papá
Noel.
-
In
Lithuania Santa Claus is
called Kaledu Senis.
-
In
Portugal Santa Claus is known
as Pai Natal. He brings presents
on Christmas Eve. However, the portuguese tradition
says the presents in that night are brought by
the Newborn Jesus "Menino
Jesus".
-
In
Estonia he is called Jouluvana.
-
In
Ireland he is called Santa Claus and children
abbreviate this to just Santy.
-
Many
children in the Hindu religion receive gifts
from their god Ganesha during the Holiday
Season.
-
In
Austria, children
get presents from Christkindl,
the Christ Child on the 24th of December.
-
In
Greece, Santa Claus
is called "Aghios Vassilis"
and he comes on the night of 31st December leaving
the presents under the tree for the children to
find them on New Year's Day.
- In
Hawaii,
Santa Claus is known as Kanakaloka.
- In
Armenian, Santa Clause
is Gaghant Baba and he brings presents to all the
good girls and boys.
- The
name for Santa in Yugoslavia
is Deda Mraz.
- In
Croatia, he is called
Bozicnjak.
- In
Bulgaria they call
him Diado Coleda.
-
In El Salvador, for
some families Santa Claus
brings gifts on Christmas Eve to those children
who are well behaved. People get together with the
family, children go to bed and find a gift on December
25th.
- In
Urdu he is called Baba
Christmass.
- In
Romania, Santa Claus
is Mos Craciun and
he comes on the night of the 24th of December bringing
presents. Also, the night of the 5th of December
is Mos Nicolae (St.
Nicholas) puts candies in the good children
boots or a stick in the bad ones.
- In
Nevis/St. Kitts in the Caribbean,
Santa Claus comes up from under the sea, not from
the North Pole.
- In
Albanian he is called Urime Krishtlindjet.
Merry
Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!!
If there is one that I missed
please email
me.
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