Back Vader Kersfees Afrikaans Weihnachtsmann ALS بابا نويل Arabic بابا نويل ARZ ছাণ্টাক্লজ Assamese Pá Noel AST Santa-Klaus Azerbaijani Santa Claus BCL Санта-Клаус Byelorussian Санта-Кляўс BE-X-OLD
| Santa Claus | |
|---|---|
 1881 illustration by Thomas Nast | |
| Portrayed by | Leedham Bantock (1912) Edmund Gwenn (1947) Ed Asner (1986–2014) Tim Allen (1994–2023) Richard Attenborough (1994) Paul Giamatti (2007) Kurt Russell (2018–2020) J. K. Simmons (2024) among others |
| Associates | |
| Attire | Santa suit |
| Aliases |
|
| Gender | Male |
| Occupation | Delivering gifts to children on Christmas |
| Spouse | Mrs. Claus |
| Home | North Pole (Workshop) |
Santa Claus (also known as Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle, or Santa) is a legendary figure[1] originating in Western Christian culture who is said to bring gifts during the late evening and overnight hours on Christmas Eve. He is said to accomplish this with the aid of Christmas elves, who make the toys in his workshop, and with the aid of flying reindeer who pull his sleigh through the air.[2][3]
The popular conception of Santa Claus originates from folklore traditions surrounding the 4th-century Christian bishop Saint Nicholas, the patron saint of children. Saint Nicholas became renowned for his reported generosity and secret gift-giving. This conception also shares similarities with the English figure of Father Christmas, and they are both now popularly regarded as the same person.[4]
Santa is generally depicted as a portly, jolly, white-bearded man, often with spectacles, wearing a red coat with white fur collar and cuffs, white-fur-cuffed red trousers, a red hat trimmed with white fur, a black leather belt and boots, carrying a bag full of gifts for children. He is popularly associated with a deep, hearty laugh, frequently rendered in Christmas literature as "ho, ho, ho!"
This image originated in North America during the 19th century, influenced by Dutch immigrants who brought the legend of Sinterklaas ("Saint Nicholas") to New Amsterdam (present-day New York City), and has been maintained and reinforced through song, radio, television, children's books, family Christmas traditions, films, and advertising.
- ^ "Santa Claus: History, Legend, & Facts". Encyclopedia Britannica. Archived from the original on 25 December 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
- ^ B. K. Swartz, Jr.; The Origin of American Christmas Myth and Customs Archived 30 April 2011 at the Wayback Machine; Retrieved 22 December 2007
- ^ Jeff Westover; The Legendary Role of Reindeer in Christmas Archived 3 August 2012 at the Wayback Machine; Retrieved 22 December 2007
- ^ "Father Christmas, green or red?". BBC. 4 December 2009.