The Many Faces of Santa Claus

American Christmas tradition leans heavily on the giving of gifts. When it comes to Christmas presents, people remember their relatives, friends, coworkers, and even strangers.

The main role model for all this generosity is Santa Claus. Santa, though, is not just American; he comes from many countries and cultures, and may actually take different forms depending on his location.

Here are descriptions of some of the most common "faces" of Santa Claus, beginning with one of the earliest.

The Germanic god Odin
Before the people of Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands converted to Christianity they worshipped many gods. They believed that Odin, the head of the gods, would have a feast every year to celebrate Yule (the winter solstice, on or near December 21). In the evening children would fill their boots with straw, carrots, or other equine delicacies and leave them near the chimney as gifts for Odin's flying horse, Sleipnir. In gratitude for their generosity, Odin would replace the horse treats with human ones.

Odin's place was later taken by the Christian St. Nicholas. The Dutch continued the practice of leaving boots by the chimney, and the boots themselves later evolved into stockings hung on the chimney, to be discovered filled with treats the following day.

St. Nicholas
St. Nicholas was the Bishop of Myra, now in Turkey. There are many stories about his charitable work, most of them involving anonymous donations to the needy, especially children. Because of this he became known as the patron saint of giving.

St. Nicholas lived in the third or fourth century, but his popularity grew into a sort of cult over many centuries, and he was quite famous in the Middle Ages. Gift-giving was traditionally associated with his feast day, December 6.