Santa Claus Sleigh Ho Ho Ho

Santa Claus is a symbolic figure of Christmas gift-giving that is popular in Germany, especially in northern, central and eastern Germany, and in the rest of the world, especially in Protestant regions such as French-speaking western Switzerland (Père Noël), the Netherlands, Scandinavia, Estonia, Latvia, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and the United States. He is depicted as a roundish, friendly old man with a long white beard, red robe trimmed with white fur; attributes are his gift bag and (in former times also) a rod. Contemporary postcards prove that this depiction already existed in the 19th century. The Coca-Cola Company used this depiction for its own advertising campaigns every year at Christmas time, starting in 1931.

Supposedly, Santa Claus brings gifts to good children on Christmas Eve, but only a rod to naughty ones. He thus combines characteristics of the holy bishop Nicholas of Myra and his companion, the servant Ruprecht. The figure of Santa Claus is mainly based on the European legends about Saint Nicholas; however, he is by no means to be equated with him. Nicholas of Myra was a bishop in the 4th century, around whom numerous legends entwine. Already in the Middle Ages, children were given presents on the commemoration day of St. Nicholas, December 6, often the evening before.  In the past, this date was also the day on which presents were given, but it was only during the Reformation and as a result of its rejection of the veneration of saints that it was placed on Christmas Day in many countries.

European emigrants brought the Saint Nicholas custom with them to the United States of America. In particular, the Dutch colonies celebrated Sinterklaasfeest, especially since Saint Nicholas was also the patron saint of Nieuw Amsterdam, which later became New York. The Dutch Sint Nicolaas or Sinterklaas became the English Saint Nicholas or Santa Claus. Today's popular myth of Santa Claus traveling in a flying sleigh pulled by reindeer, entering homes at night through the chimney and distributing gifts, dates back to the poem The Night before Christmas, published anonymously in 1823.