Christmas is celebrated all across the world by many different nations. While every nation’s version of Christmas features a similar version of Santa Claus who delivers toys and has a white beard, his body size, name and favorite food changes depending on the nation. Here are some of the different versions of Santa Claus.
Santa Claus
The original Santa Claus was born 1,800 years ago and was known as Nikolaos of Myra. Because of his many miracles, he was also called Nikolaos the Wonderworker. Due to his many works and ability to secretly give gifts without people knowing, his tradition continued on in the form of Santa Claus.
There are some similarities between him and the modern versions of Santa Claus. For example, they both have sleds, reindeer and white beards.
Father Christmas
Father Christmas is basically the same as the American version of Santa Claus. He is known as a fat, jolly old man who has a long beard and red coat. He delivers toys on Christmas Eve with his flying sled and reindeer, and he enjoys cookies and milk. Some early renditions have him wearing a black hat instead of a red one, but these versions are fairly uncommon.
Sinterklass
Sinterklass is the Dutch version of Santa Claus. He wears a hat that is similar to a bishop’s hat. This version is much thinner than the American one, and he uses a white horse instead of reindeer. With his assistant Zwarte Pieten, Sinterklass will give out candy and toys to good children.
Jultomten
This is the Scandinavian version of Santa Class. This version most likely started the tradition of leaving out food because he had a penchant for porridge. Unlike the other versions of Santa Claus who are humans with magical powers, Jultomten is an elderly gnome who is protective and caring.
Ded Moroz
The Russian Santa Claus, Ded Moroz typically wears blue, but he will sometimes wear white or red. His granddaughter, known as the Snow Maiden, will assist him in delivering toys to good children. Unlike most versions of Santa Claus who deliver toys on Christmas Eve, Ded Moroz delivers them on New Year’s Eve.
Source: ChristianUniversitiesOnline.org
