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	:''For the Province of the ] in ], see ]''
	:''This article is about Santa Claus all around the world. For Santa Claus in the United States and Canada, see ]. For the astronomical Kuiper belt object see ]''.
	]

	'''Santa Claus''', also known as ''']''', ''']''', '''],''' or simply "Santa" is a ] holiday character. The popular American form ''Santa Claus'' originated as a mispronunciation of ] '']'', which in turn is a contracted form of ''Sint Nicolaas'' (Saint Nicholas). Santa Claus has a suit that comes in many colors depending on the country. The most common depiction (red with white sleeves, collar, and belt) originated in Finland.

	==Overview==
	] in the Netherlands]] Santa Claus is a variation of a Dutch ] based on the historical figure ], a ] from ] (modern day ]) in ] (the greater part of modern-day ]), who used his whole inheritance to assist the needy, the sick, and the suffering. His ] became legend when a man lost his fortune and found himself incapable of supporting his three daughters, who would not be able to find husbands as they lacked ]. This man was going to give them over to a life of prostitution; however, St Nicholas provided them with gold, enabling them to retain their virginal virtues and marry.

	This inspired figure of ''']''', the subject of a major celebration in the ] and ], ] (where his believed date of death, ], is celebrated the evening before on ]), which in turn inspired both the myth and the name of Santa Claus. "Santa Claus" is actually a mispronunciation of the Dutch word "Sinterklaas" by the English settlers of ] (later renamed ]).

	Despite his origin in the ], in ] ] is celebrated as a distinct character with no affiliation to Christmas; nevertheless, a Santa Claus character is still present. He is identified with ], Archbishop of ] in ], Asia Minor (contemporary Turkey), whose feast is celebrated on January 1. According to the Greek tradition, he is supposed to visit children and give presents on ]. This festival is also marked by the baking of Saint Basil's bread (Gr. Βασιλόπιτα - Vasilópita), a sweetbread with a coin hidden inside.

	Depictions of Santa Claus also have a close relationship with the ] character of '']'' ("Grandfather Frost"). He delivers presents to children and has a red coat, fur boots and long white beard. Much of the iconography of Santa Claus could be seen to derive from Russian traditions of ''Ded Moroz'', particularly transmitted into western European culture through his German folklore equivalent, ''Väterchen Frost''.

	] Santa]]
	Conventionally, Santa Claus is portrayed as a kindly, round-bellied, merry, bespectacled white man in a red coat trimmed with white fur (perhaps remotely derived from the episcopal vestments of the original Bishop Nicholas), with a long white ] and green or white ]. On Christmas Eve, he rides in his ] pulled by ] from house to house to give presents to children. During the rest of the year he lives together with his wife ] and his ] manufacturing ]. Some modern depictions of Santa (often in advertising and popular entertainment) show the elves and Santa's workshop as more of a processing and distribution facility, ordering and receiving the toys from various toy manufacturers from across the world. His home is usually given as either the ], in northern ], ] in ] ], ] in ], ] in ], or ], depending on the ] and country. ] placed his home in The Laughing Valley of Hohaho. In the original Dutch tradition, Sinterklaas lives in Spain and is accompanied by a great number of black servants, called 'Zwarte Pieten', which means Black Petes.

	==Historical origins==
	{{main\|Origins of Santa Claus}}
	The figure of Santa Claus has his roots in various cultures, produced by a blend of Christian imagery and Germanic folklore.

	''See also: ] and ]''

	==Santa Claus in popular culture==
	]
	===Santa Claus rituals===
	{{main\|Santa Claus rituals}}
	Several ]s have developed around the Santa Claus figure that are normally performed by ] hoping to receive ]s from him. Children in ] generally leave out ] and ] for Santa, and carrots for his ]. In Britain it is customary to leave out ] for Santa and a carrot for his reindeer{{Fact\|date=February 2007}}.

	===Little Jesus===
	In ], Santa Claus gives gifts on the 6th of December. On the Christmas Eve it is the Angel that brings presents, though.
	In ], Santa Claus (Télapó or Mikulás) brings small gifts (usually candy and chocolate) during the night of the 6th of ] and Little Jesus (Jézuska) brings the ] as well as the presents on ].

	==Christian opposition to Santa Claus==
	{{main\|Christmas controversies}}
	]'s ''The Examination and Tryal of Father Christmas'' (1686), published shortly after ] was reinstated as a holy day in ]. <small>''Folger Shakespeare Library, Washington, D.C.''<small>]]Though Santa Claus has Christian origins, he has become a ] representation of Christmas. As such, a number of Christian churches dislike the secular focus on Santa Claus and the materialist focus that present-receiving gives to the holiday.

	Such a condemnation of Santa Claus is not a ] phenomenon, but originated among some ] groups of the ] and was prevalent among the ] of ] England and America who banned the holiday as either ] or ]. Following the ], under ]'s government Christmas was banned. Following the ] of the monarchy and with Puritans out of power in England, the ban on Christmas was satirized in works such as ]'s ''The Examination and Tryal of Old ]; Together with his Clearing by the Jury'' (1686) .

	Rev. ], a clergyman in ], ] attracted controversy in 1958 when he declared Santa to be a "pagan ]" after Santa's image was used on fundraising materials for a Danish welfare organization ]. One prominent religious group that refuses to celebrate Santa Claus, or Christmas itself, for similar reasons is the ]. A number of denominations of Christians have varying concerns about Santa Claus. Some Christians even claim that Santa is a hidden representation of ]. They note that the name Santa Claus sounds a bit like the term "Satan's claws".

	Most Christians believe that their own focus in the Christmas season should be placed on the birth of ]
	and many would prefer this to be the focus of the festival in general {{Fact\|date=March 2007}}, though attitudes to this vary according to country. In addition, some parents are uncomfortable about lying to their children about the existence of Santa. This is a concern which both Christians and non-Christians may have on the general basis that it is wrong to systematically lie to one's children. Christians are also often concerned that the lie suggests, when it is revealed, that Christianity is also a childish belief which one grows out of, thus providing a model for the critics of religion. Those with such concerns may tell their children that Santa Claus is just a sort of game, a "pretend" activity. Those whose objections are more to the materialist nature of the modern festival but still wish to participate in the festive gift-giving atmosphere of "Santa season" will shop for toys to donate to poor children on ]'s ], ]. This is an opportunity to instill the Christian value of secret ], which Nicholas was known for. Although ] are usually not acknowledged in ] denominations, this tradition has found acceptance there as well.

	The fictional ]'s website satirizes and ] this viewpoint. The website specifies that Satan is disguising himself as Santa (the same letters used in an ]) to deceive people into a materialistic celebration.

	==See also==
	{{portalpar\|Holidays\|500px-Xmas tree animated.gif}}
	===Related Topics===
	* ]
	* ]
	* ]
	* ]
	* ]
	* ]
	* ] - a form of gift giving
	* ] - mass gatherings of people dressed in cheap Santa suits
	* ] - a northeastern US tradition of pilots delivering presents to families in remote lighthouses

	===Variations of Christmas around the world===
	* ]
	* ]
	* ]

	===Related figures===
	* ]
	* ] and ] - Dutch characters used for celebrations of Saint Nicholas on 5 and 6 December.
	* ] - Character created for the Easter holiday.
	* ]
	* ]
	* ]
	* ] and ]
	* ] and ] - Mythical characters.
	* ] - a Canadian street performer
	* ] - Scandinavian mythical character
	* ] - Scandinavian Christmas symbol
	* ] or Saint Claus - Ukrainian folk tale equivalent to Santa Claus (Pronounced ''Svyatiy Klaoos'')
	* ] (Russian: Дед Мороз) plays a role similar to Santa Claus

	==External links==
	{{Commonscat}}
	* Discovering the truth about Santa Claus
	* The Original 1860s Illustrations
	*, the artist whose Christmas cards inspired Haddon Sundblom when he designed Coca-Cola's Santa.
	*
	*, one of the Internet's oldest Santa-related website, founded in 1991 by former ] ] Jeff Guide
	*
	*
	*

	==References==
	<div class=references-small>
	*. ''Washington Times''. November 21, 2003.
	*. ''AOL News''. Dec. 9, 2006.
	* Barnard, Eunice Fuller. "Santa Claus Claimed as a Real New Yorker." ''New York Times''. December, 19, 1926.
	* ]. ''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus''. 1902; reprint, New York: Penguin, 1986. ISBN 0-451-52064-5
	* Belk, Russel W. "A Child's Christmas in America: Santa Claus as Deity, Consumption as Religion." ''Journal of American Culture'', 10, no. 1 (Spring 1987), pp. 87-100.
	*. ''The Watchtower'' (New York). December 15, 2000.
	* Clar, Mimi. "Attack on Santa Claus." ''Western Folklore'', 18, no. 4 (October 1959), p. 337.
	* Clark, Cindy Dell. ''Flights of Fancy, Leaps of Faith: Children's Myths in Contemporary America''. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1995. ISBN 0-226-10778-7
	* at ].
	* at .
	* at Landoverbaptist.org.
	*Dini, Paul. '']'' various issues
	* Flynn, Tom. ''The Trouble with Christmas''. Buffalo, N.Y.: Prometheus Books, 1993. ISBN 0-87975-848-1
	* Horowitz, Joseph. ''Classical Music in America: A History of Its Rise and Fall''. New York: W. W. Norton, 2005. ISBN 0-393-05717-8
	* ''New York Sun''. September 21, 1897.
	* King, Josiah. ''The Examination and Tryal of Old Father Christmas; Together with his Clearing by the Jury . . .'' London: Charles Brome, 1686. Full text available
	* Lalumia, Christine. . In the ''Ten Ages of Christmas'' from the ] website.
	* Moore, Clement Clarke. "A Visit from St. Nicholas." ''Troy (N.Y.) Sentinel''. December 23, 1823.
	* Nissenbaum, Stephen. ''The Battle for Christmas''. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1996. ISBN 0-679-74038-4
	* Otnes, Cele, Kyungseung Kim, and Young Chan Kim. "Yes, Virginia, There is a Gender Difference: Analyzing Children's Requests to Santa Claus." ''Journal of Popular Culture'', 28, no. 1 (Summer 1994), pp. 17-29.
	* Ott, Jonathan. ''Pharmacotheon: Entheogenic Drugs, Their Plant Sources and History''. Kennewick, Wash.: Natural Products Company, 1993. ISBN 0-9614234-9-8
	* Plath, David W. "The Japanese Popular Christmas: Coping with Modernity." ''American Journal of Folklore'', 76, no. 302 (October-December 1963), pp. 309-317.
	* Potter, Alicia. at Factmonster.com.
	* Quinn, Seabury. ''Roads''. 1948; facsimile reprint, Mohegan Lake, N.Y.: Red Jacket Press, 2005. ISBN 0-9748895-8-X
	* in the ''Catholic Encyclopedia'' at NewAdvent.org.
	* ]. '']''. New York: Dramatists Play Service, 1998. ISBN 0-8222-1631-0
	* Shenkman, Richard. ''Legends, Lies, and Cherished Myths of American History''. New York: HarperCollins, 1988. ISBN 0-06-097261-0
	* Siefker, Phyllis. ''Santa Claus, Last of the Wild Men: The Origins and Evolution of Saint Nicholas, Spanning 50,000 Years''. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland, 1996. ISBN 0-7864-0246-6
	* Twitchell, James B. ''Twenty Ads that Shook the World''. New York: Crown Publishers, 2000. ISBN 0-609-60563-1
	* at NORADsanta.org.
	</div>
	{{Christmas}}

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Revision as of 21:51, 5 April 2007

FUCK YOU ALL ASSHOLES