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Santa Claus, Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle, Santy, Jolly Old Elf, Santa Klaus or simply Santa, is a Mythical gift-giving icon who distributes presents to sleeping children and adults who have been "good" all year; traditionally during the night of December 24, Christmas Eve. The popular American form Santa Claus originated as a mispronunciation of Dutch Sinterklaas, which is a contracted form of Sint Nicolaas (Saint Nicholas).

Father Christmas is a well-loved figure in many countries and predates the "Santa Claus" character. "Father Christmas" is similar in many ways, though the two have quite different origins. Using "Santa" in places that predominantly call him "Father Christmas" is often viewed as an Americanism and is quite rare, although they are generally regarded as the same character. Father Christmas is also present instead of "Santa" in Afghanistan ("Baba Chaghaloo"), Albania ("Babadimri"), Armenia ("Gaghant Baba"), Brazil ("Papai Noel"), Bulgaria ("Dyado Koleda"), Chile (Viejo Pascuero), Denmark ("Julemanden"), Egypt ("Papa Noël"), Finland ("Joulupukki"), France and French Canada ("le Père Noël"), Germany ("Weihnachtsmann" or "Nikolaus"),Greece "Άγιος Βασίλης-Άyos Vasílis" Hungary ("Mikulás"), Iran ("Baba Noel"), Ireland ("Daidí na Nollaig"), Italy ("Babbo Natale"), Latvia ("Ziemassvētku vecītis"), Lithuania ("Kalėdų Senelis"), Malta ("San Niklaw"), Mexico ("El Niñito Dios"), Norway ("Julenissen"), Poland ("Święty Mikołaj"), Portugal ("Pai Natal"), Romania ("Moş Crăciun"), Russia ("Ded Moroz"), Scottish Highlands ("Daidaín na Nollaig"), Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina ("Deda Mraz"), South Africa ("Vader Kersfees"), Spain and some of Spanish-speaking Latin America ("Papá Noel" or "San Nicolás" ), Turkey ("Noel Baba"), and the United Kingdom ("Father Christmas").

Overview

Santa Claus is a variation of a Dutch folk tale based on the historical figure Saint Nicholas, a bishop from Myra in Asia Minor (the greater part of modern-day Turkey), who used his whole inheritance to assist the needy, the sick, and the suffering. His charity 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 dowries. 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 the mythical figure of Sinterklaas, the subject of a major celebration in the Netherlands and Belgium, Germany (where his alleged date of death, December 6, is celebrated the evening before on December 5), 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 New Amsterdam (later renamed New York). Whilst in those countries Saint Nicholas is celebrated as a distinct character with a religious touch separate from Christmas, Santa Claus is also making inroads as a symbol during the Christmas season.Santa Claus is an example of folklore mythology which adults know is fiction, but which is sometimes presented to children as fact. Other prominent examples are the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny. He now forms an important part of the Christmas tradition throughout the Western world and Japan and other parts of East Asia.

Read more at Wikipedia.org