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Question
#24906. Dunc
asks:
What are the names of all the Santa Clauses of differing nationalities?
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Kainantu
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Austria - Christkind
Belgium and the Netherlands - Noel, Saint Nicholas, Christkind and Black Pete
Brazil - Papa Noel
Denmark - Julinisse or Julemanden which means 'Christmas Man'
England - Father Christmas
Finland - Old Man Christmas
France - Pere Noel or le Petit Noel
Germany - Kriss Kringle, Christkind and Saint Nicholas
Italy - Befana
Japan - Santa Kurohsu
Mexico - Three Kings
Poland - Star Man and Wise Men
Spain - Three Kings, Papa Noel
Russia - Basbouschka
United States - Santa Claus
 http://www.kidskourt.com/Holidays/Santa-names.htm
It's a small world...
Dec 06 02, 7:59 AM
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mibmob
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How can three kings be the same as Santa Claus? Santa Claus is a contraction of St Nicholas. In some countries *he* is the bringer of presents and he does it on the 6th of Dec - his feast day. At school we had 'Polish Christmas' which was today - 6th Dec. and all the Polish children would have the day off.
Dec 06 02, 11:33 AM
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Gnomon
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In many countries such as Spain, Santa Claus does not operate. His role is filled by the Three Kings, who come on the 6th of January and mysteriously leave presents for all the children.
In Ireland, Santa Claus was called Daddy Christmas or Santy, but these names are dying out.
Father Christmas is the same person as Santa Claus.
Dec 06 02, 12:46 PM
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Observer
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In some parts of Belgium it's not Saint-Nicholas who brings goodies to children, but Saint- Martin. There must be pre-christian Germanic precursors of all of these saintly gift-bringers.
The Dutch name is Sinterklaas. The original companion of Sinterklaas was Nicodemus, some kind of scholar in whose books it was registered whether kids had been naughty or nice.
Nicodemus was in the habit of painting his face black so that he could remain unnoticed during his nightly roof-walking. In this way Nicodemus soon was given a new name: Zwarte Piet or Black Pete. Which made him into a hybrid creature part roof-acrobat part bogeyman. There definitely was a racist implication: black people were supposed to be good at moving dexterously on housetops. The white man Saint-Nicholas was like Robinson Crusoe to Black Man Friday. Saint-Nicholas was the {brain;} Black Pete was the tricky servant who had to be kept under strict control.
You find more at www.ned.univie.ac.at/non/landeskunde/be/h2/link4.htm
The original place of origin of Sinterklaas is Myra, a diocese of Byzance. Now Dembre in South-Turkey.
The relics of Saint-Nicholas were taken to Bari to keep them out of the hands of the invading Muslims.
Dec 09 02, 3:04 AM
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