Where do children in Scandinavia think Santa Claus lives?

Kainantu

STOCKHOLM -- Everyone agrees that Father Christmas, alias Santa Claus, lives somewhere near the North Pole and the question that comes round every year with the approach of Christmas, is, precisely where? For Finns, the issue is clear-cut: 'Joulupukki' -- Santa in Finnish -- lives at Korvatunturi which lies in Lapland, about 200 kilometres north of the Arctic circle, near the Russian border. In Sweden, the claim to be the 'home' of Father Christmas is just as deeply held. Swedish children know full well that 'Jultomten' lives at Santa World at Gesunda, about 250 kilometres northwest of Stockholm. Norwegians. 'Nisse' which is their name for Santa, has been living for more than 1000 years at Droeback, about 50 kilometres south of Oslo. The legend has it that Santa was born there in 971 during the Viking era. The Danes have no time for such wild claims. For them, there is no doubt that Father Christmas lives at Nuuk in the Danish autonomous territory of Greenland. Local people even say that in the summer, Father Christmas moves to his other residence on an island in the neighbouring town of Uummannaq. In Icelandic tradition, there is not one but 13 Father Christmases -- one for each of the 13 days leading up to the Nativity. And what's more, each one brings a gift. www.dispatch.co.za/1998/12/25/foreign/ADDRESSE.HTM Dec 07 02, 9:48 AM