Santa Claus

The best-known and best-loved of all Christmas gift-givers is Santa Claus, whose identity is probably more entangled in a variety of different legends than any other seasonal spirit. The genial side of his personality is usually credited to the Norse god, Odin, who flew the skies of Winter and was able to cure diseases and predict the future, or the Germanic god, Thor, who rode on a chariot drawn by goats named Cracker and Cruncher. Some of the magical elements associated with Santa Claus came from Melchior, the oldest of the Three Kings who followed the Star to Bethlehem. It is generally accepted that the name "Santa Claus" was derived and abbreviated from his original Dutch title of "Sinterklaas."

Many pagan societies worshipped a hearth god, clad in red, who came down the chimney to bless those who had won his favor and to curse those who had not. Offerings of food and drink were left on hearth or mantel in an effort to please and appease this fickle god. In India and China, such red-garbed hearth gods continue to be worshipped today, but the modern-day Santa Claus, in the form which usually springs to mind when the name is mentioned, only came into existence approximately 100 years ago. Read more about Santa from this web site.