Regardless of the identify you awarded to the larger-than-life character of ‘Santa Claus’ rising up, for many Christmas lovers the identify will arouse fantastic childhood reminiscences of presents from a jolly, white-haired man throughout the festive season… oh, these have been the times (or are, if you happen to’re younger and fortunate!).
Santa Claus might be one of the universally recognised figures on the earth.
However what’s the nice man’s actual identify?
What’s Santa Claus’ actual identify?
The idea truly originated from Saint Nicholas, a patron saint well-known for giving beneficiant items to the poor. The pronunciation of Saint Nicholas in Dutch is Sinnterklaas, which is the place the identify Santa Claus got here from! Wager you by no means knew that, eh?
World wide, there are many completely different names for Santa Claus, and the concept has been adopted and interpreted in varied methods.
Listed below are 11 completely different names for Santa Claus around the globe
1. English: Santa Claus / Father Christmas
Within the UK, US and Canada, “Santa Claus” or “Father Christmas” is believed to journey around the globe sporting a purple go well with on his sleigh, pulled by reindeer.
He comes down the chimney the night time earlier than Christmas (between 24 and 25 December), leaving presents for kids below the Christmas tree! Kids typically depart Christmas stockings by the hearth that Santa can fill with small items and sweets.
Some households will depart a snack for him for his travels. Within the UK, it’s frequent to go away a mince pie (a conventional festive pastry) and a glass of whisky / sherry for Santa, and a carrot for the reindeer!
2. American-English: Kris Kringle
Within the US and Canada, some folks name him Kris Kringle, which originates from the German phrase Christkind (Christ baby).
Right here, it’s customized to go away milk and cookies to maintain him going. He’s bought a whole lot of presents to ship, in any case!
3. French: Père Noël / Papa Noël (lit. Father Christmas / Daddy Christmas)
In France, it’s Père Noël who delivers presents both on the eve of twenty third December, or on the morning of twenty fifth December.
Within the east of France, he’s accompanied by Le Père Fouettard, a person wearing black, who is alleged to punish the kids in the event that they misbehave. Higher be good, then!
4. Spanish: Papa Noel (lit. Father Christmas)
The person behind the Spanish identify for Santa Claus is often recognized to offer out presents on twenty fourth December or twenty fifth December (from Papa Noel), or on sixth January (from the Three Kings).
In South America, a member of the family typically clothes up as Papa Noel and provides items to the kids whereas they try to guess who the member of the family is!
Whereas in nations like Mexico and Venezuela, presents may also be introduced by El Niñito Dios (child Jesus) or Santo Clós (Santa Claus).
5. Dutch: Sinterklaas
“Sinterklaas” is well known in a number of European nations with completely different traditions in every nation. Within the Netherlands, Sinterklaas is an outdated man who rides his horse on rooftops. His helpers put items into the footwear of youngsters. “Sinterklaasfeest” is well known on fifth December.
In Belgium, customs are comparable however “the Sinterklaasfeest” is well known on sixth December.
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6. German: Weihnachtsmann (lit. Christmas man)
We’re wouldn’t be shocked if you happen to struggled with the pronunciation for Santa Claus in German!
The festive season in Germany begins early, with Nikolaustag – St. Nicholas Day – on sixth December. It’s thought that St. Nicholas comes within the night time, and places presents within the youngsters’s footwear, that are normally polished (youngsters have gotten to get in Santa’s good books someway!) and positioned by their entrance doorways the night earlier than.
In some components of Germany, das Christkind (Christ baby) is believed to carry youngsters presents on Christmas Eve. Kids additionally write to him asking for presents earlier than Christmas. They even embellish their letters by gluing sugar to the envelope!
In different components of the nation, der Weihnachtsmann (Santa Claus) is the one who brings presents to the kids. Historically, German folks open their presents on Christmas Eve relatively than Christmas Day.
7. Italian: Babbo Natale (lit. Daddy Christmas)
In Italy, Babbo Natale is believed to ship presents at Christmas. Italian households begin accumulating presents firstly of December and they’re opened both on Christmas Eve or on Christmas morning.
It is usually believed that the witch, La Befana, arrives throughout the night time of fifth January bringing smalls items, sweets and dried fruits which she leaves within the socks of the nice youngsters.
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8. Portuguese: Papai Noel (lit. Father Christmas)
In some components of Brazil, youngsters depart a sock close to a window. If Papai Noel finds their sock, he’ll alternate it for a gift.
In Portugal, Santa Claus known as Pai Natal. He’s believed to carry presents to youngsters on Christmas Eve. Presents are left below the Christmas tree or in footwear by the hearth.
In each nations, households will both open presents on the eve of the twenty fourth after Midnight Mass or on Christmas morning.
9. Russian: Дед Мороз – Ded Moroz (lit. Grandfather Frost)
In Russia, Christmas is definitely celebrated on seventh January, which is the Orthodox Christmas, and due to this fact goes by a special calendar.
Nonetheless, folks do additionally alternate presents on New 12 months’s Eve. It’s believed that Ded Moroz (the Russian and interpretation of and identify for Santa Claus) brings presents with the assistance of his granddaughter, Snegurka. The custom goes that youngsters make a circle across the Christmas tree and name for Ded Moroz and Snegurka. After they seem, the star and different lights on the Christmas tree mild up.
10. Turkish: Noel Baba (lit. Father Christmas)
Christmas isn’t broadly celebrated in Turkey, however some households rejoice fashionable Christmas traditions on New 12 months’s Eve. They could have a ‘New 12 months’s Eve tree’ and provides items.
11. Polish: Święty Mikołaj (lit. Saint Nicholas)
In Poland, it’s usually believed that Święty Mikołaj brings presents that are opened after the Christmas Eve supper is completed. Typically the adults tease the kids by dragging out the meal so that they have to attend longer for the presents!
In some components of Poland, there are completely different traditions. Within the east, presents are given by Dziadek Mróz (the identical as Ded Moroz in Russia) and in western and northern Poland folks imagine that Gwiazdor (the starman) brings them.
So there you’ve got it – 11 completely different names for Santa Claus from around the globe, plus a bunch of traditions and interpretations of him.
Now you may get concerned with the Christmas spirit wherever you might be on the earth!
Merry Christmas from the Busuu group!
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