List of Christmas and winter gift-bringers
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is a list of Christmas and winter gift-bringer figures from around the world.
The history of mythical or folkloric gift-bringing figures who appear in winter, often at or around the Christmas period, is complex, and in many countries the gift-bringer – and the gift-bringer's date of arrival – has changed over time as native customs have been influenced by those in other countries. While many though not all gift-bringers originated as religious figures, gift-bringing is often now a non-religious custom and secular figures exist in many countries that have little or no tradition of celebrating Christmas as a religious festival. Some figures are entirely local, and some have been deliberately and more recently invented.
The main originating strands – all of which have their roots in Europe – are
- the overlapping winter-based and religious Old Man traditions (Saint Nicholas, Santa Claus, Father Christmas, Saint Basil, Grandfather Frost),
- the Christ Child traditions promoted by Martin Luther[1] (Christkind, Baby Jesus, Child God), and
- the Three Kings traditions.
Not all gift-bringers were or are specifically focused on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day: other common customs are 6 December (Saint Nicholas), 1 January, New Year (St Basil, or secular), and 6 January, Epiphany (Three Kings).
The international popularity of the figure of Santa Claus has transformed the older traditions of many countries.[2]
List of gift-bringers
| Nation | Old man | Child | Other | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Albania |
Babagjyshi, Babagjyshi i Krishtlindjeve[3] (Grandfather Christmas, Old Man of Christmas), Babadimri[4] (Grandfather Frost) | |||
 Argentina |
Papá Noel[5] (Father Christmas) | El Niño Dios (Child God) | Reyes Magos[6] (The Three Wise Men) | |
 Australia |
Santa Claus; Bubaa Gaadha (in Gamilaraay)[7] | Wangkarnal Crow (in Warmun, Western Australia)[8] | ||
 Austria |
Saint Nikolaus or Nikolo | Christkind[9] (Christ Child) | ||
 Belgium |
Kerstman (Christmas Man) and Sinterklaas for Dutch speakers; Père Noël[10] (Father Christmas) and Saint Nicolas for French speakers | Le Petit Jesus[5] (Baby Jesus) for French speakers | ||
 Brazil |
Papai Noel,[11] Bom Velhinho (Good Little Oldie). | |||
 Canada |
Santa Claus,[12] Père Noël[12] (Father Christmas) for French speakers | |||
 Chile |
Viejito Pascuero ("Little Easter Old Man")[13] | The name comes from Pascua (Easter) being used in Chile to refer to multiple religious holidays, Christmas included. | ||
 China |
Shengdan laoren (Traditional Chinese: 聖誕老人, Simplified Chinese: 圣诞老人, Cantonese: sing daan lo jan, pinyin: shèngdànlǎorén (Old Man Christmas)[14] | |||
 Colombia |
Papá Noel (Father Christmas) | El Niño Dios[15] (Child God), El Niño Jesús (Child Jesus) | ||
 Costa Rica |
Santa Clós (Santa Claus),[16] San Nicolás (Saint Nicholas) or his nickname Colacho. | El Niño Dios[16] (Child God) | ||
 Croatia |
Djed Božićnjak (Grandfather Christmas), Sveti Nikola (Saint Nicholas)[17] 6 December | Mali Isus (Baby Jesus) | In Dalmatia and Slavonia, Saint Lucy[17] arrives on the eve of her feast day, 13 December. | |
 Czech Republic |
Angel and devil accompanying Svatý Mikuláš[18] (St Nicholas) 6 December | Ježíšek[19] (Baby Jesus) | ||
 Denmark |
Julemanden[20] (Christmas Man) | |||
 Dominican Republic |
Papá Noel (Father Christmas), Santa Clós (Santa Claus) | Los Tres Reyes Magos (The Three Kings),[21] Vieja Belén[21] (Old Lady of Bethlehem) | ||
 Ecuador |
Papá Noel (Father Christmas) | El Niño Dios (Child God) | The Three Kings[22] | |
 England |
Father Christmas[23] or synonymously Santa Claus[24] | Before mid-Victorian times Father Christmas was a different folkloric figure representing good cheer, and did not bring gifts.[25][26] | ||
 Finland |
Joulupukki (Yule Goat)[27] | |||
 France |
- Le Père Noël[28] (Father Christmas)
- Saint Nicolas (Saint Nicholas) in Alsace, Lorraine, the Ardennes, Franche-Comté and the Low Countries, 6 December - Olentzero in the Basque Country - Saint Martin in Alsace, Franconian Lorraine and Maritime Flanders, 10 or 11 November[29][30][31] - Le Père Janvier (Father January) in Burgundy, Nivernais and Bourbonnais, 31 December - 1 January[32] - Saint Vincent in the Langres plateau[32] |
- Le Petit Jésus (Child Jesus)[28]
- Le Christkindel (Christkind) in Alsace and Franconian Lorraine, 6 December[33] |
- Tante Arie (Aunt Arie, a fairy) in the County of Montbéliard[28]
- Les Rois Mages (The Three Kings) in Roussillon |
|
 Germany |
- Martinsmann, 10 November in Protestant areas, 11 November in Catholic areas
- Nikolaus, 6 December - Weihnachtsmann[35] (Christmas Man), 24 December in Protestant areas |
Christkind[35] (Christ Child), 24 December in Catholic areas | Nikolaus is accompanied by Knecht Ruprecht, Krampus, Belsnickel or other servants in some regions of Germany. | |
 Greece |
Άγιος Βασίλειος ο Μέγας[36] (Saint Basil the Great) | |||
 Honduras |
Santa Claus[37] | The Three Kings[37] | ||
 Hungary |
Télapó (Father Christmas); Mikulás[38] (Nicholas) | Jézuska or Kis Jézus (Child Jesus) | Angels accompanying the baby Jesus[37] | Mikulás is accompanied by krampusz, generally bringing virgács (rod for whipping) to children who did not behave well |
 Iceland |
Jólasveinar[39] (Yulemen or Yule Lads) | In Icelandic folk tales there are numerous Jólasveinar, which come on different dates.[39] | ||
 India |
- English: Santa Claus, Father Christmas
- Hindi: सांता क्लॉज़ (saanta kloz), सैंट निकोलस (saint nikolas) - Other languages: Several names[a] |
|||
 Iran |
Santa Claus,[40] Baba Noel[40] (Persian: بابا نوئل); Amu Nowruz (Persian: عمو نوروز, "Uncle Nowruz") | |||
 Ireland |
Santa Claus, Father Christmas,[40] Daidí na Nollag[41] for Irish speakers | |||
 Italy |
Babbo Natale[42] (Father Christmas) | Gesù Bambino (Baby Jesus) | La Befana[42] 6 January. In Sicily,[42] Udine, Bergamo, Brescia, Cremona, Lodi, Mantova, Piacenza, Parma, Reggio Emilia, Verona and Western Trentino, Saint Lucy[42] arrives on the eve of her feast day, 13 December. | |
 Japan |
Santa Kurōsu (サンタクロース) or Santa-san (サンタさん)[43] | On 2 Jan[44] the Seven Lucky Gods bring metaphorical treasures in their treasure ship Takarabune[45] | ||
 Latvia |
Ziemassvētku Vecītis (Father Christmas)[46] | |||
 Lebanon |
بابا نويل[47] (Baba Noel), Père Noël | |||
 Lithuania |
Kalėdų Senelis[48] (Grandfather Christmas) | |||
 Luxembourg |
Kleeschen[49] (Saint Nicholas) | Christkind (Christ Child)[49] | ||
 Malta |
Father Christmas[50] (Missier il-Milied in Maltese) | |||
 Mexico |
Santa Claus | El Niño Dios[51] (Child God) | Los Tres Reyes Magos (The Three Kings[51]) | |
 Netherlands |
Kerstman[52] (Christmas Man), Sinterklaas (Saint Nicholas) | Zwarte Piet[52] (Black Peter), accompanies Sinterklaas[52] | ||
 New Zealand |
Santa Claus,[53] Hana Kōkō (in Māori)[54] | |||
 Nicaragua |
El Niño[53] (The Child) | The Three Kings[53] | ||
 Norway |
Julenissen (Santa Claus)[55] | |||
 Panama |
Santa Claus[56] | Christ Child[56] | The Three Kings[56] 6 January | |
 Peru |
Papá Noel (Father Christmas), Santa Claus[57] | |||
 Philippines |
Santa Claus,[58] Santa Klaus (in Tagalog) | Los Tres Reyes Magos, Tatlóng Haring Mago (The Three Kings), 5 January[58] | ||
 Poland |
Gwiazdor (Star Man or Little Star[59]), Santa Claus,[59] Święty Mikołaj (Saint Nicolas) 6 December[59] | Dzieciątko (Christ Child) in Upper Silesia[60] | Aniołek (Angel) 24 December in Kraków[60] | |
 Portugal |
Pai Natal (Father Christmas), Santa Claus[61] | Menino Jesus (Christ Child[61]) | ||
 Puerto Rico |
Santa Clós (Santa Claus)[62] | Los Tres Reyes Magos (The Three Kings) | ||
 Romania |
Moș Crăciun[63] (Old Man Christmas, Christmas Old Man, Grandfather Christmas, Christmas Grandfather), Moș Nicolae (Saint Nicholas) | Jézuska or Kis Jézus (Child Jesus) (for the Hungarian minorities) | Angyal (The Angel) (for the Hungarian minorities) | Moș Gerilă (Grandfather Frost, Old Man Frost) during the previous Communist era[63] |
 Russia |
Дед Мороз (Ded Moroz) (Grandfather Frost[64]) | Snegurochka (the Snow Maiden and granddaughter of Ded Moroz) and the New Year Boy[64] | Before 1917, during the pre-Communist era, the gift-bringers were Saint Nicholas, Baboushka and Kolyáda[64] | |
 Slovakia |
Angel and Devil accompanying Svätý Mikuláš[18] (Saint Nicholas) 6 December | Ježiško (Baby Jesus) | ||
 Slovenia |
Miklavž (Saint Nicholas),[65] Dedek Mraz (Grandpa Frost), Božiček (Santa Claus) | Jezušček (Baby Jesus) | Sveti Trije kralji (The Three Kings) | |
 South Africa |
- In English: Santa Claus Father Christmas,[66] Santa Claus | |||
 Spain |
- Papá Noel or Santa Claus[67] (Father Christmas); Pare Noel or Pare Nadal[68] in Catalonia
- Olentzero in the Basque Country and Navarre[69] - Apalpador in Galicia[70][71] |
- The Three Kings 6 January[76]
- Tió de Nadal in Catalonia[77] - Anjanas in Cantabria - Mari Domingi, a recent female companion for Olentzero in the Basque Country and Navarre.[78] |
||
 Sweden |
Jultomten[79] (Christmas Gnome) | Julbock (Christmas Goat) until the 19th century[76] | ||
 Switzerland |
St Nicholas (known as Samichlaus to German-speakers and San Nicolao to Italian),[80] Père Noël[80] (Father Christmas) for French-speakers | Christkind (Christ Child) in some areas,[76] Gesù Bambino (Baby Jesus) in Italian-speaking areas[76] | La Befana in Italian-speaking areas[76] | |
 Uruguay |
Papá Noel (Father Christmas) | El Niño Dios (Child God) | Los Reyes Magos on 6 January[81] | |
 United States |
Santa Claus;[82] sometimes Kris Kringle; ᏗᎭᏄᎧᎯ (in Cherokee); Kanakaloka (in Hawaiian);[83] | |||
 Venezuela |
San Nicolás (Saint Nicholas)[84] | El Niño[6] (The Child) | Reyes Magos[6] (The Three Wise Men) | |
 Wales |
Father Christmas, Santa Claus; Siôn Corn[85] in Welsh (literally Chimney John)[86] |
