List of Christmas and winter gift-bringers by country

Christmas gift-bringers in Europe

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

Not all gift-bringers were or are specifically focused on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day: other common customs are 6 December (St Nicholas), 1 January, New Year (St Basil, or secular), and 6 January, Epiphany (Three Kings).

The international popularity of the figure of Santa Claus, originally from the United States, has transformed the older traditions of many countries.[1]

List of gift-bringers

Given the overlapping nature of gift-bringers throughout the world in name, attributes, date of arrival, and religious/secular identity, this list may include winter gift-bringers that are not specifically associated with Christmas. The list should however not include mythical or folkloric characters that do not bring gifts, such as Father Time.

Old man Child Other Notes
 Afghanistan Papa Noël (Arabic: بابا نويل baba noel); Baba Chaghaloo
 Andorra Pare Noel (Father Christmas)
 Argentina Papá Noel[2] (Father Christmas) El Niño Diós (Child God)
 Armenia Dzmer Papik (Father Christmas)
 Australia Santa Claus; sometimes St Nicholas; Father Christmas[3]
 Austria Christkind[3] (Christ Child)
 Azerbaijan Şaxta Baba (Froze Dad)
 Belgium Père Noël[4] (Father Christmas) for French speakers; Kerstman (Father Christmas) for Dutch speakers Le Petit Jesus[2] (Baby Jesus) for French speakers Sinterklaas 6 December for Dutch speakers; St Nicholas 6 December for French speakers
 Bolivia Papá Noel (Father Christmas) El Niño Diós (Child God)
 Bosnia Djed Božićnjak (also known as Božić Bata or Djed Mraz) 1 January
 Brazil Papai Noel,[5] Bom Velhinho (Good Little Oldie). The BrazilianPelznickel also brings gifts
 Bulgaria Дядо Коледа (Dyado Koleda) (Father Christmas)
 Canada Santa Claus,[6] Père Noël[6] (Father Christmas) for French speakers
 Chile Viejito Pascuero[7] (The Little Oldie of the Easter), referring to him appearing at "Christmas time", which in Chile is called simply "Easter" or "Passover" (Pascua).
 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)[8]
 Colombia Papá Noel (Father Christmas) El Niño Diós[9] (Child God), El Niño Jesús (Child Jesus)
 Costa Rica Santa Clós (Santa Claus),[10] San Nicolás (Saint Nicholas) or his nickname Colacho. El Niño Diós[10] (Child God)
 Croatia Djed Božićnjak (Grandpa Christmas), Djed Mraz (Grandpa Frost), Sveti Nikola (St Nicholas)[11] 6 December, Santa Claus[11] Mali Isus (Baby Jesus) In Dalmatia and Slavonia, St Lucy[11] arrives on the eve of her feast day, 13 December.
 Cyprus Άγιος Βασίλης (Saint Basil) 1 January
 Czech Republic Angel accompanying Mikulac[12] (Nicholas) 6 December Ježíšek[13] (Baby Jesus)
 Denmark Julemanden[14] (Christmas Man)
 Dominican Republic Papá Noel (Father Christmas), Santa Clós (Santa Claus) Los Tres Reyes Magos (The Three Kings)[15] 6 January, Vieja Belén[15] (Old Lady of Bethlehem)
 Ecuador Papá Noel (Father Christmas) El Niño Diós (Child God) The Three Kings 6 January[16]
 Egypt Papa Noël (Arabic: بابا نويل Baba Noel)
 England Father Christmas[17] or synonymously Santa Claus[18][19] Before mid-Victorian times Father Christmas was a different folkloric figure representing good cheer, and did not bring gifts.[20][21]
 Estonia Jõuluvana (Old Man of Christmas)
 Finland Joulupukki (Yule Goat)[22]
 France Père Noël[23] (Father Christmas) Le Petit Jésus (Baby Jesus)[23] Tante Arie in Franche-Comté[23]
 Germany Weihnachtsmann[24] (Christmas Man) in Protestant areas Christkind[24] (Christ Child) in Catholic areas
 Greece Άγιος Βασίλης[25] (Saint Basil) 1 January
 Honduras Santa Claus[26] The Three Kings[26]
 Hong Kong 聖誕老人 (jyutping: sing3 daan3 lou5 jan4) (Christmas Old Man), Santa Claus, St Nicholas, Father Christmas
 Hungary Télapó (Father Christmas); Mikulás[27] (Nicholas) 6 December Jézuska" or "Kis Jézus" (Child Jesus) Angels accompanying the baby Jesus[26]
 Iceland Jólasveinar[28] (Yulemen or Yule Lads) In Icelandic folk tales there are numerous Jólasveinar, which come on different dates[28]
 India Christmas Father, Jingal Bell, Santa Claus; in Telugu Thatha (Christmas Old Man); in Marathi Natal Bua (Christmas Elder Man); in Tamil Christmas Thatha (Christmas Grandpa); in southern India ಸಾ೦ಟಾ ಕ್ಲಾಸ್;
 Indonesia Santa Claus, Sinterklas
 Iran Santa Claus,[29] Baba Noel[29] (Persian: بابا نوئل)
 Ireland Santa Claus, Father Christmas,[29] Daidí na Nollag[30] for Irish speakers
 Italy Babbo Natale[31] (Father Christmas); in Trieste, St Nicholas 6 December. Gesù bambino (Baby Jesus) La Befana[31] 6 January. In Sicily,[31] Udine, Bergamo, Brescia, Cremona, Lodi, Mantova, Piacenza, Parma, Reggio Emilia, Verona and Western Trentino, St Lucy[31] arrives on the eve of her feast day, 13 December.
 Japan サンタクロース (Santa Kuroosu, or Santa-san), sometimes known as Uncle Chimney[32]
 Korea 산타 클로스 (Santa Harabeoji) (Grandfather Santa)
 Latvia Ziemassvētku vecītis (Father Christmas)[33]
 Liechtenstein Christkind (Christ Child)
 Lithuania Kalėdų Senelis[34] (Grandfather Christmas)
 Luxembourg Kleeschen[35] (St Nicholas) Christkind (Christ Child)[35]
 Macedonia Dedo Mraz
 Malta Father Christmas[36]
 Mexico Santa Clós (Santa Claus) El Niño Diós[37] (Child God) Los Tres Reyes Magos (The Three Kings[37])
 Netherlands Kerstman[38] (Christmas Man), Sinterklaas (St Nicholas) 6 December Zwarte Piet[38] (Black Peter), accompanying Sinterklaas[38]
 New Zealand Father Christmas[39]
 Nicaragua El Niño[39] (Christ Child) The Three Kings[39]
 Norway Julenissen (Christmas Gnome) [40]
 Panama Santa Claus[41] Christ Child[41] The Three Kings[41] 6 January
 Paraguay Papá Noel (Father Christmas) El Niño Diós (Child God)
 Peru Papá Noel (Father Christmas), Santa Claus[42]
 Philippines Santa Claus[43] Previously Los Tres Reyes Magos (The Three Kings)[43]
 Poland Gwiazdor (Star Man or Little Star[44]), Santa Claus,[44] Święty Mikołaj (St Nicolas) 6 December[44]
 Portugal Pai Natal (Father Christmas), Santa Claus[45] Menino Jesus (Christ Child[45]) - now less common
 Puerto Rico Santa Clós (Santa Claus)[46] Previously The Three Kings[46]
 Romania Moş Crăciun[47] (Father Christmas), Moş Nicolae (St Nicholas) 6 December Jézuska or Kis Jézus (Child Jesus) (for the Hungarian minorities) Angyal (The Angel) (for the Hungarian minorities) Moş Gerilă (Grandfather Frost) during the previous Communist era[47]
 Russia Дед Мороз (Ded Moroz) (Grandfather Frost[48]), his niece Snegurochka (the Snow Maiden) and the New Year Boy;[48] in Sakha Republic (Yakutia) Чысхаан (Chyskhaan) (Lord of the Cold); in Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug - Ямал Ири (Yamal Iri) (Grandpa of Yamal) Before 1917, during the pre-Communist era, the gift-bringers were St Nicholas, Baboushka and Kolyáda[48]
 Scotland Santa Claus; Bodach na Nollaig (Scots Gaelic: Old Man of Christmas)
 Serbia Now Деда Мраз (Deda Mraz) (Grandpa Frost) 1 January; previously Божић Бата (Božić Bata) (Christmas Brother)
 Slovenia Miklavž,[49] Dedek Mraz (Grandfather Frost), Božiček Ježiško (Baby Jesus) Los Reyes Magos (The Three Kings)
 South Africa Sinterklaas, Father Christmas,[50] Santa Claus
 Spain Papá Noel[51] (Father Christmas); Olentzero in the Basque Country;[51] Apalpador in some areas of Galicia, The Three Kings 6 January;[51] Tió de Nadal in Catalonia;[52] Anjanas in Cantabria; Anguleru in Asturias
 Sri Lanka Naththal Seeya
 Sweden Jultomten[53] (Christmas Gnome) Julbock (Christmas Goat) until the 19th century[51]
  Switzerland St Nicholas (known as Samichlaus to German-speakers and San Nicolao to Italian),[54] Père Noël[54] (Father Christmas) for French-speakers Christkind (Christ Child) in some areas,[51] Gesù bambino (Baby Jesus) in Italian-speaking areas[51] La Befana in Italian-speaking areas[51]
 Syria Papa Noël (Arabic: بابا نويل baba noel)
 Taiwan 聖誕老人 or 聖誕老公公 (Old Man of Christmas)
 Thailand ซานตาคลอส (Santa Claus)
 Turkey Noel Baba (Father Christmas) 1 January
 Turkmenistan Aýaz baba
 Ukraine Святий Миколай (Sviaty Mykolay) (St Nicholas),[55] Дід Мороз (Did Moroz) (Grandfather Frost)[55] Christmas is celebrated according to the Gregorian calendar on 7 January[55]
 Uruguay Papá Noel (Father Christmas) El Niño Diós (Child God)
 USA Santa Claus;[55] sometimes Kris Kringle
 Uzbekistan Ayoz Bobo (Frost Grandpa), Qor Bobo (Snow Grandfather)
 Venezuela Santa Clós (Santa Claus) El Niño[56] (Christ Child) Reyes Magos[56] (The Three Wise Men) 6 January;
 Vietnam Ông Già Nô-en (Old Man of Christmas)
 Wales Santa Claus, Father Christmas; Siôn Corn[57] in Welsh (literally Chimney John)[58]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Bowler 2000, p. 199.
  2. 1 2 Bowler 2000, p. 11.
  3. 1 2 Bowler 2000, p. 13.
  4. ↑ Bowler 2000, p. 20.
  5. ↑ Bowler 2000, p. 29.
  6. 1 2 Bowler 2000, p. 35.
  7. ↑ Bowler 2000, p. 42.
  8. ↑ Bowler 2000, p. 43.
  9. ↑ Bowler 2000, p. 51.
  10. 1 2 Bowler 2000, p. 52.
  11. 1 2 3 Bowler 2000, p. 54.
  12. ↑ Bowler 2000, p. 55.
  13. ↑ "Czech Santa". Retrieved 2 March 2016.
  14. ↑ Bowler 2000, p. 67.
  15. 1 2 Bowler 2000, pp. 71-72.
  16. ↑ Bowler 2000, p. 73.
  17. ↑ "Oxford English Dictionary". Oxford University Press. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  18. ↑ "Father Christmas". Collins English Dictionary. Collins. Retrieved 8 February 2016.
  19. ↑ "Father Christmas". Chambers 21st Century Dictionary. Chambers. Retrieved 8 February 2016.
  20. ↑ Roud, Steve (2006). The English Year. London: Penguin Books. pp. 385–387. ISBN 978-0-140-51554-1.
  21. ↑ Hutton, Ronald (1996). The Stations of the Sun. Oxford & New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 117–118. ISBN 0-19-820570-8.
  22. ↑ Bowler 2000, p. 82.
  23. 1 2 3 Bowler 2000, p. 86.
  24. 1 2 Bowler 2000, p. 91.
  25. ↑ Bowler 2000, p. 87.
  26. 1 2 3 Bowler 2000, p. 107.
  27. ↑ Bowler 2000, p. 109.
  28. 1 2 Bowler 2000, p. 112.
  29. 1 2 3 Bowler 2000, p. 115.
  30. ↑ "Irish-English Dictionary". Daidí na Nollaig. Glosbe. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
  31. 1 2 3 4 Bowler 2000, pp. 117-118.
  32. ↑ Bowler 2000, p. 121.
  33. ↑ Bowler 2000, p. 130.
  34. ↑ Bowler 2000, p. 133.
  35. 1 2 Bowler 2000, p. 137.
  36. ↑ Bowler 2000, p. 139.
  37. 1 2 Bowler 2000, p. 148.
  38. 1 2 3 Bowler 2000, pp. 154-155.
  39. 1 2 3 Bowler 2000, p. 155.
  40. ↑ Bowler 2000, p. 159.
  41. 1 2 3 Bowler 2000, p. 170.
  42. ↑ Bowler 2000, p. 174.
  43. 1 2 Bowler 2000, p. 175.
  44. 1 2 3 Bowler 2000, p. 178.
  45. 1 2 Bowler 2000, p. 179.
  46. 1 2 Bowler 2000, p. 184.
  47. 1 2 Bowler 2000, p. 193.
  48. 1 2 3 Bowler 2000, p. 195.
  49. ↑ Bowler 2000, p. 207.
  50. ↑ Bowler 2000, p. 211.
  51. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Bowler 2000, p. 212.
  52. ↑ Koehler, Jeff (2013). Spain: Recipes and Traditions from the Verdant Hills of the Basque Country to the Coastal Waters of Andalucia. San Francisco: Chronicle Books LLC. p. 96.
  53. ↑ Bowler 2000, p. 219.
  54. 1 2 Bowler 2000, p. 220.
  55. 1 2 3 4 Bowler 2000, p. 232.
  56. 1 2 Bowler 2000, p. 238.
  57. ↑ King, Gareth (2008). Colloquial Welsh: The Complete Course for Beginners. Oxford: Routledge. p. 159. ISBN 978-1-138-96039-8.
  58. ↑ Kirkeby, Cynthia (16 November 2008). "Santa's Names Around the World". ClassBrain.com. Retrieved 5 March 2016.

References

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