List of Christmas and winter gift-bringers by country
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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 (St Nicholas, Santa Claus, Father Christmas, St Basil, Grandfather Frost),
- the Christ Child traditions (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 (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 | |
---|---|---|---|---|
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Papa Noël (Arabic: بابا نويل baba noel); Baba Chaghaloo | |||
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Pare Noel (Father Christmas) | |||
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Papá Noel[2] (Father Christmas) | El Niño Diós (Child God) | ||
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Dzmer Papik (Father Christmas) | |||
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Santa Claus[3] | |||
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Christkind[4] (Christ Child) | |||
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Şaxta Baba (Father Frost) | |||
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Père Noël[5] (Father Christmas) for French speakers; Kerstman (Christmas man) 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 | |
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Papá Noel (Father Christmas) | El Niño Diós (Child God) | ||
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Djed Božićnjak (also known as Božić Bata or Djed Mraz) 1 January | |||
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Papai Noel,[6] Bom Velhinho (Good Little Oldie). | |||
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Дядо Коледа (Dyado Koleda) (Father Christmas) | |||
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Santa Claus,[7] Père Noël[7] (Father Christmas) for French speakers | |||
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Viejito Pascuero[8] (The Little Oldie of the Easter), referring to him appearing at "Christmas time", which in Chile is called simply "Easter" or "Passover" (Pascua). | |||
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Shengdan laoren (Traditional Chinese: 聖誕老人, Simplified Chinese: 圣诞老人, Cantonese: sing daan lo jan, pinyin: shèngdànlǎorén (Old Man Christmas)[9] | |||
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Papá Noel (Father Christmas) | El Niño Diós[10] (Child God), El Niño Jesús (Child Jesus) | ||
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Santa Clós (Santa Claus),[11] San Nicolás (Saint Nicholas) or his nickname Colacho. | El Niño Diós[11] (Child God) | ||
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Djed Božićnjak (Grandpa Christmas), Djed Mraz (Grandpa Frost), Sveti Nikola (St Nicholas)[12] 6 December, Santa Claus[12] | Mali Isus (Baby Jesus) | In Dalmatia and Slavonia, St Lucy[12] arrives on the eve of her feast day, 13 December. | |
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Άγιος Βασίλης (Saint Basil) 1 January | |||
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Angel accompanying Mikulas[13] (Nicholas) 6 December | Ježíšek[14] (Baby Jesus) | ||
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Julemanden[15] (Christmas Man) | |||
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Papá Noel (Father Christmas), Santa Clós (Santa Claus) | Los Tres Reyes Magos (The Three Kings)[16] 6 January, Vieja Belén[16] (Old Lady of Bethlehem) | ||
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Papá Noel (Father Christmas) | El Niño Diós (Child God) | The Three Kings 6 January[17] | |
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Papa Noël (Arabic: بابا نويل Baba Noel) | |||
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Father Christmas[18] or synonymously Santa Claus[19][20] | Before mid-Victorian times Father Christmas was a different folkloric figure representing good cheer, and did not bring gifts.[21][22] | ||
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Jõuluvana (Old Man of Christmas) | |||
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Joulupukki (Yule Goat)[23] | |||
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Père Noël[24] (Father Christmas) | Le Petit Jésus (Baby Jesus)[24] | Tante Arie in Franche-Comté[24] | |
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Weihnachtsmann[25] (Christmas Man) in Protestant areas | Christkind[25] (Christ Child) in Catholic areas | ||
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Άγιος Βασίλης[26] (Saint Basil) 1 January | |||
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Santa Claus[27] | The Three Kings[27] | ||
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聖誕老人 (jyutping: sing3 daan3 lou5 jan4) (Christmas Old Man), Santa Claus, St Nicholas, Father Christmas | |||
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Télapó (Father Christmas); Mikulás[28] (Nicholas) 6 December | Jézuska" or "Kis Jézus" (Child Jesus) | Angels accompanying the baby Jesus[27] | |
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Jólasveinar[29] (Yulemen or Yule Lads) | In Icelandic folk tales there are numerous Jólasveinar, which come on different dates.[29] | ||
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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; | |||
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Santa Claus, Sinterklas | |||
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Santa Claus,[30] Baba Noel[30] (Persian: بابا نوئل) | |||
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Santa Claus, Father Christmas,[30] Daidí na Nollag[31] for Irish speakers | |||
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Babbo Natale[32] (Father Christmas); in Trieste, St Nicholas 6 December. | Gesù bambino (Baby Jesus) | La Befana[32] 6 January. In Sicily,[32] Udine, Bergamo, Brescia, Cremona, Lodi, Mantova, Piacenza, Parma, Reggio Emilia, Verona and Western Trentino, St Lucy[32] arrives on the eve of her feast day, 13 December. | |
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サンタクロース (Santa Kuroosu, or Santa-san), sometimes known as Uncle Chimney[33] | |||
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산타 클로스 (Santa Harabeoji) (Grandfather Santa) | |||
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Ziemassvētku vecītis (Father Christmas)[34] | |||
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Christkind (Christ Child) | |||
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Kalėdų Senelis[35] (Grandfather Christmas) | |||
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Kleeschen[36] (St Nicholas) | Christkind (Christ Child)[36] | ||
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Dedo Mraz | |||
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Father Christmas[37] | |||
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Santa Clós (Santa Claus) | El Niño Diós[38] (Child God) | Los Tres Reyes Magos (The Three Kings[38]) | |
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Kerstman[39] (Christmas Man), Sinterklaas (St Nicholas) 6 December | Zwarte Piet[39] (Black Peter), accompanying Sinterklaas[39] | ||
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Father Christmas[40] | |||
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El Niño[40] (Christ Child) | The Three Kings[40] | ||
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Julenissen (Christmas Gnome) [41] | |||
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Santa Claus[42] | Christ Child[42] | The Three Kings[42] 6 January | |
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Papá Noel (Father Christmas) | El Niño Diós (Child God) | ||
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Papá Noel (Father Christmas), Santa Claus[43] | |||
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Santa Claus[44] | Previously Los Tres Reyes Magos (The Three Kings)[44] | ||
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Gwiazdor (Star Man or Little Star[45]), Santa Claus,[45] Święty Mikołaj (St Nicolas) 6 December[45] | |||
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Pai Natal (Father Christmas), Santa Claus[46] | Menino Jesus (Christ Child[46]) - now less common | ||
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Santa Clós (Santa Claus)[47] | Previously The Three Kings[47] | ||
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Moş Crăciun[48] (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[48] |
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Дед Мороз (Ded Moroz) (Grandfather Frost[49]), his granddaughter Snegurochka (the Snow Maiden) and the New Year Boy;[49] 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[49] | ||
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Santa Claus; Bodach na Nollaig (Scots Gaelic: Old Man of Christmas) | |||
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Now Деда Мраз (Deda Mraz) (Grandpa Frost) 1 January; previously Божић Бата (Božić Bata) (Christmas Brother) | |||
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Miklavž,[50] Dedek Mraz (Grandfather Frost), Božiček | Jezušček (Baby Jesus) | Los Reyes Magos (The Three Kings) | |
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Sinterklaas, Father Christmas,[51] Santa Claus | |||
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Papá Noel[52] (Father Christmas); Olentzero in the Basque Country;[52] Apalpador in some areas of Galicia, | The Three Kings 6 January;[52] Tió de Nadal in Catalonia;[53] Anjanas in Cantabria; Anguleru in Asturias | ||
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Naththal Seeya | |||
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Jultomten[54] (Christmas Gnome) | Julbock (Christmas Goat) until the 19th century[52] | ||
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St Nicholas (known as Samichlaus to German-speakers and San Nicolao to Italian),[55] Père Noël[55] (Father Christmas) for French-speakers | Christkind (Christ Child) in some areas,[52] Gesù bambino (Baby Jesus) in Italian-speaking areas[52] | La Befana in Italian-speaking areas[52] | |
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Papa Noël (Arabic: بابا نويل baba noel) | |||
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聖誕老人 or 聖誕老公公 (Old Man of Christmas) | |||
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ซานตาคลอส (Santa Claus) | |||
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Noel Baba (Father Christmas) 1 January | |||
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Aýaz baba | |||
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Святий Миколай (Sviaty Mykolay) (St Nicholas),[56] Дід Мороз (Did Moroz) (Grandfather Frost)[56] | Christmas is celebrated according to the Gregorian calendar on 7 January[56] | ||
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Papá Noel (Father Christmas) | El Niño Diós (Child God) | ||
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Santa Claus;[56] sometimes Kris Kringle | |||
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Ayoz Bobo (Frost Grandpa), Qor Bobo (Snow Grandfather) | |||
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Santa Clós (Santa Claus) | El Niño[57] (Christ Child) | Reyes Magos[57] (The Three Wise Men) 6 January; | |
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Ông Già Nô-en (Old Man of Christmas) | |||
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Santa Claus, Father Christmas; Siôn Corn[58] in Welsh (literally Chimney John)[59] |
See also
Notes
- ↑ Bowler 2000, p. 199.
- 1 2 Bowler 2000, p. 11.
- ↑ http://auspost.com.au/education/santamail/students/write-santa.html
- ↑ Bowler 2000, p. 13.
- ↑ Bowler 2000, p. 20.
- ↑ Bowler 2000, p. 29.
- 1 2 Bowler 2000, p. 35.
- ↑ Bowler 2000, p. 42.
- ↑ Bowler 2000, p. 43.
- ↑ Bowler 2000, p. 51.
- 1 2 Bowler 2000, p. 52.
- 1 2 3 Bowler 2000, p. 54.
- ↑ Bowler 2000, p. 55.
- ↑ "Czech Santa". Retrieved 2 March 2016.
- ↑ Bowler 2000, p. 67.
- 1 2 Bowler 2000, pp. 71-72.
- ↑ Bowler 2000, p. 73.
- ↑ "Oxford English Dictionary". Oxford University Press. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
- ↑ "Father Christmas". Collins English Dictionary. Collins. Retrieved 8 February 2016.
- ↑ "Father Christmas". Chambers 21st Century Dictionary. Chambers. Retrieved 8 February 2016.
- ↑ Roud, Steve (2006). The English Year. London: Penguin Books. pp. 385–387. ISBN 978-0-140-51554-1.
- ↑ Hutton, Ronald (1996). The Stations of the Sun. Oxford & New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 117–118. ISBN 0-19-820570-8.
- ↑ Bowler 2000, p. 82.
- 1 2 3 Bowler 2000, p. 86.
- 1 2 Bowler 2000, p. 91.
- ↑ Bowler 2000, p. 87.
- 1 2 3 Bowler 2000, p. 107.
- ↑ Bowler 2000, p. 109.
- 1 2 Bowler 2000, p. 112.
- 1 2 3 Bowler 2000, p. 115.
- ↑ "Irish-English Dictionary". Daidí na Nollaig. Glosbe. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
- 1 2 3 4 Bowler 2000, pp. 117-118.
- ↑ Bowler 2000, p. 121.
- ↑ Bowler 2000, p. 130.
- ↑ Bowler 2000, p. 133.
- 1 2 Bowler 2000, p. 137.
- ↑ Bowler 2000, p. 139.
- 1 2 Bowler 2000, p. 148.
- 1 2 3 Bowler 2000, pp. 154-155.
- 1 2 3 Bowler 2000, p. 155.
- ↑ Bowler 2000, p. 159.
- 1 2 3 Bowler 2000, p. 170.
- ↑ Bowler 2000, p. 174.
- 1 2 Bowler 2000, p. 175.
- 1 2 3 Bowler 2000, p. 178.
- 1 2 Bowler 2000, p. 179.
- 1 2 Bowler 2000, p. 184.
- 1 2 Bowler 2000, p. 193.
- 1 2 3 Bowler 2000, p. 195.
- ↑ Bowler 2000, p. 207.
- ↑ Bowler 2000, p. 211.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Bowler 2000, p. 212.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ Bowler 2000, p. 219.
- 1 2 Bowler 2000, p. 220.
- 1 2 3 4 Bowler 2000, p. 232.
- 1 2 Bowler 2000, p. 238.
- ↑ King, Gareth (2008). Colloquial Welsh: The Complete Course for Beginners. Oxford: Routledge. p. 159. ISBN 978-1-138-96039-8.
- ↑ Kirkeby, Cynthia (16 November 2008). "Santa's Names Around the World". ClassBrain.com. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
References
- Bowler, Gerry (2000). The World Encyclopedia of Christmas. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart Ltd. ISBN 0-7710-1531-3.