Santa Claus
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Santa Claus is a legendary figure originating in Western Christian culture who is said to bring gifts during the late evening and overnight hours on Christmas Eve. Christmas elves are said to make the
1881 illustration by Thomas Nast
A 13th-century depiction of Saint Nicholas from Saint Catherine's Monastery, Sinai
The Ghost of Christmas Present as illustrated by John Leech for Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol (1843)
An 1886 depiction of the long-bearded Norse god Odin by Georg von Rosen
Father Christmas
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Father Christmas is the traditional English name for the personification of Christmas. Although now known as a Christmas gift-bringer, and typically considered to be synonymous with Santa Claus, he wa
Santa Claus
…Nicholas became renowned for his reported generosity and secret gift-giving. The image of Santa Claus shares similarities with the English figure of Father Christmas, and they are both now popularly regarded as the same person. Santa is generally depicted as a portly, jolly, white-bearded man, often with glasses…
1848 depiction of Father Christmas crowned with a holly wreath, holding a staff and a wassail bowl and carrying the Yule log
Father Christmas, as illustrated in Josiah King's two pamphlets of 1658 (The Examination and Tryall of Old Father Christmas) during the Puritan ban on Christmas, and 1678 when it has been restored as a holy day
A Merry England vision of Old Christmas 1836
Christmas with his children 1836