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In the Basque Country, an autonomous region located at the northern tip of Spain, an old man called Olentzero brings gifts on Christmas Eve. He is depicted as a Basque peasant with a beret and a pipe. He is said to have an enormous appetite!
Today, Joulupukki has evolved into a jolly man with a beard dressed all in red, who delivers presents using his sleigh and reindeer. Some places still honor the old tradition of Joulupukki, however, and people dress up as a goat and dance for Christmas leftovers.
Saint Basil has been described as Santa Claus' Greek cousin! While many countries base their version of Santa Claus on the Catholic St. Nicholas, the Greek Orthodox equivalent is based on St. Basil. Both saints have similar qualities, as they are considered guardians of children.
Baba Nowruz is a figure from Iranian folklore who is part of the New Year celebrations. The Iranian New Year is celebrated in April, at which time Baba Nowruz appears to bring gifts to children. Similar to Santa Claus, he has a long, white beard.
St. Basil's Day is celebrated on January 1, so it makes perfect sense that he's associated with the festive season.
Basque children sing carols about Olentzero on Christmas Eve and collect treats from locals and businesses, similar to Halloween. Olentzero brings their presents after they go to bed.
Although Finland's Joulupukki is indiscernible from Santa Claus today, he is inspired on a strange winter creature from Scandinavian folklore. Joulupukki translates to "yule goat," and some say he was a pagan creature who helped to prepare for the winter feast of yule.
In Scandinavian folklore, the tomte or nisse are little gnomes who bring gifts during the winter solstice or Christmas. They are described as being tiny, only 35 inches (88 cm) in height, and have long beards or pointy hats.
In the Netherlands, Sinterklaas traditionally had a helper called Zwarte Piet, which translates to "Black Pete." The character is described as a Moor from Spain and his job is to entertain the children as he hands out goodies. However, he is a controversial figure as Dutch revelers have been known to don blackface in order to dress up as Zwarte Piet during the holiday season.
She comes from the story of the Three Magi, whom she provided with shelter on their long journey to find Jesus. She was said to be the best housekeeper in the village.
La Befana is an old woman who brings gifts to Italian children on the eve of the Feast of the Epiphany, i.e. the night of January 5. She is depicted as an old hag who rides a broomstick and is covered in black soot from climbing in and out of all those chimneys to deliver the presents.
The celebration of Christmas and Ded Moroz was discouraged after the Russian Revolution, as it was seen as contrary to communism and secularism. However, it was revived later in the 20th century. Ded Moroz is associated with the New Year's holiday and brings presents to children on New Year's Eve.
In many Central European countries including Germany and Austria, Christkind brings the Christmas presents. Christkind, sometimes called Christkindl, is a young, angelic figure with blond hair and wings.
In many counties of Central and South America, none other than the Baby Jesus himself brings the gifts. El Niño Diós is believed to deliver gifts to children at midnight on Christmas Eve.
Even as the influence of North American and European culture brought awareness of Santa Claus to Latin America, Niño Dios remained a central figure at Christmas thanks to the strong Catholic beliefs in the region. Niño Dios is believed to be much wilier than Santa Claus, and is never spotted hovering over milk and cookies.
Ded Moroz, which translates to "Grandfather Frost," is a character in Slavic mythology that predates Christianity. He has a long, white beard, wears an ankle-length fur coat of either blue or red, and a semi-round fur hat.
The Julemanden, or "Yule Man," is a character from Danish folklore who is usually dressed in a gray jacket and red hat. He is short and bearded, and is responsible for bringing Christmas presents to children on Christmas Eve.
The Christkind character was created in the 16th century by Martin Luther, the father of Protestantism. Luther created Christkind to resemble the Baby Jesus.
In Spain, children wait for Los tres Reyes Mages, also known as the Three Magi or the Three Wise Men, to bring their presents on January 6. This tradition lines up with the old timeline that said Christmas started on December 25 and carried on for 12 days, ending on January 6.
In Syria, the story of the Three Magi also plays a role. Christians who celebrate the holiday say that Santa Claus (or Baba Noël) is accompanied by a helper known as the smallest camel. The smallest camel that carried the Three Magi was said to be exhausted but refused to give up until he made it to the Baby Jesus.
The Three Magi were the last to arrive in Bethlehem with their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh for the newborn Jesus. The occasion is remembered and celebrated in towns on January 5 all across Spain with parades and floats. The Three Magi throw handfuls of sweets to crowds of children. That night, the children all go to bed early and wake up to their gifts on January 6.
The smallest camel is celebrated for his dedication and perseverance, and today is said to bring gifts to Syrian children. They leave their shoes filled with hay on their doorsteps, and when the hay has been eaten by the camel, they find their shoes filled with gifts he left behind.
In East Slavic countries, Ded Moroz is accompanied by Snegurochka, or "Snow Maiden." She is his granddaughter and helper who assists him in delivering the presents.
The Befana looks very similar to a witch, but she is a beloved figure who not only brings candy and presents for the children, but apparently also sweeps the floor of every house.
Baba Nowruz is accompanied by his troublesome sidekick, Haji Firuz. Firuz is said to play the tambourine and demands that the children give him gifts.
Sinterklaas is the Dutch interpretation of a Santa Claus-like figure inspired by St. Nicholas. He stays truer to the religious origins than Santa Claus, and still wears the robes and hat of a bishop. Sinterklaasavond is celebrated with gift-giving on December 5, which is St. Nicholas' Day.
Over time, they have evolved to look more like Santa Claus, and even accompany the aforementioned "yule goat" to deliver presents on Christmas Eve.
Julemanden is a relatively recent phenomenon in Denmark, only becoming popular in the 20th century. Before him there were the nisser, elf-like creatures who visited during winter and brought good fortune for the coming year to families who greeted them with a bowl of porridge.
Sources: (whychristmas.com) (World Atlas)
See also: Weird and wonderful Christmas traditions from around the world
Cultures all over the world have tales of winter wizards and snow maidens who bring gifts to good children, many of them far pre-dating Santa Claus, who first appeared in the 1823 poem 'A Visit from St. Nicholas.' While the allure of Santa Claus has spread worldwide thanks to advertising and consumerism (we're looking at you, Coca-Cola), many countries have held onto their own traditions or melded them seamlessly with the new.
Click through this gallery to see the other magical figures who deliver gifts to children around the world, from gnomes to witches and more.
The three Magi and other gift-bringers from around the world
The day the three Magi met baby Jesus is celebrated on January 6
LIFESTYLE Holidays
Cultures all over the world have tales of winter wizards and snow maidens who bring gifts to good children, many of them far pre-dating Santa Claus, who first appeared in the 1823 poem 'A Visit from St. Nicholas.' While the allure of Santa Claus has spread worldwide thanks to advertising and consumerism (we're looking at you, Coca-Cola), many countries have held onto their own traditions or melded them seamlessly with the new.
Click through this gallery to see the other magical figures who deliver gifts to children around the world, from gnomes to witches and more.