[Lexicog] Santa Claus and Father Christmas

[Fritz Goerling]

Yesterday I drove around Bamako/Mali together with a British colleague. We
got a kick out of watching Malian street vendors selling inflatable Santa
Clauses (Father Christmases) at red lights. To my surprise I learnt from my
British colleague that the Brits call Santa Claus by the name Father
Christmas while in German these are two different characters. In Germany St.
Nikolaus comes on the 6th of December, and the Weihnachtsmann (Santa, Father
Christmas) comes on Christmas Eve.

What tradition do you have in your language/country and how do you refer to
Santa/Father Christmas as one or two different persons?

 

Merry Chistmas!

 

Fritz Goerling

 

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