HAVE you seen that jolly, portly, white bearded old man dressed in a red and white suit, who unfailingly every year delivers gifts to all the good boys and girls at Christmastime? Santa Claus is an ever-present aspect of Christmases around the world. But did you know that Santa Claus has adapted himself to suit all the cultures and environments of all the little boys and girls he visits?
Yes! We have even put our own Guyanese spin on the old fella himself. We have no chimneys for him to climb down, and he has no need for a sleigh here, so he has to make do sometimes with a nice dray cart, or even a canoe in some hinterland areas.
Santa has an interesting history. It is widely believed that the person of Santa Claus goes back to Saint Nicholas of Myra. He was a 4th Century Greek Christian bishop of Myra (now Demre) in Lycia, a province of the Byzantine Anatolia, now in Turkey.
Nicholas was famous for giving generous gifts to the poor, in particular presenting the three impoverished daughters of a pious Christian with dowries so that they would not have to become prostitutes.
Saint Nicholas was the original inspiration for our modern Santa Claus, who gives joy to the children on Christmas Day.
‘Santa Claus’ was ‘born’ in the United States in the 1800s. Although he was known to the Dutch since the 17th Century as Sintaklaas, and they had brought him to America with them, he did not become an important person at Christmas until the author, Washington Irving put him in a novel that he wrote in 1809.
This first ‘Santa Claus’ was still known as St. Nicholas; he smoked a pipe and flew around in a wagon without any reindeer, but he did not have his red suit or live at the North Pole. He did, however, bring presents to children every year. In 1863, he was given the name ‘Santa Claus’, and the accoutrements of the red suit, pipe, and his reindeer and sleigh.
However, even in parts of the United States, Santa traditions may vary. In Hawaii, Santa Claus arrives by boat, but in California, Santa Claus sweeps in on a surfboard.

Santa traditions around the world
Santa traditions vary more around the world. In Eastern Europe, Saint Nicholas Day is celebrated on December 6. Children put a boot by the window on December 5 to be filled with treats by Saint Nicholas. Naughty children get coal and onions.
In China, ‘Dun Che Lao Ren’, or Christmas Old Man, brings gifts to children. The Dutch ‘Sintirklaas’ arrives by boat on the evening of December 5. Children leave a wooden shoe filled with hay and carrots for the donkey which carries St. Nicholas’s pack of toys. The good children get gifts.
In Italy, Santa takes the form of a good witch.  Children leave their shoes by the fireplace on the eve of January 6, and ‘La Befana’ comes down the chimney on her broomstick to leave gifts.
In Germany, families go to church on Christmas Eve. While they are at church, the ‘Christkind’ or Christ Child brings presents to their homes. In Sweden, a gnome called ‘Juletomten’ brings gifts in a sleigh pulled by goats.
And in Switzerland, the ‘Christkindl’ or Christ Child brings the gifts. In some towns, Christkindl is an angel who comes down from Heaven to give gifts.
In England, Father Christmas is a stern version of Santa Claus who brings gifts on Christmas Eve.  In France, ‘Pere Noel’ brings gifts to children on Christmas Eve. Children leave their shoes by the fireplace.
In Spanish-speaking countries such as Spain, Mexico and in South America, children wait until January 6 for their presents. The Three Kings or Wise Men bring the gifts. Children put shoes by the front door to get their gifts. There is usually a big procession through the streets, with floats for each of the Wise men. In Australia, Santa rides water-skis, has a white beard and red bathing suit.

Similarities
So Santa’s looks, mode and time of arrival, and even name, may vary; but some things about Santa do not change, no matter which country he visits.
For example: Santa Claus is always very old, yet young at heart. The white hair of his head, whiskers and beard, as well as the white fur of his coat, are symbols of timeless age and wisdom, and suggest an aura of purity and light.
He is always laughing merrily, with love for all men. He has no problems, no disease, no pain, no hidden reservations against us. He is always big and heavy; in the past, a heavy body was a sign of living in abundance; of being wealthy; of having enough to eat; enough of everything.
The different Santa personalities of the different countries have the specific attributes that the children of each country have given them in their minds and hearts; but above all of them is the universally valid idea of the good-hearted saint who gives lovingly and freely from his cornucopia.