SantaClaus,alsoknownasSaintNicholas,FatherChristmas,KrisKringle,orsimply"Santa",isahistorical,legendary,andmythicalfigureinfolklorewho,inWesterncultures,isdescribedasbringinggiftsonChristmasEveorChristmasDay,oronhisfeastday,December6.ThelegendmayhaveitsbasisinhagiographicaltalesconcerningthehistoricalfigureofSaintNicholas.

　　ThemoderndepictionofSantaClausasafat,jollyman(orelf)wearingaredcoatandtrouserswithwhitecuffsandcollar,andblackleatherbeltandboots,becamepopularintheUnitedStatesinthe19thcenturyduetothesignificantinfluenceofcaricaturistandpoliticalcartoonistThomasNast.Thisimagehasbeenmaintainedandreinforcedthroughsong,radio,television,andfilms.IntheUnitedKingdomandEurope,hisdepictionisoftenidenticaltotheAmericanSanta,butheiscommonlycalledFatherChristmas.

　　OnelegendassociatedwithSantasaysthathelivesinthefarnorth,inalandofperpetualsnow.TheAmericanversionofSantaClauslivesattheNorthPole,whileFatherChristmasissaidtoresideinFinland.Otherdetailsinclude:heismarriedandliveswithMrs.Claus;thathemakesalistofchildrenthroughouttheworld,categorizingthemaccordingtotheirbehavior;thathedeliverspresents,includingtoys,candy,andotherpresentstoallofthegoodboysandgirlsintheworld,andsometimescoalorstickstothenaughtychildren,inonenight;andthatheaccomplishesthisfeatwiththeaidofmagicalelveswhomakethetoys,andnineflyingreindeerwhopullhissleigh.

　　TherehaslongbeenoppositiontoteachingchildrentobelieveinSantaClaus.SomeChristianssaytheSantatraditiondetractsfromthereligiousoriginsandpurposeofChristmas.OthercriticsfeelthatSantaClausisanelaboratelie,andthatitisunethicalforparentstoteachtheirchildrentobelieveinhisexistence.StillothersopposeSantaClausasasymbolofthecommercializationoftheChristmasholiday,orasanintrusionupontheirownnationaltraditions.