• All around the world, people say that Santa Claus existed in their historical records. There is way of knowing for sure, but if history is accurate, then many of the things we know about Santa are supposedly based in truth.

• The original Santa Claus was thought to be St. Nicholas of Myra, from Lycia in Turkey. He was particulary wealthy, and gave gifts to children around the feast of Yuletide, which we now call Christmas.

• Later accounts of St. Nicholas portray him as a kind hearted benefactor, who almost certainly lived in Russia.

• Names for St. Nicholas include Sinter Klass (Dutch), Father Christmas (British), or Santa Claus (American).

• Santa wears different clothes in different countries. In England and the US, he wears red and white. In some European countries, he was said to have worn a red or black bishop's cloak with bishop hat, and sometimes a long green furry robe.

• Santa doesn't have elves in many cultures. In Western Europe, Santa has a group of Elves helping him. In Holland, he has a freed slave called Peter, who is angry when children don't behave, and leaves a lump of coal. This is where coal comes into the folklore.

• Santa Claus's reindeer are likely purely fiction than fact - because Turkey doesn't have any reindeer.

• A company called The Lomen Company in the late 1800's started it. The company had a campaign to promote reindeer herding in Alaska. Their poster showed reindeer from Norway, each hauling a sled with a Santa Claus on it.

• Yes, Virginia, there IS a Santa Claus.

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