From: "Christophe Grandsire" <christophe.grandsire@...>
Subject: Re: Santa Claus WAS: meanings not in english
> En réponse à Joe Fatula :
> >I wonder how many people participate in (what is to me the quite
ridiculous)
> >Santa Claus thing, and to what degree. I know that at least my family
> >thinks it's stupid.
> Here in Holland people rather do Sinterklaas (Saint Nicholas). Santa is
> considered to be only a commercial American thing. And since Sinterklaas
is
> actually a Christian feast, the more Christian the family is the more
> celebrated it gets ;)) . Still, the myth has quite changed, since
> Sinterklaas now lives in Spain, comes by boat to the Netherlands (always
in
> front of the camera and with an official welcome ;))) ) and rides with his
> horse on the roofs of the houses to distribute the presents to the nice
> Christian children ;))) .
And in old Scandinavia, Thor used to ride through the sky (dressed much as
Santa) pulled in a sleigh by Cracker and Gnasher (which sound very much like
names of Santa's reindeer). I wouldn't be surprised if the Saami talk of
him being pulled by reindeer (if they talk of him at all).