I did a little research and wanted to blog a little bit about the different types of Santa’s around the world.

Dia de Los Reyes Magos is the Day of the Three Wise Men which is celebrated in Spain.

The Three Wise Men, not Santa, bring gifts before January 6th which is also noted to be Three Kings Day.  This is also the day of the Epiphany.

Towns in Spain have large parades to mark the special occasion.

Ded Monoz or Father Frost is the Slavic version of old Santa.  Ded Monoz is pretty much a symbol of the Russian winter and presents.  He is usually with Snegurochk, or his granddaughter.  They ride a three abreast horse driven sleigh and carry a evergreen tree with them.

For Christmas, my mother would toss a handful of straw under the dinning room table.  This signifies a lot of chicks in the barn come spring. (Always a good thing.)

Three Russian Santa Dolls

Yule Lads are from Iceland.  A total of 13 mischievous mountain lads come in the nights leading up to Jolin (Christmas) to play pranks and be mischievous.

For good children they might leave a treat in their shoes placed on the window sill.  If the children are naughty, they might get a potato.

This sounds and looks a lot like those elves on a shelf which have become popular in the United States.

Sinterklass or Saint Nicholas from the Netherlands comes on December 5th.

Sinterklass, as the legend goes, lives in Spain and arrives in a Netherlands harbor by boat to bring presents.

He will ride through the town on a white horse and the church bells will toll.  Children leave hay and carrots in their shoes for Sinterklass’s horse.

Vintage Wooden Shoe Containing Hay and Carrots

Fun Facts –

The vintage wooden shoe in the above photograph dates back to 1960’s and was used in beer advertising.

Netherlands is actually the Kingdom of the Netherlands.  Holland is used to name two providences, Noord-Holland and Zuid-Holland.

In the United States there is Santa Claus who keeps a list of naughty and nice kids only delivering presents to the nice kids.  Naughty kids can be left with a single lump of coal.

Santa Claus lives with his elves at the North Pole.

Winter Holiday Lights with Santa, Candy Canes and Snowmen

Question of the Day –Have you been Spicy or Nice this year?

If you would like to tell FMB about your holiday traditions, please leave us a comment below.  We absolutely LOVE to hear from our Readers.

 Thanks and Happy Holidays!

Santa Claus in Red and White Suit