The true story of Santa Claus begins with Nicholas, who was born during the third century in the village of Patara. Click here to find out more...

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Holland

• The name Santa Claus came from the  Dutch name Sinterklaas.

• Sinterklaas is also known as De Goedheiligman, The Good Holy Man or more commonly Saint Nicholas

• The name Santa Claus was created by the Dutch who went to live in the New York region of America.

• In Holland Christmas is celebrated on December 6th which is St Nicholas Day.

• Sinterklaas travels by boat from Spain to Amsterdam and hands out gifts to children with the help of his white horse.

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Poland

• In Poland children receive their gifts on St Nicholas day which is December 6th.

• The character of Santa Claus was based on Saint Nicholas, who was known to be kind and generous to children.

• Polish Christmas trees are traditionally decorated with garlands, fruit, wrapped chocolate, candles, painted eggshells, and other homemade ornaments. At the top of the tree a star is placed.

• Merry Christmas in Polish is Wesołych Świąt.

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Greece

• In Greece kids receive presents from Saint Basil on January 1st.

• Saint Basils name was Aghios Vassilis, his story is the story of St Nicolas.

• January 1st is St Vasilis's Day

• There are two sides to Christmas in Greece; one is religious and solemn, while the other is festive and glamorous.

• According to tradition, during the Greek 12 days of Christmas (December 25 to January 6), goblins come out to tease people and eat their food

• The largest Christmas tree in Europe is lit in Syntagma Square, the location of the capital's Christmas village, where little elf houses sell candy and children can take part in a number of activities.

• St.Basil was known for his care of the poor and underprivileged and a famous dessert carries its name, the 'Vassilopita' (St. Basil's pie), which is a pie that holds a golden coin.

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Russia

• In Russia Santa does not bring presents and gifts, they are bought by an old woman called Babouschka

• Christmas in Russia strangely falls on January 7 and not on December 25 like in Europe and all Catholic and Protestant countries, since the Orthodox Church of Russia still adheres to the Julian calendar.

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Spain

• In Spain Christmas celebrations begin on 8 December, with the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.

• Presents are exchanged on January 6th, the Twelfth Night, the same night that the Three Kings gave gifts to baby Jesus.

• Beléns are elaborate nativity scenes – it is the Spanish word for Bethlehem. 

• Many Spanish people go to Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve, known as La Misa Del Gallo (The Mass of the Rooster) to celebrate their faith.

• Often the main Christmas meal is eaten on Christmas Eve, just before or just after the mass.

• A Christmas tradition unique to the Catalonia region is the Caga Tió, or pooping log. (It is a piece of log, which has been dressed up with the addition of small wooden legs, a face, a blanket and a barretina (Catalan hat). Children keep the Caga Tió in their homes or schools in the run up to Christmas and feed it small pieces of bread or orange peel each evening. Then, on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, they hit the log with a stick, singing the special Caga Tió song, asking him to poo out lots of turrón (a sweet nougat) and other sweets for them)

• December 28, a few days after Christmas, is known as the Dia de los Santos Inocentes and is the Spanish version of April Fool’s Day. This is the day for playing pranks, or dressing up in funny wigs and hats.

• It’s the Three Kings, or Reyes Magos (Melchior, Gaspar and Baltazar), who bring children their gifts in Spain, not Santa Claus (although he is becoming more popular now, too).

• On January 6, not Christmas Day is the day when the gifts are given.

• On the night of January 5, the Kings parade through the towns across the country with  helpers, animals and elaborate floats, throwing sweets out for the children. When the kids return home, they leave out their shoes for the Kings to fill with presents overnight.

• The Basques have their own version of Father Christmas or Santa Claus, in the form of Olentzero, a mythical giant, dressed in peasant’s clothing and smoking a pipe.

• In Bilbao, on the night of December 23, Olentzero travels all the way down Gran Via towards the Arriaga Theatre, ready to bring gifts for children on Christmas Eve.

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Australia

• Christmas in Australia falls in summertime

• Christmas starts quite early in Australia! Usually, the decorations start going up in shops around mid to late October.

• School children have about 6 weeks off school, starting around a week before Christmas

• Some families head to the beach either for an all-day picnic or just for the afternoon, while others take a dip in backyard swimming pools.

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China

• In China Christmas is called the festival of Sheng Dan Jieh, which means Holy Birth Festival.

• Homes are decorated and the traditional Christmas tree is called the "tree of light"

• In Hong Kong, the figure who visits children is known as Lan Khoong or Dun Che Lao Ren.

Norway

• On Christmas Eve in Norway farmers leave a bowl of porridge, called nisse, in their barns. This is to please the magic gnomes who will in return protects their farms.

• Christmas wasn’t celebrated in Norway until about 1000 or 1100, when Christianity first came to the area. Before this people celebrated jul (pronounced yule) in the middle of winter.

• Julenissen is one of the most popular figures of Julaften (Christmas). In the evening of December 24th, Christmas Eve, Julenissen arrives with gifts for the children

• Jule means Christmas and nisse is an elf-spirit dating to pre-Christian days.

• In Norway, many families might hang a julenek: (pronounced YUH-le-neck), a stalk of oats tied to a branch or pole on Christmas Eve as a symbol of hope for good farming, and now in cities as a symbol of Christmas

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UK

• Christmas Day is celebrated in the United Kingdom on December 25.

• It traditionally celebrates Jesus Christ's birth but many aspects of this holiday have pagan origins. 

• Prior to Christmas Day, people decorate their homes and gardens 

• Decorations may include - Christmas trees. Small coloured fairy lights. Leaves and berries from holly trees and mistletoe bushes.
  Various other decorations with rich colors that spark the Christmas mood

• Many people spend Christmas Day with family members, with whom they exchange gifts and cards. Many children wake up to find a sock or stocking filled with small gifts on their bed or somewhere else in the house

• Gifts have been brought by  'Father Christmas' or 'Santa Claus', who lives for most of the year at the North Pole.

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The abbreviation Xmas originally derived from the Greek word X, which means Christ! The use of Xmas dates back to the 16th century

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 The popular Christmas red leafed house plant named the Poinsettia was introduced into America from Mexico during the early 1800's

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Glass Christmas tree ornaments were first produced in Germany during the 1850s

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Due to world time zones Kiritimati, also known as Christmas Island, is the first place to celebrate Christmas each year, closely followed by New Zealand

How can Santa travel the world within 24 hours? NORAD (North American Aerospace Defence Command) reports that Santa is able to travel within his own time range or time-space continuum. After all there is a lot of magic at Christmas!