Gift Bringers from Around the World
Santa Claus / Father Christmas in different Countries
Although Santa Claus/Father Christmas is the best known Christmas gift bringer, there are many different present givers in different countries around the world. Santa's also called different things in different countries! Here are some of them!
If you know anymore, please contact us!
Afghanistan: Baba Chaghaloo
Albania: Babadimri
Armenia: Gaghant Baba / Kaghand Papa (Father Christmas or Father New Year)
Austria: Christkind (a little angel like person)
Azerbaijan: Şaxta baba (Grandfather Frost)
Belgium: Sinterklaas/St. Niklaas (Flemish) or Saint Nicholas (Walloon) & Père Noël (Father Christmas)
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Djeda Mraz (Grandfather Frost)
Brazil: Papai Noel (Father Christmas) & Bom Velhinho (Good Old Man)
Bulgaria: Дядо Коледа (Grandfather Christmas)
Chile: Viejito Pascuero (Christmas old man)
China: Sheng dan lao ren (Traditional: 聖誕老人, Simplified: 圣诞老人; means Old Christmas Man)
Costa Rica: Niño dios (Child God, meaning Jesus) & Colacho (another name for St. Nicholas)
Croatia: Djed Božičnjak (Grandfather Christmas)
Czech Republic: Svatý Mikuláš (St. Nicholas)
Denmark: Julemanden (Christmas Man)
Ecuador: Papa Noel
Egypt: Baba Noël
Estonia: Jõuluvana (Yule Elder)
Finland: Santa Claus (well he does live in Lapland in Finland!) or Joulupukki
France: Père Noël (Father Christmas)
Georgia: თოვლის ბაბუა, თოვლის პაპა / Tovlis Babua, Tovlis Papa (Snow Grandfather)
Germany: Weihnachtsmann (Christmas Man) & Christkind (a little angel like person)
Greece: Aghios Vassilis / Άγιος Βασίλης (Saint Basil)
Holland/Netherlands: Sinterklaas (St. Nicholas) & Kerstman (Christmas Man)
Hungary: Mikulás (Nicholas) & Télapó (Old Man Winter)
Iceland: Jólasveinn (Yule Man) & Jólasveinarnir (The Yule Lads)
India: Hindi: Christmas Baba, Urdu: Baba Christmas (Father Christmas), Telugu: Thatha (Christmas old man), Tamil: Christmas Thaathaa, Marathi: Natal Bua (Christmas Elder Man)
Indonesia: Sinterklas
Iraq: Baba Noel / Vader Kersfees
Ireland: San Nioclás' (Saint Nicholas) & Daidí na Nollag (Father Christmas)
Italy: Babbo Natele (Santa Claus) or La Befana (an old woman)
Japan: サンタさん、サンタクロース santa-san (Mr Santa) & Hoteiosho (A Japanese god of good fortune - not really related to Christmas)
Latvia: Ziemassvētku vecītis (Christmas old man)
Lithuania: Senis Šaltis (Old Man Frost) & Kalėdų Senelis (Christmas Grandfather)
Lebanon: Baba Noël
Macedonia: Дедо Мраз / Dedo Mraz
Malta: San Niklaw (St. Nicholas)
Mexico: El Niñito Dios (baby Jesus), Los Reyes Magos (The Three Wise Men) & Santo Clós (Santa Claus)
Norway: Julenissen (Santa Claus) or 'Nisse' (Small Gnomes)
Pakistan: Christmas Baba
Peru: Papá Noel
Philippines: Santa Klaus
Poland: Swiety Mikolaj (St. Nicholas)
Portugal: Pai Natal (Father Christmas)
Romania: Moş Crăciun (Old Man Christmas), Moş Nicolae (Old Man Nicholas), Moş Gerilă (Old Man Frost)
Russia: Дед Мороз / Ded Morez (Grandfather Frost) or Babouschka (an old woman - although this more 'western' than actually Russian!)
Serbia: Дедa Мрaз / Deda Mraz (Grandfather Frost), Божић Бата / Božić Bata (Christmas Brother)
Slovenia: Sveti Miklavž or Sveti Nikolaj (Saint Nicholas) / Božiček or Dedek Mraz (Grandfather Winter); Božiček on December 24 and Dedek Mraz on December 31!
South Africa: Sinterklaas / Kersvader
South Korea: 산타 클로스 (santa kullosu), 산타 할아버지 (Santa Grandfather)
Spain: Los tres Reyes Mages (The Three Magic King / Magi) & Papá Noel (Father Christmas)
Sri Lanka: Naththal Seeya
Sweden: Jultomten (Santa) & Nissar / Tomte (Christmas Gnomes/Elves)
Switzerland: Samichlaus (St. Nicholas)
Syria: Baba Noël
Turkey: Noel Babal (Father Christmas)
Ukraine: Svyatyy Mykolay (St. Nicholas) & Дід Мороз / Did Moroz
United Kingdom: Father Christmas (inter-changeable with Santa Claus), Wales: Siôn Corn (Chimney John)
USA: Santa Claus, Hawaii: Kanakaloka
Uzbekistan: Qor bobo (Grandfather Snow - more related to New Year's Eve than Christmas)
Venezuela: San Nicolás (St. Nicholas) & Niño Jesús (Baby Jesus)
Vietnam: Ông già Noel (Christmas old man)