WINNIPEG — The man in red and white has made his big flight.
Santa Claus visits close to 200 countries around the world every December, but he has some help.
But Gerry Bowler, a Santa Claus expert at the University of Manitoba, says the familiar bearded figure is not the only gift-giver bringing joy to millions of children around the world every December.
“In some places they are female,” Bowler said.
For example, la Bofana is the gift bringer in Italy, he said. In France, a web-footed iron-toothed witch comes down from the hills with presents.
There are also Kris Kringle, Father Christmas, Père Noël and the three wise men, to name just a few.
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Not every child receives holiday presents on Dec. 25, either.
Gifts are brought at different times, ranging from Dec. 6 to Jan. 6.
While many can name all of Santa’s trusty reindeer helpers (Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donder, Blitzen and Rudolph), sometimes reindeer just don’t cut it.
“In the swamps, where the sleigh won’t go, he is pulled by alligators in a pirogue, a thin canoe, and guided by a red-nosed werewolf,” said Bowler.
In Australia, the sleigh is pulled by six white male kangaroos known as boomers, and in Russia, it’s three horses.
Sometimes Santa walks.
For more than 30 years, Canada Post has helped to deliver more than 20 million letters to the North Pole from children around the world.
Many kids still write their letters by hand and wait for a response.
However, in other cultures there are different ways of letting Santa know what’s at the top of your list.
“Some places, you burn your list and smoke will waft it away to Santa,” said Bowler.
Some “cry up the lum” — children stick their heads up the chimney to shout out their wishes.
When Santa stops to deliver toys in Australia, he indulges in some beer and mince tarts that have been left out by kids for him, and when he does his yearly stop in England, he tends to enjoy a nip of sherry.
But no matter what you leave out for Santa, we hope you made his nice list and weren’t left a lump of coal.
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