Santa Claus is known by many names, including Saint Nick. Historians claim that the history of Santa starts with the tradition of Saint Nicholas, a 4th century Christian priest who lived in the Middle East and became famous for his kindness. He was known for giving gifts to the less fortunate, sprinkling gifts of gold down people's chimneys, and for hiding surprises in their stockings.
It may be that the Santa we know today emerged from the legacy of Saint Nicholas. Clearly, Santa's basic approach to gift giving is strikingly similar. Could they be the same person? Only Santa Claus knows for sure!
Virginia's letter, written in December 1897, is the most famous example of a child wanting to know about Santa.
Listen to Virginia's famous letter
Listen to the Editor's response to Virginia's letter
Based on historical data and more than 50 years of NORAD tracking information, we believe that Santa Claus is alive and well in the hearts of children throughout the world
Santa keeps a long list of children who have been good throughout the year. His list grows longer each year due to the world's increasing population. Check out the world's population right now
Though his list gets longer, Santa still has to deliver all of the presents in the same amount of time. If one were to assume he works in the realm of standard time, he would need to limit his stay to about three ten-thousandths of a second per home!
Santa would never rush the important job of distributing presents to children and spreading holiday cheer to everyone, so the only logical conclusion is that Santa functions within a different time-space continuum than the rest of us. Santa is a true mystery to us all!
Long before the Wright brothers flew the first airplane or the Montgolfier brothers launched the first hot air balloon, Santa had to find a way to travel from house to house at great speed. We know from our Santa Cam images that Santa�s choice for quick transportation was a herd of flying reindeer. Detailed information on these reindeer remains elusive; we do know, however, that Santa enlisted the reindeer to help him with his worldwide mission of gift-giving. A veil of sweet mystery hides the rest.
There is so much celebrating that it has to begin on December 6th, St. Nicholas Day. As in many other European countries, on the eve of Dec. 6th children place a shoe or boot by the fireplace. During the night, St. Nicholas, the patron saint of children, hops from house to house carrying a book of sins in which all of the misdeeds of the children are written. If they have been good, he fills the shoe or boot with delicious holiday edibles. If they have not been good, their shoe is filled with twigs.
On Christmas Eve, Italian children hang their stockings by the chimney where it remains empty until Jan. 6, the Befana day (also known as the Epiphany,) when the befana (during the night) fills it with sweets or coal, depending on whether the children were good or naughty. (The Befana is an old woman (witch) that flies on a broom; she is considered nice and kind.)
Christmas dinner is never eaten until after midnight. Christmas Day is spent at church, at feasts and in more merry-making. It is not Santa who comes to Spain bearing gifts, but the Three Wise Men. [Children stuff their shoes with straw for the Magi's camels and receive gifts in return.]
On Christmas Eve, small children dressed as shepherds stand on either side of the nativity scene while members of the company kneel and sing a litany, after which the Christ Child is lulled to sleep with the cradle song, "El Rorro" (Babe in Arms). At midnight the birth of Christ is announced with fireworks, ringing bells and blowing whistles. Devout worshipers surge into churches to attend the famous "Misa de Gallo" or "Mass of the Rooster." Following Mass, families return home for a tremendous dinner of traditional Mexican foods. Christmas Day has no special celebration though many have adopted the American style Christmas with a Christmas tree and Santa Claus.
Family celebrations begin with the decoration of the Christmas tree a few days before Christmas; candles and lights, tinsel and many colored stars are attached to it. On Christmas Eve when the children are asleep, little toys, candies and fruits are hung on the branches of the tree as a supplement to the gifts Santa Claus has left in the shoes before the fireplace. Puppet shows are also given every year for Christmas. At midnight everyone attends the Christmas mass. When the family returns home after midnight mass, there is a late supper known as "le r�veillon." Ordinarily, young children do not attend midnight mass with their parents, but go to bed early to dream of their Christmas gifts. Before going to bed, they put their shoes by the fireside for a gift from "le p�re de No�l" or "le petit J�sus."
The Nativity scene is given a corner in every Christian house. They also have turkey for Christmas dinner, Christmas trees, evergreens and mistletoe in their stores and homes and even Hoeiosho, the Japanese equivalent of Santa Claus, who is a Buddhist monk bearing gifts for the children. The family members exchange gifts and send cards with the true heart of giving. Japan�s Christmas traditions for Japanese Christians are to spend the day for worship, and charity for the poor and sick. The children perform plays re-enacting the Nativity scene on Christmas Eve. Unique Christmas traditions of Japan are Christmas Cakes, Fried Chicken, and Daiku.
Christians in China celebrate by lighting their houses with beautiful paper lanterns and decorating their Christmas trees, which they call "Trees of Light," with paper chains, paper flowers, and paper lanterns. Chinese children hang muslin stockings and await a visit from Santa Claus, whom they call Dun Che Lao Ren (dwyn-chuh-lau-oh-run) which means "Christmas Old Man."
Get your personalized free video message from Santa!
Welcome to the North Pole games and activities
Listen as the Civil Air Patrol helps NORAD track Santa across North America
Watch this video and learn how to locate Santa on December 24 in your OnStar equipped vehicle! Just ask the OnStar operator to locate Santa during his magical journey and they will check the NORAD Tracks Santa® map.
Explore Earth and Space with NASA Space Place
Weather and Earth science is fun at SciJinks
Did you know NORAD Tracks Santa® has Space Certification™ through the Space Foundation? The Space Certification program demonstrates how space technologies improve life on Earth and makes space more interesting and accessible to everyone. NORAD uses space satellites to track Santa every December 24!
Fun holiday activities with Dot!
Light up the kid in you by finding all the fun holiday activities on the page!