Father Christmas ( Santa Claus)

Father Christmas is our version of Santa Claus.
He is an old jolly man with white hair, a beard and a moustache.
He is dressed in a red suit outlined in white.

Father Christmas and his elves make all the toys for Christmas in his home in the North Pole.
The red coat is the 'new' image of Father Christmas.
Prior to about 1880 most pictures showed him with a green coat.

The red became the most popular colour after the US introduction by Coca Cola during the 1930s.
Father Christmas was originally part of an old English midwinter festival, a sign of the returning spring.
His name comes from the Dutch name for St. Nicholas which is Sinter Klaas.

Children write letters to Father Christmas to tell him what they would like for Christmas.
Some children will send their letters by post or e-mail but the more traditional way is to throw the letters into the back of the fireplace.
The draught then carries the letters up the chimney to Father Christmas.
On Christmas eve Father Christmas piles all of the toys onto his sleigh and rides across the sky with his reindeers.
The most famous one is Rudolph, the reindeer at the front who leads the way with his red nose.
He enters our houses down the chimney at midnight and places presents for the children in stockings (large socks) or bags by their beds or in front of the family's Christmas tree.