This Crazy Christmas

Everybody loves lights going on and off, the snow coming down to the music — Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow — or Santa coming down the chimney with his gifts … Of course, he’s the real protagonist of this ritual story.

Also known as Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Kris Kringle, Santa Claus is a legendary character originating in Western Christian culture who is said to make lists of children throughout the world, categorising them according to their behavior, and bringing gifts on Christmas Eve of toys and candy to well-behaved children, and coal to naughty children. He is said to accomplish this with the aid of Christmas elves, who make the toys in his workshop at the North Pole, and flying reindeer who pull his sleigh through the air.

By the end of the 20th century, the reality of mass mechanized production became more fully accepted by the Western public, and the tributes, funny or blasphemous, to his figure are certainly not lacking.