The long white curly beard, the large belly and the cheerful grin followed by deep joyous laughter. The jingling of bells as his sleigh passes being led by nine reindeer. Everyone knows the jolly old Saint Nick or, as some know him, Santa Claus. He comes in the night leaving presents for all the good boys and girls, and coal for the naughty ones. In other countries, they also have “Santa,” people who spread the holiday cheer and who children look up to, but they go by several different names.

In Russia, Ded Moroz or “Grandfather Frost” lives in the Russian village of Veliky Ustyug. He and Santa Claus have many similarities, as they both bring presents to good children and arrive on a sleigh, but that is where the similarities end. Where Santa has his signature fleet of reindeer and a large red coat, Ded Moroz is known to have traveled in a troika (a Russian vehicle for traveling) pulled by three horses. Along with his large coat, which is sometimes red but is usually a light blue color, he is also said to be in great shape. Instead of having elves Ded Moroz has his granddaughter Snegurochka or “Snow Maiden” who helps him with traveling and handing out toys.

Meanwhile in Italy, Babbo Natale is the “Santa Claus” that comes and gives presents to good boys and girls on Christmas Eve. He also has a large red coat and is accompanied by nine reindeer who pull his sleigh.

In Poland, they refer to Santa as “Mikolaj” (St. Nicholas). He gives children gifts on his feast day (December 6th) along with Christmas Day and sometimes Christmas Eve. He can be seen dressed in elegant bishop robes or a large red coat. He tends to arrive everywhere on foot. Sometimes he will also give a branch from a birch tree with the presents to children to remind them to always be good.

In the UK, they have Father Christmas who visits them on Christmas Eve and gives presents to the good girls and boys. He is said to wear a long green cloak with a wreath of holly or ivy, and carries a staff with him. He can be seen in the movie “A Christmas Carol” as The Ghost of Christmas Present.

The Ukraine also has their own form of Santa called Svyatyy Mykolay (St. Nicholas) or Did Moroz (Father Frost), which is very similar to Ded Moroz from Russia.

In Sweden, they have a small gnome-like creature named Jultomte or Tomte for short that comes and knocks on the door and asks if there are any good children here, and then proceeds to pass out gifts to the children.

No matter where in the world, there are holiday figures who help spread holiday cheer to boys and girls of all ages and nationality.