For those who are looking for a way to keep the kids entertained around the Christmas tree while you are decorating, you will find that any fun fact about Santa is going to be entertaining. After all, even the older kids who do not believe in Santa may find it fun to hear is some of the things that they think about Santa is real or myth.
The Evolution of Santa Claus: From Saint to Jolly Old Man
Here are some fun facts that you can tell your kids while decorating your Christmas tree to help them get into the spirit of giving:
1. Did you know that with the amount of baggage that Santa carries on his sled it would take more than nine reindeer to really move this? In fact, it would take around 360,000 reindeer to move the sled. For those kids who still believe in Santa, this means that the nine reindeer that Santa does have are super strong — and magical!
2. Santa was really used a huge marketing tool starting 120 years ago. While there are tales of St. Nick going back hundreds of years, the big guy in a red suit is now what we think of as being Santa due to the marketing that department stores started to use during the Christmas season. Furthermore, most people think of the current Santa in terms of looks, as being associated with the Coca Cola brand. Before the idea of red and white that marketing teams used, Santa was often thought of as wearing green, blue, brown and purple.
3. Milk and cookies is a more modern idea for leaving for Santa. Beforehand, most people would leave whatever treat they had. Or in olden times, they often did not leave a treat at all.
4. Santa is over 200 years old. Or at least the Santa Claus that we know. Before he was known as Santa, the dutch tradition of Sinterklass would deliver gifts from door to door, but he did this on the night of December 5th.
5. The Saint St. Nicolas is where the story of Santa was really born. When St. Nicholas was alive he would give coins to children, leaves gifts and pay the dowry for those impoverished girls in villages. At night, he would leave gifts because he did not want people knowing of his generosity. Once he died, he was recognized as the patron saint of children.
6. Where can you meet Santa? Well according to folklore, he is living in the North Pole. However, there is also the Santa Claus Village that many claim he resides out when he is not at the North Pole. Santa Claus Village is located in Finland! While you are telling some great fun facts around the Christmas tree this year about Santa, don’t forget to make this even more Christmas like with some milk and cookies. After all, that is what Santa likes to see sitting under the Christmas tree when he drops of presents — so it is fitting to indulge in some sweet treats while decorating the Christmas tree!