Santa Claus,
Saint Nicholas,
Saint Nick,
Father Christmas,
Kris Kringle,
Santy, or simply
Santa is a mythical figure with historical origins who, in many
Western cultures, brings gifts to the homes of well-behaved, "good" children on 24 December (
Christmas Eve) and the early morning hours of 25 December (
Christmas Day). The modern Santa Claus is derived from the
British figure of
Father Christmas, the Dutch figure of
Sinterklaas, and
Saint Nicholas, the historical Greek
bishop and gift-giver of
Myra. During the
Christianization of
Germanic Europe, this figure may also have absorbed elements of the god
Odin, who was associated with the Germanic pagan midwinter event of
Yule and led the
Wild Hunt, a ghostly procession through the sky.