Is Santa Claus really a man?

In the UK, Christmas Eve is a magical time filled with young children hanging their stockings or sacks on bedposts or fireplaces, hoping desperately that a very portly, white bearded, rosy cheeked gentleman will squeeze down the chimney and stuff their stockings full of small gifts while they sleep.

He has become the face of Christmas in the UK, decked out in a red coat, long white beard and bag full of toys making an appearance at many children’s Christmas parties and in many shops during the festive month of December.

The Legend of Santa Claus

Legend states that he was a shy Christian leader from Turkey who wanted to donate money to the poor without them knowing it. So one day he climbed up onto the roof of a house and dropped a purse down the chimney. It landed in a stocking which a girl had put to dry by the fire!

Italy's Version of Father Christmas

Contrary to popular belief, Santa Claus is actually female in Italy and is known as La Befana. She is portrayed as a smiley old lady, riding on a broomstick with a bag full of goodies, wearing a black shawl which is covered in soot as she always comes down the chimney. She comes on Christmas Eve to fill all of the good children’s shoes with toys, sweets and fruit. Sadly, all of the naughty children wake up to a shoe full of coal! She then drinks a small glass of wine, eats a few morsels of food left out for her and then being a good housekeeper, she usually sweeps the floor before she leaves! Tradition has it that she was asked by the 3 wise men for shelter for a night. The following day they asked her to join them in their search for the baby Jesus, but she refused as she was too busy with her housework. She then had a change of heart, but to this day, is still looking for the kings.

And so the story goes……