Christmas Trivia Questions About Santa Claus - Who Are You Mr. Santa?

Just about everyone in the world knows that jollyreindeers (as well as other parts of the Santa story),
toy-bearing Christmas figure from the North Pole, butoriginates from Lapland in modern day Finland. In
how much do we really know about him? Theancient times, reindeer had a habit of seeking out the
character we all love so much was actually createdhallucinogenic amanita mushrooms which they ate and
by mixing together several ingredients including thethen would prance around while under their influence.
memory of an important Christian saint, the practicesAs these mushrooms are quite toxic, it was regular
of North European Shamans, and the marketing witspractice for local shamans to drink the urine of
of an all-American mega brand. Here are a few quicktripping reindeer for a "safe high" and then "fly"
trivia questions about our beloved Santa.together with them. This could also explain the
Q: Where does the name Santa Claus come from?general cheerful disposition (with the "ho ho ho" and
A: The name Santa Claus was derived fromall), and the flushed red cheeks of today's Santa.
Sinterklaas, the Dutch term for the ancient ChristianQ: Where did Santa get his unique outfit?
figure of Saint Nicholas who was famous for hisA: While it's no secret that the marketing people of
generosity to the poor (more about him later). TheCoca Cola have a lot to do with the modern image
Dutch immigrants to America imported theirof Santa, some say the roots go way back. The
gift-giving saint to New Amsterdam where hesame North European Shamans that liked to consume
merged with his British counterpart, Father Christmas,those red and white mushrooms with their reindeers
to become America's own Santa Claus.used to wear quite a similar outfit when they went
Q: everyone knows that Santa lives in the Northout to collect their pickings - red and white fur
Pole, but where is the real St. Nicholas from?trimmed coats with long black boots. As implied
A: St. Nicholas who many consider to be theabove, it's quite certain that St. Nicholas was no
inspiration for the modern Santa Claus was born ininspiration for this outfit, as he lived in sunny south
Patara around 275AD. Patara is located in presentTurkey.
day Turkey, on the Southern Mediterranean coast inQ: Who was the first to create Santa's modern
what is today an international tourist resort areaimage?
where visitors spend hours basking in the warmA: Coca Cola still uses the iconic images of Santa
Mediterranean sun. Certainly not a place you wouldwhich were hugely successful in the 30s, and created
want to be wearing fur coats in.for it by the gifted artist Haddon Sundblom, an
Q: If you really wanted to find St. Nicholas today,American of Swedish origin (does Northern Europe
where would you go looking?ring any bells here?). However the modern image of
A: You may enjoy a trip to the North Pole, but if youSanta was only standardized in his works, but had
really want to honor St. Nicholas, you would doactually been developing for years before. Coca Cola
better by heading towards Italy, where the remainswasn't even the first beverage company to make
of St. Nicholas are stored in the basilica of St. Nicola incommercial use of every child's jolly toy bearing hero
the city of Bari. They have been there since the 11- a company called White Rock beverages used him
century when they were, uh... borrowed... from theirto sell ginger ale and mineral water as early as 1915.
previous resting place in Myra in present day Turkey.However earlier versions wore a wide variety of
Q: Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer and hiscolors. Coca Cola's Santa is the one the finally set the
companions take Santa on his rounds completelyrecord straight, and since then Santa has been
airborne. How is it that reindeer can fly?wearing nothing but Red and White.
A: Many people believe that the tale of flying