Every Christmas season, the question “Is Santa Claus real?” comes up more frequently.
To help answer this question, PBS Studios, a YouTube channel that specializes in educational content, recently released a video titled “Is Santa Real?”
In the PBS Studios video, they analyzed and uncovered various scientific insights to provide evidence about Santa Claus, along with interesting facts about Christmas and the reindeer in his sleigh. Here are some of those facts:
1. Traditional decoration involves lighting candles directly on the Christmas tree
American inventor and scientist Thomas Edison introduced Christmas lights to the world in 1880. Few people know that before this, people typically used candles to light their Christmas trees, which was quite dangerous.
2. Christmas lights will always get tangled, no matter how carefully you store them
Scientists explain that strands longer than 2 meters tend to tangle much more than shorter ones.
3. Santa Claus’s reindeer are all female
Images of Santa Claus’s reindeer often depict them with multiple antlers. Research shows that male reindeer typically shed their antlers during winter, while females do not. Therefore, it is highly likely that the reindeer in Santa’s sleigh are all female.
4. Reindeer can’t fly but can swim
While reindeer cannot fly, they can easily swim in water thanks to their thick skin.
5. Some reindeer have red noses
In animated films about Santa Claus and his reindeer, we see reindeer with beautiful red noses, and it turns out this is true. This is due to blood vessels under the nose working actively to warm and regulate the body temperature of the reindeer.
6. He must travel at a speed of 2,092 km/s to deliver presents to children worldwide on Christmas Eve
If Santa Claus were real, he would have to overcome quite a few obstacles and difficulties.
7. Quantum mechanics theory is certainly one of the biggest obstacles Santa Claus would face in the modern world
8. Does Santa Claus come from the North Pole?
Many people believe Santa Claus originates from Northern European countries near the cold Arctic region. In reality, the image of Santa Claus is based on Saint Nicholas, a beloved saint from Turkey. In 1809, writer Washington Irving described Saint Nicholas flying through the sky delivering gifts. In 1823, Santa Claus was depicted with a sleigh in a myth by writer Clement Clarke Moore (The Night Before Christmas). Therefore, today, people accept Santa Claus as an embodiment of Saint Nicholas in Myra (Turkey).
9. Why the red outfit?
Santa Claus is always depicted wearing a red outfit and a white beard. Many believe this image originated from a Coca-Cola advertising campaign in the 1930s (which depicted Santa Claus in a red outfit holding a bottle of Coca-Cola). However, the red outfit actually comes from the bishop’s robes of Saint Nicholas in the 4th century.
10. Why are there 9 reindeer?
Initially, Santa Claus’s flying sleigh consisted of 8 reindeer, arranged in 2 rows. One Christmas Eve, Santa had trouble delivering presents to children because the cold, foggy sky obscured his view. Fortunately, he discovered Rudolph—a reindeer with a glowing red nose. Santa then had Rudolph lead his sleigh, and it was this glowing red nose that helped him complete his Christmas Eve mission. Since then, there have been 9 reindeer. According to legend, they can fly because Santa feeds them magical corn and oats.
11. Santa Claus “breaks in”
Why does Santa Claus not enter through the front door but instead come down the chimney like a burglar? Because he only comes at night when everyone is asleep, and all the doors are locked tight, leaving only the chimney for him to enter. Moreover, landing his sleigh on the roof seems easier than on the ground.
12. Why put gifts in stockings?
On Christmas Eve, children often hang stockings at the foot of their beds, waiting for Santa Claus to bring them gifts. But why is that? (Stockings are quite dirty!). The story goes that when Saint Nicholas (later known as Santa Claus) was alive, he took pity on three daughters who were of marrying age but too poor to find husbands. One winter night, he tossed 3 gold coins down their chimney, which accidentally landed in the stockings they had hung by the fireplace. Thus, the tradition of children hanging stockings to receive gifts began.
13. The name Santa Claus
The name “Santa Claus” first appeared in an article published in 1777 by the New York newspaper. This name is derived from the Dutch version of “Sinterklaas”—a story created to keep the tale of Bishop Saint Nicholas alive.
14. Does Santa Claus have a wife?
Santa Claus’s wife was first mentioned in a short story titled “The Legend of Christmas”, published in 1849.
The author of that story was James Rees, a Christian missionary in Philadelphia, USA.
In the story, Santa Claus’s wife’s full name is Jessica Mary Claus, named after the mother of Jesus—Saint Mary.
Outside of the story, the first film to feature Mrs. Claus (Santa Claus’s wife) was the 1964 movie “Santa Claus Conquers the Martians.”
However, to this day, Santa Claus’s wife only appears in fictional works, and images of Mrs. Claus are still quite rare during the Christmas season.
15. How many Santa Clauses are there?
There is only one Santa Claus in the world; the others are just people dressed like him. This helps maintain the Christmas spirit throughout the holiday week.
16. What was the first gift Santa Claus made?
In early 20th-century illustrations, artists depicted Santa Claus as a meticulous figure preparing gifts for children. His first gift was a carved wooden statue of a cute little cat.
17. The reindeer Rudolph
Rudolph is one of the most famous reindeer of Santa Claus, created in 1939 by a copywriter named Robert L. May. The adorable character of Rudolph the reindeer later appeared in a Christmas book from the Montgomery Ward department store, given to children visiting Santa Claus at the store.
18. What does Santa Claus ride in?
Washington Irving was a prominent American writer in the early 19th century. He is famous for the work The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and is also credited with the idea of Santa Claus’s flying sleigh. In The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, a collection of short stories published in 1819, Irving recounts a dream of seeing Saint Nicholas flying across the sky in a sleigh. His story became popular in the US and Britain, to the extent that even Charles Dickens acknowledged being inspired by Irving when creating the classic A Christmas Carol.
19. The Origin of Santa Claus’s Reindeer
The reindeer of Santa Claus originated from the poem “The Night Before Christmas” by Clement C. Moore, published in 1823. According to this poem, Santa Claus’s sleigh is pulled by 8 reindeer arranged in two rows. The names of the reindeer are Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donder, and Blitzen.
20. The Antlers of Reindeer Capture Children’s Dreams
According to legend, Santa Claus chooses reindeer to deliver gifts to children. This is thanks to the reindeer’s antlers, which have the ability to catch and absorb all the dreams and wishes of children around the world.
21. Santa Only Brings Gifts to Well-Behaved Children, But What About the Naughty Ones?
According to many traditions, on Christmas Eve, Santa Claus only visits well-behaved children and gives them gifts; naughty children are often left out. To encourage good behavior every year, European parents often warn that if their child misbehaves, Santa Claus will not visit.
Krampus is a character resembling an evil demon; his role is similar to that of the “Boogeyman” in Vietnam, appearing in places with naughty children on Christmas to scare them. In ancient legends, Krampus would kidnap naughty children who disobeyed their parents throughout the year, or at the very least, he would whip them. Nowadays, people often say that Krampus will leave a lump of coal instead of gifts for naughty children.
Moreover, there are many stories about Santa Claus from various cultures, adapted for screens and comics. Regardless of how many strange tales and different versions of Santa Claus exist worldwide, the common belief is that Santa Claus is very kind-hearted and always carries a bag of gifts to give to children everywhere.
Some Legends of Santa Claus from Other Countries
Santa Claus in Romania
In Romania, children eagerly await the nights of December 5th and 6th, when Santa Claus distributes gifts like sweets, toys, and sometimes just a pair of socks. In some regions of the country, children leave out water and carrots for Santa Claus’s horse. According to Romanian legend, Santa Claus appears on a white horse alongside the first snowflakes of winter. The sunlight always seems to avoid him when he arrives. He enthusiastically helps widows, orphans, assists poor girls in getting married, saves sailors from drowning, and protects soldiers in war, helping them return home victorious. Songs celebrating Santa Claus speak of white flowers and apple blossoms.
Santa Claus in the Czech Republic
In Europe, since the 12th century, Saint Nicholas Day on December 6th has become an important holiday where people exchange gifts and participate in charitable activities. Children in Germany often write handwritten letters expressing their wish for gifts to be received the night before Santa Claus arrives, preparing carrots to “treat” his hardworking horse. Children believe that Santa Claus has a thick notebook documenting the deeds of each child. Well-behaved children receive candy canes, potatoes, and warm coal. Mischievous children dress up as Santa Claus and visit neighbors to receive sweets. In the Czech Republic, Santa Claus brings gifts of apples, various nuts, candy, and toys to well-behaved children, while naughty children receive only shoes, potatoes, and lumps of coal.
Santa Claus in France
Children in France, inheriting politeness from adults, often prepare a glass of wine for Santa Claus, along with sugar and carrots for his reindeer the night before. From December 6th, they receive chocolates, gingerbread, and fruits, and send letters to loved ones to wish them a joyful holiday season. Notably, in eastern France, children believe that Santa Claus always rides a donkey, accompanied by Père Fouettard, a character dressed in black. While Santa Claus rewards well-behaved children, Père Fouettard reprimands the naughty ones. Children in Belgium and Luxembourg also wait outside with a glass of wine ready for Santa Claus and sugar for his horse.
Santa Claus in the Netherlands, Spain, and Italy
Naïve and imaginative, Dutch children believe that Santa Claus crosses the sea from Spain to the Netherlands. His companion is Black Peter, a character that frightens children. Well-behaved children receive candies, while disobedient ones are taken back to Spain. In Austria, children believe that Santa Claus dresses like a bishop, holding a book of angels, accompanied by Krampus, who carries a stick ready to punish those who disobey their parents. In Italy, children eagerly write down their wishes with a promise to behave next year, and sweets are always a favored gift. Additionally, in Italy, there is a tradition called Rito delle nubile (the rite for unmarried women), where Santa Claus gifts unfortunate girls with presents inspired by the story of helping three poor girls in legend.
Santa Claus in Croatia
On the eve of December 6th, children in northern and central Croatia polish their shoes and sit by the window with gifts, sweets, and fruits from the generous Santa Claus. In Poland, Santa Claus is venerated as a saint. Dressed in the attire of a bishop, angels help him descend to Earth, where he walks through rural areas or rides in a cart pulled by a white horse. As children grow anxious, he appears, prompting them to shout, “He has come, he has come!” Once inside, Santa Claus patiently listens to the children’s wishes, then gifts them with red apples, oranges, and Piernik – a type of honey cake. If a child happens to fall asleep, he places gifts under their pillow or in the clean socks they have left by the fireplace.
Santa Claus in Slovakia
When visiting Slovakia, Santa Claus participates in choirs and dances on the streets. In some areas, he visits each family and places gifts in the clean socks that children have washed and set out the night before. Some schools also hold a celebration where children exchange gifts with one another.
What is Christmas? Christmas, also known as the Nativity of Jesus or simply Christmas, is a holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. According to most Christian believers, Jesus was born in Bethlehem, Judea (now a city in Palestine), during the time of the Roman Empire, around 7 BC to 2 AD. The holiday is officially celebrated on December 25th but is often observed on the evening of December 24th, as in the Jewish calendar, the day begins at sunset rather than midnight. The official celebration on December 25th is referred to as “the main feast day”, while the evening of December 24th is called “the vigil” and typically attracts more attendees. Many Eastern Orthodox churches, such as those in Russia and Georgia, still use the Julian calendar to determine this date, so their Christmas corresponds to January 7th on the Gregorian calendar. |
