What does Santa Claus look like and where does he live? Who is older: Father Frost or Santa Claus

Santa Claus is translated from Dutch as Saint Nicholas (Sinterklaas). Saint Nicholas - Nicholas the Wonderworker - Saint Nicholas Miracle Worker of Myra- Nikolai Ugodnik - real historical figure. He became famous as a great saint - God's helper. He helps everyone who asks him for help and intercession.

To understand why St. Nicholas became the prototype of Santa, let's go back in time...
Saint Nicholas was born back in the 4th century, in Lycia, located in southwestern Asia (the territory of modern Turkey) and which was a province of the Great Roman Empire, in the seaport of Patara to wealthy parents. In his youth he traveled as a pilgrim to Egypt and Palestine, and on his return to Lycia became a bishop in the city of Myra. Having distributed his inheritance to the poor, he visited Palestine, venerated the holy places and returned to Patar, where his uncle was a bishop. On the advice of his uncle, St. Nicholas became a priest. He later became bishop of the city of Myra in Lycia, hence his name Nicholas of Myra.

Nicholas was imprisoned during the persecution of Christians under the Roman Emperor Diocletian, but was released during the reign of Constantine the Great.

Fishermen and sailors consider Nicholas the Pleasant their patron; they light a candle before sailing and pray to him during storms and storms. There are legends where Nicholas the Wonderworker, with a prayer to God, calmed the storm and saved a sinking ship, returned a sailor who fell from the mast of the ship and crashed to death to life.

They also pray to Nicholas the Pleasant for healing from various ailments, for the protection of the family hearth, for help in various troubles, from sadness and despondency, for children, to get their daughters married, for help in poverty and need, for intercession for widows and orphans, about compassion for the defenseless, captured by enemies.

In Rus', the fame of the miracles of St. Nicholas has been going on for a long time, starting with the adoption of Christianity. Numerous temples and monasteries were erected in his honor. Among the peasants, Nicholas the Wonderworker enjoyed great respect and was considered the oldest and closest saint to God. St. Nicholas Memorial Day is celebrated twice a year: in the spring on May 22 and in the winter on December 19.

Since ancient times, Russian soldiers considered St. Nicholas their special heavenly intercessor, along with other holy champions of the Russian land. This is evidenced by the cross-vests that have survived to this day, worn by our warrior-ancestors under their armor, on which there was an image of St. Nicholas. The Streltsy guard in ancient Moscow, during roll call, proclaimed in the third voice: “St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, pray to God for us!”

Nicholas the Wonderworker became famous for performing real miracles during his lifetime.
IN hometown Nicholas the Pleasant, there lived a certain rich man who had three beautiful daughters. This rich man went bankrupt and fell into such poverty that he decided to offer his daughters, so that the family would not die of hunger, to earn a living with their beauty. To save the beauties from dishonor, Nikolai crept up to the house of the unfortunate father at night and quietly threw bags of gold out the window. The father of the three girls took this as a miracle and successfully married off his daughters with the money sent down. Thus, in the popular imagination, St. Nicholas became the organizer of all happiness. The saint's blessing to three poor girls became the basis for turning to the Wonderworker with prayer before concluding a marriage. This story also gave rise to the custom of discreetly giving Christmas gifts. Saint Nicholas must, while no one sees him, sneak into the house and leave a bag of gifts under the tree.

For a long time, Nikolai Ugodnik has been considered the patron saint of children. In the Netherlands there is a belief that on Christmas night St. Nicholas rides around on a white horse and gives gifts to good children.

A similar belief exists in other European countries. All the children on Christmas evening are full of impatient anticipation, will “good grandfather St. Nicholas” give them something?

How did Nicholas the Wonderworker become Santa Claus?

The cult of St. Nicholas was very widespread in Holland. Since the seventeenth century, the Dutch have celebrated the day of St. Nicholas on December 6th (in the Orthodox Church - December 19th), the famous patron saint of sailors and children.

Since St. Nicholas is the patron saint of children, in the evening gifts were given to the children: a wooden shoe was filled with fruits and sweets (now the shoe has been replaced by a sock hanging over the fireplace).

During the Reformation of the Church, the cult of St. Nicholas weakened and almost disappeared from Europe. Only in Holland do they still celebrate St. Nicholas Day, or Sinterklaas as they call it there. Dutch settlers brought this custom with traditional gifts for children to New Amsterdam - as New York was once called. In America, the Dutch Sinterklaas becomes Santa Claus. Under this name, the saint who became an American is now known throughout the world.

In 1823, seminary teacher Clement Clarke Moore came up with the image of Santa Claus. On Christmas Eve, Clark read to his wife and children a poem he had composed, “Christmas Is Coming, or A Visit from Santa Claus.” He portrayed Santa Claus as a kind elf who arrives on eight reindeer and enters the house through the chimney. Moore did not intend to publish his work, but one of his friends, without the author’s knowledge, took Moore’s opus to the Sentinel newspaper.

The first image of Santa Claus was drawn in 1862 by cartoonist Thomas Nast. For 24 years, he painted him for the cover of the popular magazine "Harper's Weekly". The artist settled Klaus in the North Pole (and not in Lapland). The covers were incredibly popular.

During Civil War Lincoln asked Nast to draw Santa with the Northerners. Historians say that the Confederate army was demoralized by the appearance of Klaus on the enemy side.

Thomas Nast's Santa had one drawback - he was black and white. The red fur coat was given to the fairy-tale grandfather in 1885 by publisher Louis Prang. He brought the Victorian tradition of Christmas greeting cards made using color lithography to America. So Santa Claus changed the furs that Nast had dressed him in for a nice bright red outfit.

Finally, in 1930, the Coca-Cola company came up with a clever advertising trick so that their products would not be forgotten either in summer or winter - Chicago artist Haddon Sundblom depicted Santa Claus in the red and white colors of Coca-Cola.

Thus was born modern look Santa Claus, where he was no longer portrayed as Clement Moore's elf, but as a giant. Sundblom introduced a ninth reindeer, named Rudolf, into his team. Sundblom's Santa model was his friend and neighbor Lou Prentice.

Thus, Santa Claus, the fat, cheerful old man who delivers gifts, has become integral part Christmas celebrations around the world. He must have a white beard, a red jacket, trousers and a hat with a white fur trim. He rides around on a reindeer-drawn sleigh filled to the brim with gifts. He enters houses through the chimney and leaves gifts under the tree or in a special sock, but only to obedient children.

America - huge country with different climatic zones, so Santa Claus may not appear on his sleigh everywhere. He arrives in Hawaii on a Christmas ship, and in California on a surfboard.

Where does Santa Claus live?

Santa lives far in the north, but he also has 2 houses in America.
Torrington, Connecticut has a Christmas village where Santa and his elves hand out gifts. In Wilmington, New York, near Whiteface Mountain, a house was built in which Santa Claus lives permanently. He has a blacksmith to shoe deer, a chapel and a post office. More than 100,000 people visit Santa's house every year. There is also a city called Santa Claus in America. More than three million letters addressed to Santa come to this city every year. There you will also find a multi-colored statue of American Santa Claus almost eight meters high.

And, of course, if you want Santa Claus to stop by your house and leave you gifts, don't forget to leave milk and cookies for him - millions of children do this before going to bed on Christmas night.

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The prototype of Santa Claus was Saint Nicholas, who was born in the 3rd century in the city of Patara (Asia Minor, Lycia)

from very wealthy parents. Saint Nicholas is one of the most revered Christian saints.

This honor fell to him for his great kindness to people and for the many miracles he performed. He later became a bishop

in the city of Mira (now Demre, a small town near Phenicia), so it received the name

Myralician. In this town they even erected a monument to him. In some countries they say that

Saint Nicholas threw purses full of gold into the houses of the poor, and many believe that

The saint threw wallets through the chimney, and they fell into shoes, which were left to dry by the fireplace.

Therefore, in many Western European countries, New Year's gifts are still accepted today, especially for children.

hide in boots, slippers, or shoes. European settlers who settled in America in

VII and XVIII centuries, brought with them the legends about St. Nicholas. One of the first churches built

in what was then New York, there was Sinter Klaas or Sint Nicholas, later called "Santa Claus".

Where was Santa Claus born?

The modern image of the good-natured, fat Santa Claus appeared in the USA relatively

recently, on Christmas Day 1822. It was then that Clement Clarke Moore wrote the poem "The Coming of St.

Nicholas", in which the Saint appeared as a cheerful and cheerful elf with a round, tight

belly, indicating a passion for tasty food, and with smoking pipe. IN

As a result of reincarnation, Saint Nicholas got off the donkey, acquired eight deer, and in his hands

a bag of gifts appeared.

Where does Santa Claus live?

Many northern countries are still debating where Santa Claus lives. Some believe that he lives

on the northern pole, others - that he settled in the town of Rovaniemi in northern Finland.

In modern Finland there is even a special service for answering on behalf of Santa Claus,

and this is understandable, because on average in December he receives up to 80 thousand letters from children of different

countries with requests and wishes.

The English word Santa Claus comes from the nickname Sinterklaas (from the word "ash") of St. Nicholas

(V Orthodox tradition Nicholas the Pleasant) were the first Dutch settlers in America.

He was considered the patron saint of sailors and children, for whom he prepared gifts all year, and on Christmas

spent the night delivering them and leaving them in stockings prepared for gifts. True, it has come to be considered that way

later, and among the Dutch Sinterklaas was, rather, a stern teacher, for he poured ash into the stockings of those

children who behaved inappropriately.

The main Christmas character has gained particular popularity

after American professor Greek and Oriental Literature Clement Clarke MOORE's

In 1822, for the holiday, he wrote a poem for his children about St. Nicholas, who appears

on the night before Christmas, when even the mice fall asleep, and goes down the chimney with a bag,

full of gifts to leave for the children. In a fur coat, with a white beard and a red nose, he rides around

team of eight reindeer, and its approach can be recognized by the creaking of the runners and the melodic

the ringing of bells tied to deer necks.

The poem quickly sold out and became popular, which somewhat offended the professor,

because he was very serious and did not approve of the fun that the Christmas celebration had become.

And about forty years later, caricaturist Thomas Nast drew Santa Claus, and the image acquired

completeness: red fur coat and headdress, wide leather belt and sparkling black boots.

The Russian Father Frost looks a little different, and his story goes back to Morozko from Slavic folklore.

If Santa Claus is more like a gnome, then Father Frost is a giant, a hero, going around on patrol

his possessions, freezing rivers and lakes with ice, and at the same time giving gifts to children. Its disadvantage is often

asks you to do something for yourself. Not out of greed - the soul just asks. But for the voiceless,

For legless people suffering from sclerosis, everything is paid off by the fact that our Grandfather has a Snow Maiden - she will not only give gifts, but can also kiss.

The Americanized image of Santa Claus was designed in detail by illustrator Thomas

Nast in Harper's magazine in 1860-1880. Nast added such attributes as northern

pole and list of good and bad children.

The Christian saint, deprived of his halo, was dressed in all kinds of multi-colored sheepskin coats,

until in 1931 the famous Coca Cola company began its new advertising campaign, main

the character of which was Santa Claus. Artist Haddon Sundblom drew a good-natured

white-bearded old man dressed in red and white clothes with a bottle of carbonated drink

in hand. This is how the familiar modern image of Santa Claus was born.

In 1939, Rudolph appeared - the ninth reindeer with a large shiny red nose.

Thus, Santa Claus, a fat, cheerful old man who delivers gifts, has become an integral

part of Christmas celebrations around the world. He must have a white beard, a red jacket,

pants and a hat with white fur trim. He rides around on reindeer-drawn

sleigh filled to the brim with gifts. He enters houses through the chimney and leaves gifts under the tree.

or in a special sock, but only for obedient children.

Nowadays, many Americans believe that the modern image of Santa Claus was

dressed in a red and white suit, and these colors are the signature colors of the Coca-Cola company, and

“Santa Claus also drinks Coca-Cola” only in 1931. Apart from a bottle of Coca-Cola, nothing new in

The Coca-Cola company did not introduce the image of Santa Claus. She only popularized it thanks to her

from the history of dates

In 1822, another New Yorker, Clement Clarke Moore, wrote a series

fairy tales, where he described that Santa Claus arrives on eight reindeer. Clement Clark Moore

also came up with a way for Santa Claus to get into the house - through the chimney.

In 1841, in Philadelphia, a certain businessman Parkinson wanted to attract

clients hired a man and dressed him as Santa Claus. The first living Santa Claus sat

on the roof of the building where the store was located, next to the chimney.
In 1863, cartoonist Thomas Nast depicted Santa Claus with huge sideburns and

dressed in fur from head to toe.

In 1869, poems by Georges Webster were published, where the North Pole was indicated as Santa Claus's home.
Publisher Louis Prang spread the English tradition of sending letters to friends and relatives in America.

for Christmas greeting cards. In 1885 he released greeting card, on which

Santa Claus was drawn in a red suit. Since then, Santa Claus has increasingly begun to be drawn in

red robes, not furs or robes of any other color.

This is how the New York Times newspaper, dated 1927, describes Santa Claus

year: “Santa Claus appeared before the young residents of New York: enormous height,

in a red robe, a cap and white sideburns, a bag full of gifts,

The story of Santa Claus, oddly enough, did not begin in America. In the 3rd century AD. A boy, Nikolai, was born, he believed in God and decided to devote his life to Him. When he buried his father and mother, he sold everything they left him and distributed everything to those in need. And he lived with his uncle.

He became a bishop whom everyone loved. He constantly did good deeds, and although he did not tell anyone about this, they talked a lot about the unmercenary bishop, who became Saint Nicholas during his lifetime.

There was a legend about how Saint Nicholas helped three sisters. They lived in a poor family, their father did not have enough money for a dowry, so he decided to send the beauties to a brothel. Having learned about this, Saint Nicholas collected three bags of gold and gave them to the girls. According to one version of the legend, he threw them through the chimney, and they went straight into the stockings, which were drying by the fireplace.

On the day of remembrance of this saint (December 18), it was customary to give out gifts and do good deeds. On this day, gifts were also given to children, who were told that the saint entered the house through the chimney. Specially for him, socks were hung by the fireplace, where wonderful gifts later appeared. But over time, this tradition changed a little; gifts began to be given at Christmas, although in some countries children still receive them on the day of remembrance of St. Nicholas.
Photo: Depositphotos

But Saint Nicholas is not like the modern Santa Claus; they have little in common. Why did the character and habits of the main character of Christmas change so dramatically?

In the 18th century, many Dutch people moved to America and also venerated the saint. They called him Sinterklaas. In addition to the Dutch, the British also lived in America, who had their own cheerful character - Father Christmas. He loved holidays, laughter, cheerful melodies that could make him dance, and was also not averse to eating well and drinking beer. He was depicted as a bearded man dressed in a short camisole with fur. He was the one who gave gifts.

Gradually, the images of Father Christmas and Sinterklaas merged into one, and a kind and cheerful character appeared who gave gifts to everyone and loved to greet children and adults with a cheerful exclamation: “Ho-ho-ho!”

The first time you could read about Santa Claus was in the book “ New Year's gift children from 5 to 12 years old", written by unknown author(1821). And in 1823, Clement Clarke Moore presented his poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” now called “The Night Before Christmas.” There he writes about how Santa Claus races his sleigh through the sky and then comes down the chimney to put gifts in stockings hanging by the fireplace. The sleigh was pulled by reindeer, there were 8 of them in total, he listed their names. The ninth reindeer, Rudolph, appeared only 100 years later.
Photo: Depositphotos

There is another tradition: treats are left for Santa Claus by the fireplace - milk and sweet cookies.

It is the Coca-Cola advertisement that is to blame for the fact that the whole world learned about the magical bearded old man. Already in the 1930s, the image of Santa Claus was used to spread it, and on holidays, actors portraying the kind grandfather worked in shopping centers, communicated with children, and at the same time unobtrusively offered goods to adults.

This is how the image of a cheerful and generous grandfather arose, without whom it is already difficult to imagine the Christmas holidays and New Year.

Main actor Christmas, this is, of course, Santa Claus or Father Christmas. The Santa Claus we know today combines many legends and stories that have undergone some changes over time. The legend about him leads us to ancient times, to King Holly. He sat on a goat with a healing cup in his hand and symbolized abundance.

Since the 17th century, he was first mentioned as a "Yule elf" with a large nose and white beard, as well as a red cap on his head. He came down through the chimney when everyone in the house was asleep and gave gifts to obedient children.

The appearance of the name Santa Claus is also associated with the pagan character - Old Nick (nick - “spirit”), who annually performs various pranks to mock people. And in early Christianity, the image of the Yuletide elf was associated with St. Nicholas, a 9th-century bishop. Later, the Yule elf, Old Nick and Saint Nicholas united, taking on the appearance of Santa Claus.

Later Nicholas was canonized and is now in Christendom he is known as Saint Nicholas the Pleasant. In the Orthodox Church, Saint Nicholas is considered the patron saint of travelers. Roman Catholic Church honors Saint Nicholas as a saint who helps children and the poor. Saint Nicholas has become the main saint to whom children pray. December 6 is the name day of St. Nicholas.

However, Santa Claus is not his only name, although it is the most common. In Germany he is Santa Nikolaus (St. Nicholas), in Finland - Iolupukke, in Italy - Babbo Natale, in France - Père Noel, in Norway - Yletomte, in Russia - Father Frost, etc. But he has one mission - to give children gifts for Christmas.
Santa's Companions

At first, Santa moved on foot, and was accompanied by one elf assistant dressed in green clothes and a cap. Then, in the 19th century, the writer and poet K. Moore became concerned with the problem of their transport and came up with a magic sleigh drawn by white reindeer. Later, the number of Santa's elf helpers increased; they help Santa deal with gifts and are certainly dressed in red caps that they inherited from their predecessor.
Stockings over the fireplace

According to legend, Santa Claus flies on Christmas night in his magical sleigh over sleeping cities and, descending through the chimney into houses, leaves gifts for children in stockings, socks or shoes, which they specially leave under the tree or hang over the fireplace.

This symbol was also introduced into use by K. Moore, in the poem “The Night Before Christmas.” But there is another story about this custom.

One day, a family was preparing to celebrate Christmas. But they were so poor that they could not afford to buy a tree under which Santa could place his gifts. And the sad children went to bed, not hoping for gifts, but the next morning they still found them in stockings hung by the fireplace to dry. The children were very happy, and the custom of hanging socks over the fireplace remains to this day.

The children always wanted to know where he came from and where he spent whole year from Christmas to Christmas and where he gets the gifts. From these questions grew the legend that Santa lives at the North Pole, where his gift warehouse is located.

But in 1925, there were no reindeer pastures at the North Pole and newspapers reported that Santa Claus actually lived in Finnish Lapland. "Uncle Marcus", Marcus Rautio, who hosted the most popular program "Children's Hour" in Finnish state radio opened great secret in 1927: Santa Claus lives in the Lapland korvatantur - "Ear Hill"

The hill, which is located right on the east coast of Finland, resembles a rabbit's ears but is actually Santa Claus's ear, with which he listens to the behavior of children from all over the world. Santa has his helpers, a group of elves who have own story in Scandinavian legends.

As everyone knows, the real Santa Claus has lived far away on the Korvatunturi hill in Finnish Lapland since time immemorial.

There, in a protected place, there is his house and workshops, as well as storerooms with gifts and other household items. Only here, at any time of the year, you can meet not only Santa himself, but also his reindeer. During the Christmas period in the Arctic Circle, where the Main Post Office of Santa Claus and his office are located, everything is covered with white, white snow. It is here that a huge number of letters come from children from all over the planet. Here, in Finland, is located “Santa Park” - a real Santa Claus amusement park. Many residents of Finland are busy all year round helping Santa Claus in his difficult work.

It is interesting that although the Korvatunturi hill can be easily found on the map, only Santa Claus himself, his gnomes, and, of course, all his reindeer know the way to the house.

Korvatunturi is an unusual hill, where the gnomes can hear whether children, as well as adults, are behaving well. The gnomes listen carefully to who is doing what, and carefully record what they hear in huge notebooks. In the books, basically all good deeds are noted, but possible whims and cases of bad behavior that sometimes occur can also be mentioned. Shortly before Christmas and New Year, gnomes look into the windows of houses where children live and check the situation on the spot.

Before Christmas, Santa Claus looks through records in big books and prepares wonderful gifts for everyone who was obedient. If there are bad behavior marks next to someone's name, Santa Claus may only bring that child a bunch of sticks for Christmas. Fortunately, such cases were not observed in last years, as everyone was very obedient.

You know, in the homeland of Santa Claus, in Finland, he himself brings gifts home to obedient children. Entering the house, he once again asks a clarifying question: “Well, are there any obedient children here?” Children sing some Christmas song to Santa Claus and promise to be obedient next year too. Then Santa Claus distributes gifts, and the children themselves help him with this. In many countries, Santa Claus brings gifts to children at night when they are sleeping. Adults give gifts to children in the morning, and Santa Claus is already long on his way back to the Korvatunturi hill.

Santa Claus Village

And so, Santa Claus and his gnome assistants live on the Korvatunturi hill. Still, he decided a long time ago that he wanted to meet people not only on Christmas and New Year. Thus, after careful study of the situation, he decided, with the help of his good friends, to build a house and village near the city of Rovaniemi, at the place where the road leading north crosses the magical Arctic Circle.

Santa Claus wanted an international airport near his village where his many friends could fly to meet him. He also wished that there would be a city nearby where guests could stay in comfortable hotels and get to know the life of people and nature in the North with the help of good guides. These conditions were successfully met in the Arctic Circle, in Rovaniemi.

Santa Claus Village is located just eight kilometers from the city of Rovaniemi to the north. Accurate geographical coordinates: 66º33’07” north latitude and 25º50’51” east longitude, on the Arctic Circle.

Today, in Santa Claus Village, he has his own chamber, where he has an office and premises for receiving visitors. By the way, Santa Claus brought there several large notebooks from the Korvatunturi hill. Books can be viewed on the shelf in the ward, but outsiders are prohibited from looking into them. Only Santa Claus himself and his gnomes can do this.

The Village also houses Santa Claus's General Post Office, which is perhaps the most interesting in the world. In addition, Santa Claus has his own “Shopping Center” - many small shops offering beautiful handicrafts and high-quality souvenirs. There are cafes and restaurants, places thematic events. In winter, the village of Santa Claus has a special fairy-tale atmosphere, when everything around is covered with fluffy white snow, and numerous lanterns and Christmas garlands illuminate the space of the village, emphasizing the mystery of the blue twilight of the polar night. One of the main assistants of Santa Claus is the “Santa Claus Greeting Center”, which takes care of postal correspondence together with the Santa Claus Main Post Office.

Not far from Santa Claus Village is Santapark. This is a Christmas cave built inside a mountain. There, guests of Santa Claus can get an idea of ​​what his real home is like, which is located in the north of Lapland, on the Korvatunturi hill.

Important addition

Santa Claus is very pleased with his village and therefore visits there almost every day. You can meet him there at any time of the year. Yes, Santa Claus comes to the Village from the Korvatunturi Hill on reindeer. Someone was lucky enough to once see him in a reindeer sleigh on the way from there. It is interesting that for this “local message” Santa Claus only needs one reindeer harnessed to a small sleigh, and when he delivers gifts for Christmas and New Year, the gnomes equip a large sleigh for the journey and harness it to it. a large number of more experienced deer. The city of Rovaniemi can be considered the city of Santa Claus. Every year hundreds of thousands of tourists come here to meet Santa Claus and admire the fabulous nature of Lapland in winter and summer. In summer, the midnight sun is especially amazing. For example, the supersonic airliner Concorde has been delivering passengers to Santa Claus Airport for 20 years.

Santa Claus's Helpers

In Lapland, and throughout Finland, there are many small businesses and large companies, who are partners of Santa Claus.

Of these, it is worth mentioning such companies as air services, rail and road transport, taxis, hotels, trading companies, manufacturing information technology enterprises, telecommunications services, thematic program companies and many others. Special role played by local and state radio and television channels, print media. For example, Santa Claus Television publishes interesting things on the Internet. The Rovaniemi Theater puts on Christmas musicals and bands at Christmas folk dance help Santa Claus at many events; individual artists depict many interesting things from the life of Santa Claus. A technology park for companies was built near the Santa Claus Village and its airport high technology. In all official documents, Rovaniemi Airport is called Santa Claus Airport.

In addition, many educational establishments from preschool to university collaborate with Santa Claus. IN High school There is a Santa Claus school in Rovaniemi, where Santa Claus assistants and specialists in ceremonial events are trained. Dwarf schools for children are organized in many tourist centers. Santa Claus tirelessly cares about the well-being of not only his reindeer, but also all other four-legged animals. For example, at the Ranua Zoo, Christmas is celebrated by all its polar inhabitants - from the little lemming to the fluffy lynx. Although at this time the bears, unfortunately, sleep in their dens and cannot take part in the merry Christmas celebration.

There are several places in Lapland where Santa Claus herds his reindeer - reindeer play a starring role in Santa Park, Salla Reindeer Park and Vuotso Reindeer Village.