Dashing through the snow, in a gifts-stuffed magic sleigh, Santa comes to make Christmas...a merry time today ! Hey ! But who's Santa Claus ?

There lived in Asia Minor in the 4th century, a kind and generous Bishop of Myra, called St.Nicholas, who was quite famed for the miracles he performed to save the poor and needy. His generosity was the talk of the town in those times and many European churches were even dedicated to his name. Early Dutch settlers took the St. Nicholas stories to America in the 17th century and referred to St.Nicholas as 'Sinter Klass'. The English-speaking majority of this country then changed 'Sinter Klass' to Santa Claus. Gradually, the image of a plump, kind and jolly old man with a long beard, rosy cheeks twinkling eyes, and dressed in red came into existence. This is our Santa Claus, who is also known as 'Father Christmas' in England. Santa is believed to be keeping a tab on children all year round to judge them at Christmastime. He punishes the naughty children and rewards the good ones with gifts and candies on Christmas. Millions of kids also write to Santa Claus at the North Pole (where Santa Claus is believed to live), asking for the toys they want for Christmas. Now, if you've been really good, Santa's never going to miss you out...that's for sure !

On Christmas Eve, Santa Claus fills his sleigh with loads of gifts, hooks his eight reindeers to it and races through the skies at full tilt before landing on the rooftops to drop the Christmas presents through the chimneys ! You must, of course, know who heads Santa's sleigh—it's Rudolph, the reindeer with the rosy nose ! But do you know who all are there in Rudolf's gang ? Well, there's Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Donner, Comet, Cupid and Blitzen. Quite a 'deer-ie' Santa Claus is !

So, that was Santa Claus for you ! Now, all you kids out there—if you want to be at the top of Santa's list, and want him to come ho ho ho'ing to fill your stockings, be real nice till the night before Christmas ! Santa Claus is on his way to rock your Christmas with all the goodies and take you on a joy-ride through the season !

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