The tradition of children receiving gifts during the month of December is relatively the same no matter where you go in the world, but the character that brings the gifts can vary quite a bit from country to country.
It is true that the American version of Santa is rapidly catching on abroad, but in addition to Mr Claus many countries still celebrate their own unique Christmas characters.
From rascally gnomes and friendly witches to creepy goat creatures, the following are the top five Santa legends from around the world.
1. Father Christmas
Countries: UK, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy and many others
Along with Sinterklaas, Father Christmas stands as the biggest influence in the creation of the more modern American Santa, and he is still the primary Christmas gift-giver in the holiday legends of several different countries.
In his modern incarnation, Father Christmas is often indistinguishable from Santa Claus, but their origin stories are actually quite a bit different.
Early versions of the character from the 1600s depict him as a merry old man clad in a green robe. At the time, he wasn't seen as a gift-giver, but rather as the spirit of good tidings and the joy of the Christmas season.
This incarnation was made famous by Charles Dickens in A Christmas Carol, who used the popular conception of Father Christmas as the model for his "Ghost of Christmas Present" character.
With time, though, Father Christmas merged with Santa Claus and Sinterklaas into his more modern role as a bringer of gifts to children.
Gift-giving style
The modern version of Father Christmas differs very little from Santa Claus in his gift-giving methods. Like Santa, he rides a sleigh pulled by a team of reindeer, and climbs down the chimney to leave behind gifts for nice children.
Families often leave behind snacks for him and his reindeer, though these differ according to the country. His location and appearance differ as well.
Some versions of the legend state that he wears a green suit instead of the more prevalent red, and he doesn't always live in the North Pole.
Some countries cite Greenland as the traditional home of Father Christmas, while others use the Lapland Province of Finland.
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