Father Christmas, Learn English, A British Christmas

The most recognisable symbol of the English Christmas is Father Christmas. Santa Claus, as he is also known, has a long history that goes back to the Germanic gods. He is a fusion of Christian and pagan figures. They were merged into the figure we know today as recently as 1822. The Santa we recognise was first drawn by Thomas Nast in 1863. Before then he wore a green cloak. Nast added his reindeer a suggestion, perhaps, of Odins horse Sleipnir.