Christmas Eve won't be the same when Santa Claus is not mentioned in every topic. This white-bearded old man from the North Pole is projected as living proof of giving and sharing among people.

Oftentimes, we tend to visualize him as a fat grandfather who used to wear an all-red outfit during the holiday. Some people know that he's got a reindeer named Rudolf, who he rides when he roams the cities to give presents to the kids.

While we know that Santa Claus is already an iconic symbol of the occasion, we do not know the other facts about him. 

Let's find out some of the fascinating information about him just in time for this season.

Santa Claus is Not His Real Name

Some might be wondering if Santa Claus is just a stage name. Some people believe that it's the real name of the Christmas symbol.

However, did you know that he has a real name? Before people called him Santa Claus, he's best known as Saint Nicholas, who used to serve as a Turkish bishop during the Roman reign.

Some stories note that he is so generous that he "secretly" dropped money through the window. He wanted to help a man pay for her three daughters' dowry.

When he dropped the money into the chimney, it luckily went straight to the socks. Since the incident, many people called him a saint of Aberdeen, children, and many more.

Ultra-Fast Sleigh

Visiting millions of houses in more than 150 countries won't be possible if you ask anyone. Even if you ride a speed jet or bullet train, you won't be able to roam the whole world in just 24 hours.

Did you know that Santa's sleigh is believed to be faster than a bullet train? If the fastest train in the world can travel at a speed of 602 km/h, Santa Claus' Christmassy vehicle is almost three times faster than it. Just imagine dashing around the planet without a seatbelt!

Related Article: Christmas Home Safety Tips You Need to Know [2022]

Santa's Outfit

Santa Claus' red outfit is not his original Christmas attire. In fact, early images suggest that he first wore a green-colored costume.

The iconic red-and-white attire first came out in 1931 when Coca-Cola showed its ad. Since then, it has become a more popular outfit even to this day.

Santa Claus Variations

Although Santa Claus remains the most widely-known moniker, other people from other countries used to call him differently. Germans know him as Christmas Man, while the Dutch call him Sinterklaas. Meanwhile, Russians refer to him as Grandfather Frost during Christmas.

Santa Claus is Not Single

The common notion about Santa Claus is that he lives alone in a faraway house at the North Pole. However, we do not know that he does not exist by himself. Actually, he has a wife. This was mentioned in a short story in 1849.

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