of Santa Claus shares similarities with the English figure of Father Christmas, and they are both now popularly regarded as the same person.

Santa is generally depicted as a portly, jolly, white-bearded man, often with glasses, wearing a red coat with white fur collar and cuffs, white-fur-cuffed red trousers, a red hat with white fur trim, a black leather belt and boots, carrying a bag full of gifts for children. He is popularly associated with a deep, hearty laugh, frequently rendered in Christmas literature