Some Christmas traditions mirror pre-Christian festivities, but some pagan influences may have been overstated.

A surprising Santa Claus, told by one of the fathers of structuralism and cultural anthropology, following a news story: on the steps of the cathedral in Dijon on Christmas Eve 1951, a puppet of ...

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – It’s easy to wonder where Santa Claus comes from, and NBC4 has the answers. Although magic is often the simplest explanation for St. Nick’s Christmas Eve adventures ...

From St. Nick to Santa to Kris Kringle, why we have different names for the jolly bringer of Christmas gifts You may call him Santa Claus, but the bearded guy in the red suit is a man known by ...

Santa Claus, the iconic figure who brings holiday cheer to millions each year, is one of the most globally recognised Christmas symbols. He is a key figure in every Christmas film, decoration, and ...

It's often claimed that many of today's Christmas traditions derive from the pre-Christian observances of pagan cults suppressed by Roman authorities. The story goes that, after Christianity ...

When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Credit: Anna Efetova via Getty Images It's often claimed that many of today's Christmas ...