| A lot of what is widely regarded as true | | | | Santa and his reindeers plan to make their |
| about Christmas or held as a tradition cannot | | | | trip the next day. That's because as the tale |
| or has not been verified, or, has changed | | | | goes, in Finland Santa Claus and his |
| through the years. Even Christmas Day itself, | | | | reindeers do not reach their destinations |
| Dec. 25, has been questioned about whether | | | | around the globe by flying. |
| that is the exact day on which Jesus was | | | | |
| born. Skeptics have asked why would shepherds | | | | Finland welcomes visitors to Santa's workshop |
| be out in the cold watching their flocks by | | | | but there is nothing said about whether |
| night during the winter. Those skeptics have | | | | visitors actually have any chance of having a |
| put forward the thought that Jesus may really | | | | word with the man himself. While the chances |
| have been born in the spring instead. It is | | | | of doing so are believed to be non-existent, |
| therefore little wonder that there are many | | | | among the questions that inquiring minds |
| fancy stories and tales that are told about | | | | could ask Santa is whether Rudolph is the son |
| Christmas and the Christmas season. | | | | of Donner (and to confirm the spelling - |
| | | | Donner or Donder) or whether Santa spotted |
| The most common fancy tale that everyone | | | | him in a different reindeer village one foggy |
| tells, particularly to children, is about | | | | Christmas Eve when he had already started on |
| Santa Claus, also called St. Nicholas. But | | | | his Christmas toy-delivery mission. |
| even if it were accepted that Santa Claus | | | | |
| existed, where does he live and how is he | | | | If mere mortals got a chance to question |
| able to get to all the houses of good boys | | | | Santa, then he also would likely have some |
| and girls on Christmas Eve? | | | | questions for us humans. He may want to know |
| | | | whose idea was it to have Christmas trees and |
| In the United States, Santa Claus is said to | | | | for the gifts to be placed under them. |
| have two homes. There is a home in | | | | |
| Torrington, Connecticut, which is used as a | | | | The tradition of Christmas tree as it exists |
| distribution point for Santa and his many | | | | today comes from Germany by way of |
| helpers, who are elves, to hand out gifts. | | | | immigrants. But it isn't clear how the |
| And then, a second home is said to be located | | | | tradition really gained a foothold in |
| in Wilmington, New York, and that is where | | | | Germany. One story is that Christians in |
| Santa Claus and his delivery reindeer crew | | | | Germany during the 16th century started to |
| are located. | | | | bring trees that were decorated into their |
| | | | homes. Some of those Christians would build |
| But Santa can be visited in Cyberspace at | | | | pyramids for Christmas. The pyramids were |
| anytime and what about the widely held belief | | | | made of wood and would be decorated with |
| that Santa Claus really lives in a village at | | | | evergreens and candles if wood was in short |
| the North Pole? | | | | supply. |
| | | | |
| The people of Finland also claim that their | | | | It is however Martin Luther, a Protestant |
| country is the official residence of Santa | | | | reformer, who is said to have been the first |
| Claus. That's because in Finland, you can | | | | to add lighted candles as decoration to a |
| actually visit a village any time during the | | | | tree based on his inspiration from the |
| year and see Santa's workshop and observe | | | | brilliant light of twinkling stars that shone |
| Santa and his elves hard at work as they | | | | through evergreen trees as he walked home one |
| prepare for their very important Christmas | | | | winter evening. |
| gift delivery job on Christmas Eve. The only | | | | |
| day when Santa's workshop is closed to | | | | As the legend goes, Martin Luther placed a |
| visitors is of course, on Christmas Eve. | | | | tree in a primary room of his house and |
| | | | placed wires with small, lighted candles |
| Maybe a very smart visitor could visit | | | | around the branches of the tree. And that is |
| Santa's workshop on the day before Christmas | | | | how, as the tale goes, the Christmas tree as |
| Eve to see if there are any clues to how | | | | known today, was started. |