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109
pulled by reindeer, climbs down the chimney, leaves gifts for the children, and eats the food
they leave for him. He spends the rest of the year making toys and keeping lists on the
behavior of the children.
The French equivalent of Santa, Pиre Noel, evolved along similar lines, his red and
white clothing inspired by the Coca-Cola commercial drawings of Santa which spread
worldwide in the 1930s. In some cultures Santa Claus is accompanied by Knecht Ruprecht,
or Black Peter. In some versions , elves in a toy works hip make the holiday toys, and in
some he is married to Mrs. Claus. Many shopping malls in North America and the United
Kingdom have a holiday mall Santa Claus whom children can visit to ask for presents.
In many countries , children leave empty containers for Santa to fill with s mall gifts
such as toys, candy, or fruit. In the United States, children hang a Christmas stocking by the
fireplace on Christmas Eve, because Santa is said to come down the chimney the night
before Chris tmas to fill them. In other countries , children place their empty shoes out for
Santa to fill on the night before Christmas, or for Saint Nicholas on December 5. Gift giving
is not restricted to these special gift-bringers, as family me mbers and friends also bestow
gifts on each other.
In many countries, Saint Nicholas Day (December 6) remains the principal day for gift
giving. In much of Germany, children put shoes out on window sills on the night of
December 5, and find them filled with candy and small gifts the next morning. In such
places, including the Netherlands, Christmas day remains more a religious holiday. In
Spain, and in countries with similar traditions, gifts are brought by the Magi, fortune tellers
and priests of a pagan religion, at Epiphany on 6 January.
One of the many customs of gift timing is suggested by the song Twelve Days of
Christmas, celebrating an old British tradition of gifts each day from Christmas to
Epiphany. In most of the world, Christmas gifts are given at night on Christmas Eve (24
December) or in the morning on Christmas Day. Until the recent past, gifts were given in
the UK to non-family members on Boxing Day, 26 December.
Christmas cards are extremely popular in the United States and Europe, in part as a
way to maintain relationships with distant relatives and friends, and with business
acquaintances. Many families enclose an annual family photograph with the card, and/or a
family newsletter which summarizes the adventures and accomplishments of family
members during the preceding year.
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