Santa Claus
Santa Claus, also known as Saint Nicholas, Kris Kringle, Father Christmas, or simply Santa, is a legendary figure originating in Western Christian culture who is said to bring gifts to the homes of well-behaved ("good" or "nice") children on Christmas Eve (24 December) and the early morning hours of Christmas Day (25 December). The modern Santa Claus grew out of traditions surrounding the historical Saint Nicholas (a fourth-century Greek bishop and gift-giver of Myra), the British figure of Father Christmas and the Dutch figure of "Sinterklaas" (himself also based on Saint Nicholas). Some maintain Santa Claus also absorbed elements of the Germanic god Wodan, who was associated with the pagan midwinter event of Yule and led the Wild Hunt, a ghostly procession through the sky.
The Secret World of Santa Claus
The Secret World of Santa Claus (original title "Le Monde secret du Père Noël", German title "Weihnachtsmann & Co. KG") is a French and Canadian children's animated television show. It is syndicated to several countries worldwide, including Teletoon in Canada, and is generally seen every December during the holiday season. On December 25, 1999, Christmas Day, "The Secret World of Santa Claus" marathon took place from 6:00am to 7:00pm. The show has been put back on air and will be shown every Christmas season on Teletoon. As of 2013, it has been released on 2 DVDs from Cinedigm in the US.